AUBURN AUTHORITY

Jermaine Whitehead doesn't travel, out against Kansas State

James Crepea
Montgomery Advertiser
Auburn defensive back Jermaine Whitehead did not travel with the team to Kansas State and will not play on Thursday.

MANHATTAN, KANSAS -- Auburn field safety Jermaine Whitehead did not travel to Kansas State on Wednesday and will not play in Thursday night's game between the No. 5 Tigers and No. 20 Wildcats, a school spokesman confirmed.

The top player in Auburn's secondary, Whitehead has 12 tackles and two interceptions, including a 33-yard interception return for touchdown against Arkansas, this season.

The reason for Whitehead missing Auburn's first road game of the season is unclear, though Auburn Undercover reports, through "knowledgeable sources," Whitehead had a "verbal confrontation with an Auburn assistant coach, resulting in his suspension."

The absence of Whitehead from the Auburn travel party was first mentioned by AuburnSports.com.

The 5-foo-11 193 pound senior's streak of 28 straight starts will come to an end and create the potential for several moving parts in the secondary.

True freshman Stephen Roberts is listed as Whitehead's backup on the two-deep, but Josh Holsey could move from corner to boundary safety and Johnathan Ford or Derrick Moncrief might slide over from boundary to field safety to make up for Whitehead's absence.

Whitehead's interception against San Jose State made him the first Auburn player with interceptions in back-to-back games since Jerraud Powers did it against Georgia and Alabama in 2007.

"He's a very savvy guy, very experienced guy," Auburn coach Gus Malzahn said of Whitehead following the Sept. 6 game, a 59-13 Auburn win. "You can tell he's played a lot of football. He is the operator on the back end, all the communication goes through him. He gives our defense a lot of confidence on the back end."

Whitehead was not available for interviews following the San Jose State game or in the time since.

Auburn defensive coordinator Ellis Johnson said Whitehead's "consistency" in the secondary was vital as he "quarterbacked" the defensive backfield amid injuries and lack of depth last season.

"If you go back over his previous three years, I'd say he's been as consistent a football player as Auburn's had," Johnson said last month.

The Greenwood, Mississippi native had 65 tackles, with two interceptions, six pass breakups and a fumble recovery while missing only a handful of plays in 2013.

In mid-August, safeties coach Charlie Harbison referred to Whitehead as a "professional" because he "does his job" without making mental errors and is dependable.

"He's not one of them guys that go out there and do temper tantrums on the field to get noticed," Harbison said. "He's like a pro, he comes to work and does his job. Sometimes less is more."