Auburn secondary shakeup – again

Each of the past two weeks Auburn coach Gene Chizik has said he did not expect personnel changes only to have alterations come game day. Several changes were made to both the starting secondary and to the rotation of players who came on as substitutes in Saturday night’s 12-10 loss to LSU at Jordan-Hare Stadium

Robenson Therezie, less than two weeks removed from saying he was ‘100 percent’ committed to changing his position to running back, came in on defense. Erique Florence also played on defense, at times subbing in along with Therezie, in situational matchups. Florence did not dress for last week’s game with Louisiana-Monroe due to what Chizik called “personal issues.”

“Some of those are tight ends or substitution patterns. So if we feel like, again, when certain guys come into the game, particularly in the secondary, I think that is where you see it most often that if they have X amount of receivers in the game, then you bring X amount of DBs in the game,” coach Gene Chizik said. “Therezie’s role was a little bit different when they brought in two tight ends tonight. He is a physical corner and so we threw him in there and he played quite a bit in that role so you will see guys going in and out just depending on their roles. So, that is what you saw with those guys tonight including Enrique.”

Earlier in the week defensive coordinator Brian VanGorder said he would not close the door on Therezie playing on defense.

“Well, we still played him on both sides. Again, when you have guys that have some limited roles on either side, and you can do just a few things with them then they can bounce back and forth at practice and get both of those done,” Chizik said. “So, this week the role fit. We knew it was going to be a situation where they were going to come in with two tight ends and make it a very physical perimeter game as well as an inside game, and he fit the bill.”

Jonathon Mincy started at cornerback and was initially going to replace Chris Davis but instead replaced T’Sharvan Bell. Mincy started at the nickel position each of the past two weeks but started at corner opposite Davis Saturday night.

“The change-up was a good thing,” said Bell, who was one of Auburn’s four captains on Saturday. “Coach (VanGorder) steered us in the right direction. We just have to finish.”

Auburn has had four different starting lineups in the secondary in as many weeks.

Josh Holsey also came in and made what was a game-saving pass break-up on a pass intended for Russell Shepard on third-and-eight from the 50.

“I was just trying to make a play,” Holsey said. “I didn’t think he was going to throw it, because I was covering so well. I saw it and I just made a play on the ball.”

Demetruce McNeal returned to the starting lineup at free safety, though he played the overwhelming majority of the plays last week after Trent Fisher made the start.