Pair of Tigers embraces comebacks

For those who have caught the last few Auburn practices, the news Gene Chizik shared Thursday wasn’t a big surprise.

A.J. Greene, Auburn’s new season-opening right tackle, and Barrett Trotter, the Tigers’ backup quarterback, had assumed their duties unofficially days before Chizik made the formal announcement.

But for those who last checked in a year ago, when Trotter was shelved with a torn ACL and Greene just wasn’t playing, the comeback stories for both players might be simply unfathomable.

Even Chizik had to admit he was pleasantly surprised by the turnarounds from both players, especially a long-forgotten player such as Greene.

“I don’t think there’s any question that he’s one of the most improved on our team,” Chizik said.

During the spring, Chizik said he wasn’t even sure whether Greene was ever going to play before his career came to an end.

Greene saw action in just three games in his first three years at Auburn. Both of his appearances in 2009 came when the Tigers led by at least three touchdowns late in the second half.

He began his Auburn career as a defensive lineman, but was buried on the depth chart. He converted to offensive line duties early in the 2008 season but was buried on the depth chart yet again.

“For whatever reason at this point in his life, he decided it was time that he do something,” offensive line coach Jeff Grimes said. “He really stepped up. Different guys come on at different times.”

Greene emerged among a battle of four that was supposed to be a battle of two.

Brandon Mosley and Roszell Gayden were both recruited specifically to compete for the only opening on Auburn’s veteran-heavy offensive line. Greene and Auburn native John Sullen, though, ended as the final two.

Grimes said he noticed something different out of Greene on the first day of fall practice. His teammates said the transformation began during summer workouts.

“I think he realized there was an opportunity there for him,” center Ryan Pugh said. “For A.J. to step up like that, that’s just a tribute to his hard work. Everybody is proud of him. I just hope he gets to enjoy the moment on Saturday and play good, of course.”

Greene separated himself from the pack over the final week, as Sullen nursed a shoulder injury.

“They brought out some great competition in some guys that are here,” Chizik said of the junior-college transfers. “And they’re still competing. We still expect those guys to contribute to our team and play in some way, shape or form, whatever their roles may be. Because this competition never ends.“

Trotter is only a redshirt sophomore, but he was recruited three offensive coordinators ago. He’s yet to take an official snap.

After redshirting the 2008 season, Trotter was thrown into an open quarterback competition with Chris Todd and Kodi Burns. His bid to start ended on the penultimate spring practice, when he tore his ACL during a mock scrimmage.

Trotter spent the entire 2009 season on the sidelines and even traveled with the team. He served a key role as one of Gus Malzahn’s play communicators.

“He got to see the game and see our offense from a different standpoint, working our board and seeing how things go on the sideline,” Malzahn said. “I know that’s really helped him. Our players have a lot of respect for him.”

Malzahn said Trotter was “in the mix until the very end” before Cameron Newton was named the starting quarterback at the end of spring. This was the first true competition for a starting quarterback position that Trotter had lost during his entire career.

He wasn’t prepared to lose another one.

“Once the starter’s been named, that’s the next best thing you shoot for,” Trotter said. “That’s what I’ve been doing. That’s what we’ve all been doing is working hard and trying to get that spot.”
Trotter’s emergence marked another heartbreaking moment for senior Neil Caudle, who came to Auburn as one of the highest touted quarterbacks in the country, but has yet to start a game.

“I had known that Barrett had kind of moved in front of me,” said Caudle, who will see the field as Auburn’s starting holder. “I just continued to work hard and see if I could get the job. It just didn’t work out for me.”

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