AUBURN AUTHORITY

Seniors address off-field transgressions

James Crepea
Montgomery Advertiser
Auburn defensive lineman Gabe Wright said the team's seniors have addressed recent off-field issues.

AUBURN – The 20 Auburn seniors addressed the off-the-field transgressions of Nick Marshall and Jonathon Mincy at the beginning of fall camp, vowing to stop run-ins with the law and other distractions to the team.

"We're pretty much saying the seniors need to be an example for the younger guys so it won't be a recurring thing," tight end C.J. Uzomah said. "We kind of nipped it in the bud by saying it's not going to happen again. We're going to focus on the season. We just need to focus on football. That's where our heads have been. That whole thing is behind us."

Auburn quarterback Nick Marshall spoke publicly for the first time since his July 11 citation for possession of marijuana (less than 1 ounce) and illegal window tint during a traffic stop in Reynolds, Georgia.

Neither Marshall nor Mincy will start the season opener against Arkansas. Both admitted to a "mistake" and said they are seeking the "trust" of their coaches and teammates after their respective marijuana-related legal infractions.

At SEC Media Days, defensive lineman Gabe Wright had a difficult time envisioning what playing without Marshall and Mincy would be like. Wright expects his teammates to approach the game the same way.

"It's hard to say, honestly," Wright said. "If I had to be in their position and somebody asked what it was like to play without Gabe, then I would expect him to answer with just doing the same thing he do. I know I will go about my normal game experiences and I'm pretty sure the rest of the team will do the same."

Wright said the incidents have "definitely been emphasized and it's definitely been put into play."

Two weeks into fall camp, the team has been laying low in the evenings with an 11 p.m. curfew.

"We kind of said that there is no one on campus and there are times when you get bored and want to do stuff, and we say 'No. We're going to be accountable for each other," Uzomah said. "The camp grind is entirely too toiling on someone's body. We've kind of said that no one is going to get into any trouble."