What Champ Anthony's injury means for Auburn's secondary

Champ Anthony was Auburn's highest-graded defensive player by Pro Football Focus against Arkansas, but his game was cut short in devastating fashion.

He suffered what looked to be a serious leg injury in the first quarter, leaving the game on a stretcher with an air cast on his left leg.

Hugh Freeze didn't go into specifics about the injury, but said Monday that Anthony had a successful surgery in good spirits. Now with Anthony out, Auburn's already thin secondary takes a considerable hit.

Freeze mentioned a few names when asked about where the group goes from here, but the look of concern couldn't escape his face when answering the question.

Alabama transfer Antonio Kite and redshirt freshman JC Hart were the two main players Freeze wants to see step up, but true freshman Jay Crawford is another player that could be in the mix.

Crawford didn't see much playing time against Arkansas but had a nice pass breakup in the game. He only played eight snaps, but had the third-highest Pro Football Focus grade on Auburn's defense.

Hart hasn't seen significant playing time yet this season, but many players described him as one of the team's most improved players coming into the season.

"He's going to have a breakout season this year," Anthony said of Hart on Aug. 5.

"It's really, really good to see him maturing, turning the corner and putting himself in position to help us play at a high level. I'm really happy with his progression," Cornerbacks coach Wesley McGriff said during fall camp.

Kite has played by far the most snaps of the three players mentioned, rotating in at corner after Anthony went down Saturday and was a consistent presence in Auburn's first three games of the season.

He's had an up and down start to the season, getting an interception against New Mexico, but having trouble at times in one-on-one coverage down the field. He'll likely slide into the first-team corner role opposite Kayin Lee, with Freeze saying that he wants to keep veteran Keionte Scott at nickel.

Scott started the season as one of Auburn's starting corners but played at nickel against New Mexico and Arkansas. That's where he played throughout last season and appears to be the more natural position for him.

Despite some struggles for the unit overall, the secondary had arguably its best game of the season against Arkansas, a performance that Freeze hopes the group can build on.

"You're going to get some penalties on interference, but I do think we're getting better playing the ball and not being as handsy," Freeze said during his Monday press conference. "Kayin Lee really improved in that this week. So did JC Hart."