Eli Drinkwitz on Auburn parting ways with Damari Alston: ‘I’ve got problems of my own’

Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze revealed on Tuesday that senior running back Damari Alston has departed from the team following its 20-10 loss to No. 10 Georgia on Saturday. Alston rushed for just nine yards on seven carries in the defeat.

Junior running back Jeremiah Cobb got the majority of the carries for the Tigers, totaling 50 yards on 12 carries. “Damari failed to meet the expectations and standards of our program. We love him. Wish him the best,” Freeze said.

Alston only played in four games this season due to a shoulder injury he suffered in Auburn’s season-opener against Baylor. He will be able to redshirt to preserve a season of eligibility. In his four appearances this season, Alston recorded 32 carries for 128 yards and a touchdown. He also notched four catches for 28 total yards.

The Atlanta native had his best season at Auburn in 2023, when he tallied a career-high 320 yards and two touchdowns on 64 carries.

Drinkwitz declines speaking about other teams’ issues

Ahead of this weekend’s matchup between No. 16 Missouri and Auburn, head coach Eli Drinkwitz was asked about the ramifications of Alston’s departure on the opposing team. In short, he didn’t care too much to comment on what other teams are dealing with.

“I’ve got problems of my own, so I’m not worried about anything going on with their team,” Drinkwitz. “I’m worried about the issues I’ve got, which are third downs and vertical throws and all the other stuff ya’ll pointed out to me that I have to go back and worry about.”

Both teams are coming off losses, as Mizzou fell to No. 8 Alabama at home 27-24 and the Tigers were unsuccessful in knocking off No. 10 Georgia at home. Alston would have been a big addition to Auburn‘s offense in the game, as Drinkwitz’s defense is the one of the best in the SEC.

“Damari Alston is much better than any of us gave him credit for,” Freeze said prior to the season. “He just was behind Jarquez [Hunter], and Jarquez had one of those bodies where he played a lot of snaps. So I don’t think you’ve gotten to see Damari’s full potential.”

Kick-off for Saturday’s matchup is scheduled for 7:45 PM ET. The game can be seen on SEC Network. Auburn leads the all-time series 3-2.

On3’s Grant Grubbs contributed to this article.