Izavion Miller, Cam Coleman 'questionable' for the New Mexico game
AUBURN — Izavion Miller and Cam Coleman are questionable for Saturday’s game against New Mexico.
Miller, the starting right tackle, left the game in the first half and didn’t return until the second half. He only played 22 snaps in the game, replaced by backup Ronan Chambers, who played 40 snaps. Miller injured his hip.
“Chambers played OK at times in the run game, pass game he struggled a little bit,” Freeze said.
Coleman injured his right shoulder in the second half and remained in the game, but was clearly hurting, evidenced by not being able to raise his right arm well enough on Payton Thorne’s back shoulder attempt that resulted in an interception in the fourth quarter.
“Cam probably has a better shot of playing than Too Tall,” Hugh Freeze said. “Too Tall tried to come back in. That’s one of the hits that Payton took right when he was throwing. (Miller) just couldn’t move. He’s got a hip issue. It will be difficult for Too Tall to play and I’m not sure on Cam. It depends on how quickly that he gets some range of motion in that shoulder.”
Both had MRIs following the game and neither is expected to miss significant time.
“It’s nothing season ending, thank God,” Freeze said.
Coleman finished the loss to Cal with two catches for 53 yards, with 41 of those coming on the first drive of the game. Potentially without Coleman, that means more will be placed on the shoulders of KeAndre Lambert-Smith, Robert Lewis and others.
“They have elevated themselves to those positions I think we have others in Perry (Thompson) and Malcolm (Simmons) and Sam (Jackson) and Caleb (Burton) that can also perform at a high level,” Freeze said. “We just never got any kind of rhythm to where you got a good rotation going with those guys.”
Thompson, Simmons and Jackson played 10 total snaps against Cal. Burton didn’t play at all, with Camden Brown playing five snaps.
As for the offensive line, Dillon Wade might move to left tackle next to Tate Johnson at left guard, with Jeremiah Wright playing right guard next to either Tyler Johnson or Percy Lewis at right tackle. Connor Lew will obviously stay at center.
Percy Lewis played 24 snaps at left tackle as well, backing up Johnson.
“I thought Percy played his best game and that was good to see,” Freeze said. “Tyler looked a little like a freshman at some points, but we’ll need them all. Chances are we’ll move one to right, one to left, and one will be a swing guy.”
