Could Injured Auburn WR Horatio Fields Receive a Medical Redshirt?

Wake Forest transfer receiver Horatio Fields was expected to be a major factor for the Auburn Tigers this season before a season-ending broken foot, which required surgery.

While only playing in four games this season, which would normally allow a player to receive a redshirt season, Fields already received a traditional redshirt as a freshman in 2021 with the Demon Deacons. As a result, Auburn is looking into applying for a medical waiver with the NCAA to give Fields a sixth season.

"We do feel like we can get him a redshirt, which would be huge for us next year to have him back," head coach Hugh Freeze said on Monday. "He’s an incredible leader and incredible young man, heck of a player. We can’t file that until after the season, but I think it’s a pretty good case that he would get his (redshirt).”

Through four games, Fields caught 12 passes for 106 yards and a touchdown, including a six-catch, 51-yard effort against Ball State. He broke his foot in practice on Tuesday, Sept. 24, days after the Tigers' 24-17 loss to Oklahoma to open SEC play and prior to the 16-10 loss to Texas A&M on Sept. 27.

Auburn Tigers wide receiver Horatio Fields caught 12 passes for 106 yards and a touchdown before his injury. | Chris Jones-Imagn Images

While Freeze already announced Fields would miss the season a day after Fields' injury, there was hope that he could return to practice this season, albeit in an extremely limited capacity. Freeze explained on Monday that while he did not have an update on Fields, he doesn't "think he's close."

“I did not get an update today on him, so I would totally be speaking out of ignorance, but I don’t think he’s close," he said. "I’m always aware of the injured that are out there working and running, and he’s not to that point yet, so I don’t have an accurate update on that."

Without Fields, a breakout candidate for this season after having 463 yards and four touchdowns at Wake Forest last year, Auburn has struggled mightily in the passing game for multiple reasons, including poor blocking from the offensive line, poor quarterback play from starter Jackson Arnold and untimely drops by the receivers.

In the three games after Fields' injury, the Tigers went 0-3 while failing to score more than 17 points in a game. Through the air, Arnold averaged just over 156 yards per game with no touchdown passes in that stretch.

However, the Tigers seemingly turned a corner last week after Arnold was benched in favor of fellow transfer Ashton Daniels, who led Auburn on five scoring drives in the second half - all field goals - as Auburn beat Arkansas for its first SEC win of the season.

Auburn Tigers quarterback Ashton Daniels sparked the team to a win over Arkansas. | Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images

As a result, Freeze opened up a quarterback battle between Arnold and Daniels heading into this week's game against Kentucky. On Wednesday, Freeze explained he was not quite ready to name a starter.

"They both are really great guys that prepare well. They're getting us in the right things," Freeze said. "They're setting the protections the right way. They're both making accurate throws for the most part. And so, it's really hard to decipher the difference when you are in practice."

Auburn's game against Kentucky will begin at 6:30 p.m. CT with television coverage on SEC Network.

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