[Tuck4Bama]

Ten key players miss at least one game - most with injuries

AUBURN - James Willis, Auburn's linebackers coach, shrugged his shoulders. It's a waste of time, he says, to worry about who isn't playing.

"There's no complaining," Willis said. "It's part of football. We're going to coach every guy we have. Whoever lines up will be ready to play. Right now, we don't know who that will be."

Such has been the story of the first one-third of Auburn's football season.
"This has not been a great year in terms of being lucky with injuries," Tigers coach Tommy Tuberville said. "We've had more guys missing in four games than all last year."

The Tigers (2-2) got some relief Saturday, rebounding from upset losses to South Florida and Mississippi State to rout New Mexico State 55-20.

But Saturday in Gainesville, the Tigers will face a test like no other they've faced this season. They'll play No. 4 Florida (4-0), the defending national champion and a team spoiling to get revenge for last season's 27-17 loss at Jordan-Hare Stadium.

The Swamp is fearsome enough for teams with all hands available. For the past 25 years, it has been particularly fearsome for Auburn. The Tigers are 2-13 on Florida's home field since 1982. The Gators won 48-7 in 1990, 51-10 in 1996 and 38-7 in 2000.

But Tuberville echoes Willis' sentiments.

"There are no excuses," Tuberville said. "Whoever is there, we are going to practice them and get them ready for Saturday."

AU says it won't break from aches- al.com