After missing four games, Greenwood’s Jermaine Whitehead is back on the practice field.
The former Amanda Elzy High School standout has been reinstated to the team after an indefinite suspension, Auburn coach Gus Malzahn said Tuesday.
Whitehead, a senior free safety, returned to the practice field Sunday after No. 5 Auburn had a bye week. Malzahn said Whitehead will have to work his way back on the field. The coach said he would not go into details.
According to AL.com, Whitehead worked with the scout team in his first practice back since being suspended prior to the Kansas State game for reportedly getting into a verbal altercation with an assistant coach.
Elzy head football coach Eric House stays in close contact with his former player, talking to him three or four times a week. He says Whitehead is ready to move forward.
“He’s excited to put that Auburn uniform back on. He’s put everything else behind him,” House said. “It was a tough situation, but he found some good in it. He had time to study game film more and get in some extra training and worked on some of his weaknesses.”
Whitehead, who graduated with a degree in accounting in three years in August, started 28 straight games prior to his suspension and was praised during fall camp by the defensive coaches, including safeties coach Charlie Harbison, for his character and temperament.
Whitehead had 12 tackles and two interceptions, including a 33-yard interception return for a touchdown, in the Tigers’ first two games.
