Ellis Johnson: Carl Lawson's response to knee surgery 'phenomenal'
- No timetable for return of top pass rusher
- Early season schedule seen as potentially helpful if Lawson unable to return in time
GREENVILLE -- Auburn's top returning pass rusher is responding well to knee surgery but there is no timetable for his return.
Tigers defensive end Carl Lawson had surgery on his left knee, which caused him to miss Auburn's A-Day game, but there are few specific details right now, according to defensive coordinator Ellis Johnson.
"The procedure went well, and Dr. (James Andrews) said it's been phenomenal the way he's responded," Johnson said before a meeting of the Butler County Auburn Club on Thursday. "But we don't get anything else definitive. We're still very optimistic."
The 6-foot-2, 261-pound Alpharetta, Georgia, native had 20 tackles, with 7
"They won't tell us anything," Johnson said of any timetable for Lawson's return. "Nothing specific."
Lawson is expected to help fill the void left by Dee Ford's graduation, stepping into the first-round NFL draft pick's role at left end.
"We've got a battle going on for those positions and we've got depth," Johnson said. "Losing Dee, we kind of felt like Carl showed last year he might be the guy to step in those shoes."
Should the Tigers need to play without Lawson, like they did without Ford for the first two-plus games last season, the schedule does help.
Auburn opens with run-heavy Arkansas on Aug. 30, then plays a non-conference game against San Jose State on Sept. 6 and has an off week before traveling to Kansas State for a night game on Sept. 18.
"That schedule could help us on a lot of young guys and maybe an injured guy or a young guy that needs time to get better, time to get better physically or get better as a player," Johnson said.
Gabe Wright and Montravius Adams, both tackles last season, spent time working at end during the spring and could be used in the "rhino package" during the Arkansas game.
"It may give us a chance to go big on a personnel package that we probably need against maybe the opening game," Johnson said. "The teams that bring two tight ends in the game and always got a tight end on the line of scrimmage, it's not bad to have a big, physical 280-pound defensive end. There's some things in it sort of work to our advantage having to work those guys out there."
Auburn lost four members of the defensive line to graduation, including Ford, Nosa Eguae, Ken Carter and Craig Sanders, but returns starters LaDarius Owens and Wright. Also returning are Angelo Blackson, Jeff Whitaker, Ben Bradley, Elijah Daniel, JaBrian Niles, Tyler Nero, whose status remains unclear following his collapse at practice, and Adams.
The Tigers have six signees from last year's recruiting class joining the group, including four who have already arrived on campus.
"I took a significant hit," defensive line coach Rodney Garner said last month of his personnel losses from last season. We definitely need some help from those (new) guys."
Auburn's new defensive linemen are junior college transfers DaVonte Lambert and Devaroe Lawrence, as well as Raashed Kennion, Dontavius Russell, Andrew Williams and Justin Thornton. Lambert, Kennion, Russell and Williams are already on campus and Lawrence and Thornton set to arrive later this month.
Johnson said Garner has been pleased with what he's seen from the four newcomers so far during the limited on-field time coaches are now permitted during the offseason.
"He's had three sessions I believe, he's been really impressed with our new guys, JUCO and high school," Johnson said. "You don't want to put too much pressure on them too early, but there's going to be some guys probably in that new bunch that can give us some depth; they did last year."