AUBURN | A major injury has thinned out Auburn’s linebacking corps just days before the season opener against No. 6 Washington.

Junior Richard McBryde was on the cusp of taking on a much bigger role with the defense before suffering a season-ending neck injury.

“He's a wonderful young man,” Auburn coach Gus Malzahn said. “Had a neck injury. We hate it for him. He's been with us a long time. He was set up to have a very good season.”

The injury happened during a recent practice.

“That's our brother, man. That's our teammate. Just seeing the injury, just seeing how it happened, I really don't even know how to explain it. Emotionally, we were kind of struck as a linebacker room,” senior Deshaun Davis said. “He's still with us. He's not actually playing, but he's there every meeting. Any time we're at practice, he's right there on the side with us. He's still coaching up young guys. He's smiling. The enthusiasm is there.

“So it's good to see him actually around the football team and still being a part of the brotherhood. But not having him out there with us on Saturdays and even during the week in practices, man, you can tell that it's still eating him alive. Seeing him and just knowing his love for the game, as a leader, it hurts me also. That's one of the guys that we're going to play for this year.”

Filling in for McBryde on the depth chart is true freshman Zakoby McClain, who will backup Montavious Atkinson at Will linebacker.

Malzahn also updated the injury status of quarterback Joey Gatewood, who will miss the Washington game with an injured thumb, and cornerback Jamel Dean, who injured his finger last week.

Cord Sandberg will be Auburn’s No. 3 quarterback for the Huskies while Malzahn expects Dean to practice today and play on Saturday.

“We expect him to be fine,” said Malzahn of Dean, who started 11 games at cornerback last season.

Malzahn was asked if Dean will need to wear a club on his injured hand in the opener.

“We’ll see when it gets closer to the game,” he replied.

No. 9 Auburn takes on Washington in Mercedes-Benz Stadium at 2:30 p.m. CT on ABC.