Josh Holsey looking to build off best outing of career

• Holsey's 11 tackles most by Auburn player since 2012 game against Vanderbilt
• Last time a Tigers defender had 10 or more solo tackles was against Oregon in 2011 BCS National Championship game

AUBURN – Josh Holsey has been thrown into a new role before at Auburn, but not so soon before a game.

Days before the 2013 A-Day game, Holsey moved from corner to boundary safety, but last week he moved from corner to field safety, where he'd never played before, to replace the suspended Jermaine Whitehead just two days before playing at Kansas State.

"It was like the same, similar situation than it was in the spring game, (except) it was Kansas State on the road," Holsey said. "I had my mind prepared to do it, so I just had to make sure I went in there with the right mindset and make sure I played as well as I did."

Holsey wasn't aware of it as the game went on Thursday night, but he was not only having the most productive, and probably best, game of his career, he was single-handedly involved in more stops than any Auburn defender in over three seasons. His 11 tackles more than doubled his previous career-high (five) and helped him earn SEC Defensive Player of the Week honors.

"I didn't even know I had that many tackles at the end of the game when they told me," Holsey said. "As the game went on, I really was just focused on trying to do my job and make sure we came out with the W. I really wasn't even focusing on myself as an individual with how many tackles I had or if I had anything else."

Holsey had the most tackles by an Auburn player since Cassanova McKinzy and Demetruce McNeal each had 12 against Vanderbilt in 2012, and his 10 solo tackles were the most by a Tigers defender since Mike McNeil had 12 against Oregon in the 2011 BCS National Championship game.

"What he did was really phenomenal," Auburn coach Gus Malzahn said. "He gives us a lot of experience back there. He's a real calm, confident guy. He just understands the game. His play was really big."

Having such a banner performance with little practice at the position was nothing short of remarkable and Holsey appreciates the confidence the coaching staff has in him.

"It really puts somebody's trust in the coaches as well because they actually believed in me to do that with the little preparation that I had," he said. "It just shows that I'm versatile and I can play corner, free, boundary. It just shows that I'm prepared to play."

The biggest difference between boundary safety, where Holsey started six games prior to tearing his ACL last season, and field safety is there is "a lot more space" for him to cover, and the expanded communication with not only the cornerback, but also the "star" safety.

Since Holsey knows the secondary "like the back of my hand," the communication aspect wasn't a hard thing to pick up quickly.

"I don't remember him missing any calls when I was out there," field corner Jonathan Jones said. "It was simple for him. He's been there before. No issues; no nervousness. It was just a walk in the park for him."

The plan is for Holsey to remain at safety until and unless Whitehead returns, which does not appear to be happening this Saturday against Louisiana Tech.

Holsey's debut at field safety was a blockbuster, now he's hoping for a sequel.

"I think I only had like one mistake the entire game," he said, "but there's always room for improvement to play even better."