Auburn quarterback Sean White appeared to be a late scratch for the Tigers’ game against Vanderbilt on Saturday because of an apparent shoulder injury. However, he made a surprise entrance in the game.
Continue for updates.
White Returns vs. Vanderbilt
Saturday, Nov. 5
White started the second half against Vanderbilt on Saturday, per Brandon Marcello of Auburn 247.
This was a surprising development, as the school announced White was out shortly before kickoff, and Michael Niziolek of the Columbus Ledger-Enquirer reported John Franklin III stepped in to make his first career start.
The extent of White’s setback and exactly when he got hurt is unclear.
White Essential to Auburn Offense
White has done a solid job of managing the offensive attack through eight games. The sophomore has completed 68.5 percent of his throws with eight touchdowns and just two interceptions. He’s also added 140 yards and two TDs on the ground.
The switch to Franklin suggested the team would feature an even more run-oriented approach. He’s averaged nearly 10 yards per carry during his limited chances to play this season.
He told Tom Green of AL.com in early October that he was just trying to keep himself prepared for whatever opportunities arose during the year:
I mean, just trying to make it every day, get better as a quarterback, get better as a person and I felt like I have a role on this team and have a plan, and Coach Malzahn and God have a plan for me. I’m just going with the flow right now; I’m not stressing, thinking forward to the future. I’m just going one day at a time right now.
Auburn has a difficult finishing stretch that features road games against Georgia and top-ranked Alabama over its final three contests. For a team that owns victories over LSU and Arkansas, it represents a chance to make a major statement down the stretch.
Whether White will be available for those marquee matchups should become clearer once Auburn sheds a little more light on why the decision was made to sit him at the beginning of the game on Saturday afternoon.
