With Auburn’s game against Mississippi State now off for this weekend, the Tigers will have some extra time to get injured players back on the field.

Holding down the secondary, Jamien Sherwood injured his lower leg against LSU and was seen in a walking boot and with crutches when he returned to the sideline.

Sherwood was battling to return for the trip to Starkville, but now looks to be in a better spot to return to the field.

“Yeah, there’s no doubt,” Gus Malzahn said on the extra week giving the team more time to get healthy. “That was one thing—Shedrick Jackson, Jamien Sherwood, those guys, and there’s a handful of other guys too, if you look at it as a positive, it gives them another week to heal up. I don’t know if Sherwood would’ve been available this week or not; he would’ve tried. He’s a tough guy. That’s the positive, you get some of these guys healed up for this stretch run the last four games.”

Also on defense, the Auburn defensive line will get some much-needed depth with freshman Jay Hardy returning to practice.

Hardy suffered an ankle injury in the preseason and was active, in uniform for the first time against LSU.

“Yeah, yeah, they’re—all those guys, the young guys, and if you’re talking about his health, yes. Those young guys, they got a lot of work last week, which is really good,” Malzahn said.

Another freshman that Auburn’s getting back in the mix 6-foot-7 tight end Brandon Frazier.

Last Thursday offensive coordinator Chad Morris said that Frazier was returning to practice.

Malzahn was pleased with the freshman’s performance in practice.

“I think Chad talked a little bit about it, but there’s no doubt he can (help with the offense); he’s a very talented young man,” Malzahn said. “He has been back on the practice field and getting back in the flow of things, so he’s a guy available for the stretch run.”

While Auburn is getting some players returning, linebacker and team-leader K.J. Britt’s status remains up in the air.

Britt underwent surgery to repair a torn ligament in his hand after the Georgia game.

“I don’t know,” Malzahn said about Britt’s status for Tennessee. “We’ll see. I mean, I just—we’re taking it week by week on everything. I don’t have an update on that. We’ll see where it is when we get to next week.”

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