Auburn LB T.J. Neal makes the most of increased playing time
By Adam Spencer
Published:
The 2016 season hasn’t gone how Auburn LB T.J. Neal expected it to.
A graduate transfer from Illinois, Neal was held out of the Arkansas State game earlier this year after complaining about a lack of playing time.
However, on Saturday against Vanderbilt, Neal was pressed into action when starting LB Deshaun Davis was ejected for targeting.
Neal finished the game with nine tackles in the Tigers’ win, drawing the praise of teammates and coaches alike, according to AL.com:
“He stepped up,” said fellow linebacker Darrell Williams, who had a game-high 11 tackles. “His performance showed how much he’s been waiting just to get that opportunity. I feel like he took advantage of that. He did it really well.”
Defensive coordinator Kevin Steele said Neal understands the Tigers’ defensive strategies better, giving coaches more confidence in his ability to play:
“He got out there and he’s kind of progressed to that,” defensive coordinator Kevin Steele said. “He understands what we’re doing, he understands the concepts of what we’re doing. He got guys lined up. He did a good job. He was active.”
Neal figures to get more playing time this Saturday, when the Tigers travel to Athens to take on the Georgia Bulldogs.
That game will kick off at 3:30 p.m. Eastern time and can be seen on CBS.
Adam is a daily fantasy sports (DFS) and sports betting expert. A 2012 graduate of the University of Missouri, Adam now covers all 16 SEC football teams. He is the director of DFS, evergreen and newsletter content across all Saturday Football brands.
