Still no timetable for senior defensive back’s return to Auburn
By Adam Spencer
Published:
The Auburn Tigers have been mum on the topic of graduate transfer DB Marshall Taylor and his status with the program.
Coach Gus Malzahn has said Taylor’s absence has nothing to do with an incident involving recently-dismissed RB Jovon Robinson and that Taylor is taking care of “personal business.”
Auburn DB coach Wesley McGriff told AL.com he hopes to have Taylor at practice soon:
“I have no idea what the timetable is and the head coach is going to handle that situation with him and we’re just going to follow his lead,” McGriff said. “The faster we get him back, the better and that’s with any young man. The thing that concerns you at this day and age is you want these guys in the environment where they’re used to being, and that’s on the field with their teammates and playing the game.”
Though McGriff said he’d love to work with Taylor and help him with whatever he can, he said the rest of the Auburn secondary is moving on as if Taylor is hurt:
“When you look at it and say he hasn’t been here, it really hasn’t been hard because he hasn’t been here,” McGriff said. “You’d love for him to be here for multiple reasons. When players are separated from a program for whatever reason, whether it’s a day (or) 48 hours, I think as a coach you have to look at it like an injury.
“The guy got injured. We play a violent game. You got to look at it like an injury and then shift your focus to coaching the room but at the same time, at the appropriate time, help those young men (who are hurt) … so they can return to the field.”
Auburn opens the season on Saturday, Sept. 3, against a stacked Clemson team. If Taylor is going to suit up for Week 1, he’ll need to get to campus soon.
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.
