As it turns out, the competition new Auburn football head coach Bryan Harsin has preached has led to a surprise starter in the secondary.
Bydarrius Knighten, a four-year starting safety at FCS Southeast Missouri State, has broken into the mix at safety and will be opposite Smoke Monday when the 2021 season kicks off in a few weeks.
247Sports’ Nathan King shared the latest camp intel, noting that it was Nehemiah Pritchett who originally had the scoop.
Per King’s verified Twitter:
Sounds like FCS transfer Bydarrius Knighten is the frontrunner to start at safety for Auburn alongside Smoke Monday, according to Nehemiah Pritchett.
— Nathan King (@NathanKing247) August 17, 2021
Pritchett was complementary of Knighten, noting his ability to assimilate to the defensice schemes quickly:
"“He’s been doing an awesome job,” Pritchett said of Knighten. “Great player. He’s picked up the plays very well. He’s coming in and getting extra work, going up to the office, seeing the coaches, going over the plays. He’s a great player overall, in my opinion.”"
Knighten had been linked to the starting job as early as last week, when new defensive coordinator Derek Mason hinted at the camraderie between the grad transfer and Monday, who Mason has tabbed to be MVP of the defense:
"“I’ve seen Ladarius Tennison do as well as I could’ve hoped coming into fall camp” — and that Knighten is already pairing well with Monday at safety: “Smoke needed Bydarrius, OK? And Bydarrius, you know, needed Smoke.”"
With Knighten now solidified as the starter, we know that Harsin wasn’t lying about each individual competition to line up with the first unit come September 4th when Akron rolls into town as a (now)37-point underdog.
Fly War Eagle will keep you posted on the rest of the Auburn football preseason camp battles as kickoff draws nearer with every passing day.