Broken arm knocks White out, ends Auburn’s upset bid
NEW ORLEANS | Sean White was nearly at a loss for words in the postgame locker room.
After finally coming back from a shoulder injury, Auburn’s sophomore quarterback suffered a broken arm in the first quarter of the Tigers’ 35-19 loss to Oklahoma in the Sugar Bowl.
“That's what I was thinking at some point, 'You've got to be kidding me,’” White said. “I had just got back and I was feeling good and we go and score on the first drive and this happens. You got to be kidding me but what are you going to do.”
White led Auburn right down the field on the opening series of the game and on 3rd and 5 at the Oklahoma 6-yard line he rolled to his left, couldn’t find an open receiver and took off toward the goal line.
He was stopped at the 3-yard line and broke his right forearm on a hard collision with a couple of Oklahoma defenders including linebacker Jordan Evans.
“It’s heartbreaking. I hurt for him. Everyone hurts for him,” said H-back Chandler Cox, who ran for a 3-yard touchdown on the next play. “I’ve been in that spot where you just get healthy and something else happens and you’ve got to spend more time in the training room. He’s going to be OK. He’ll come back stronger than ever.”
White didn’t realize the extent of the injury and actually played the next three series on offense, leading the Tigers on a field goal drive to give Auburn a 10-7 lead midway through the second quarter.
But after completing 2-of-2 passes for 25 yards on the first drive, he was just 2-of-8 for 10 yards before being lifted at the end of the second quarter.
“I felt like I was fine, like it was a bruise or something,” White said. “They said, 'OK, let us know.' After the one I threw into the ground on the swing pass, I said, 'Coach, something ain't right. I can just tell.' That's when they took me out.”
White injured his throwing shoulder at Ole Miss Oct. 29 and then re-injured it at Georgia Nov. 12, causing him to miss the final two games of the regular season.
Now, he’ll begin the offseason rehabbing from another injury.
“Words can't really describe it. I was really bummed out,” White said. “You didn't really believe it. First drive, it's kind of crazy. Injuries are a part of the game. I'm just going to have to figure out a way to bounce back from it and do whatever I can this offseason to prevent myself from getting injured.”
White was one of three quarterbacks Auburn used against the Sooners. He was replaced by John Franklin III, who completed 3-of-7 passes for 25 yards before cramping in his throwing arm forced him to the sidelines in the fourth quarter.
Senior Jeremy Johnson finished the game completing 5-of-9 passes for 93 yards with one interception. Kerryon Johnson threw a one-yard touchdown pass to Jalen Harris out of the Wildcat formation on the game’s final play.
Auburn’s quarterbacks combined to finish the game 13-of-27 for 154 yards with a touchdown and one interception against the nations No. 118 passing defense.
“Overall, it was a tough night at the quarterback position,” Auburn coach Gus Malzahn said.