10/19 at 09:24 PM

Auburn head coach Gene Chizik isn’t worrying himself with the off-field turmoil surrounding the Tigers’ Saturday opponent, top-ranked LSU.

Whether Tyrann Mathieu, Spencer Ware and Therold Simon can play Saturday or not, Chizik isn’t spending much time fretting over it.

“We’re concerned with Auburn and what we’re trying to do,” Chizik said. “All that other stuff will take care of itself one way or the other. We’re really not paying a whole lot of attention to that.”

Multiple outlets reported Wednesday that Mathieu, a cornerback and LSU’s most prolific defender, Ware, the Tigers’ leading rusher, and Simon, another starting defensive back, would be suspended for LSU’s game against Auburn for undisclosed reasons.

Tigers coach Les Miles declined to address the suspensions in his Wednesday meeting with the LSU press corps, saying, “It’s internal discipline. I’m not inclined to be forthcoming with information.”

“I expect that my team will take the field ably manned and ready to play at all positions,” Miles said.

Sigler making the move
Defensive line coach Mike Pelton said freshman Devaunte Sigler was the logical choice to shift to power end with the injury to LaDarius Owens because Sigler’s “athletic enough to go out
there.”

Sigler played an outside linebacker/end hybrid at B.C. Rain High before being moved to the line’s interior at the beginning of the season, and Pelton said he’s still a lineman first and foremost.

“Going into the game, he’s going to be a guy that plays inside before he plays outside,” Pelton said.

Sigler will be able to provide depth behind Nosa Eguae at power end along with Craig Sanders, who could also work in with Joel Bonomolo behind Corey Lemonier at speed end.

Sanders has played both sides at end — along with some time on the interior — this year.

“He’s just a very cerebral player,” Pelton said. “You just put him at different positions and he just knows it.”

Sullen the tutor
Chad Slade doesn’t have to look very far for pointers on how to take on his new position at left guard, after playing right guard and right tackle for the Tigers earlier this year.

Junior John Sullen — the Tigers’ starting right guard — has been where Slade is. He’s played all over the offensive line in his three years at Auburn.

“John is a great help,” offensive line coach Jeff Grimes said. “He’s been in the same place and now is a little bit farther along. He’s an intelligent guy that communicates well.”

Slade is taking over for senior Jared Cooper, who is out for the rest of the year after undergoing surgery Monday.

The redshirt freshman stepped in for Cooper at the end of the Arkansas game and started last week against Florida.

“I think (Slade’s) got a lot more confidence this week,” Grimes said. “After having a game that he has that experience under his belt and stepping in there he did a good job, I think he’ll just continue to grow and get better.”

Blake and Reed game-time decisions
Chizik said Auburn will probably brush right up against game time before deciding if receivers Emory Blake (ankle) and Trovon Reed (shoulder) can go against LSU on Saturday.

Blake missed the Arkansas game and all but a play or two of the Florida game, and Reed has missed the past three weeks.

“We’ll see what happens Saturday and how they feel,” Chizik said.

Chizik said both Reed and Blake practiced Wednesday, but neither were “full-go.”

“They’re trying to work in there and get some game preparation in there,” Chizik said.

It takes 3
Running backs coach Curtis Luper said Mike Dyer, Onterio McCalebb and Tre Mason — who was held out of last week’s game to rest his hamstring — should all see significant action against LSU.

Maybe all at the same time.

“We’ll have them all out there at the same time and some point,” Luper said. “We have to get the ball in the hands of the guys who can make plays and (Mason’s) proven that he can make a few plays.”