Truesdell 'playing at a 'whole new level

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Truesdell 'playing at a 'whole new level' for Auburn defense

ByJason Caldwell

3-4 minutes

AUBURN, Alabama—When Auburn signed Tyrone Truesdell out of Laney High in Augusta, Ga., the defensive lineman was coming off a disappointing senior season when he gained weight and lost the quickness and explosiveness he showed as a junior. Now in his third season with the Tigers playing tackle, Truesdell is performing like the player defensive line coach Rodney Garner saw and thought enough of to offer a late spot in Auburn’s 2017 class.

“He's playing at a different level than he did last year,” Auburn Coach Gus Malzahn said of the junior. “He's playing good football.”

A player who has a bird’s eye view of Truesdell and the rest of that defensive line is Auburn junior linebacker Chandler Wooten. Coming in with Truesdell in that 2017 signing class out of Georgia, Wooten said he’s having fun watching the big tackle wreak havoc in the middle of the line of scrimmage.

“He’s taken his game to a whole new level this year and I’m so happy for him,” Wooten said. “I have seen the work he put in this offseason. It’s no surprise to me. It’s just a matter of everyone else in the college football world just to be able to see it now.”

With only 14 total tackles in his first two seasons with the Tigers, Truesdell played strictly a backup role behind four-year starter Dontavius Russell. Finally getting his shot to jump into the first-team chair, Truesdell has delivered. Already in three games this season he has 11 total tackles with a pair of sacks and three tackles for a loss. Only Marlon Davidson has more negative plays on the team.

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“He came a long way,” Wooten said of Truesdell. “It’s incredible to see because I got to see it from the beginning to where he is right now. We all have a lot of work to continue to do. I know he’s not satisfied and that’s the best part about it to know he wants to continue to get better. I’m excited to see where he continues to go.”

Preparing to face a talented Texas A&M offense on Saturday led by junior quarterback Kellen Mond, Wooten said it all starts up front and he’s glad to have his guys playing at such a high level as the Tigers prepare for SEC play.

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“Getting to play behind those guys, Marlon and Derrick and Big Kat and T.D. and Trues, I could keep going down the line because all of those guys are amazing,” Wooten said. “Just to see what Marlon is doing on a week-to-week basis and so consistent, I’m a fan of those guys and I get to play behind them. It’s special.”

[sevenlee36 1,654]

I like what I saw out of Handy and Hall also