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Auburn football linebacker Robert Woodyard Jr. was named to the Pro Football Focus SEC team of the week after his stellar performance against Missouri last week. Woodyard finished with 11 total tackles with nine of them being solo hits and four going for a loss. Auburn coach Hugh Freeze said earlier in the week that it was one of his best performances to date. “That was Robert’s best game since we’ve been here, by far,” Freeze said. “That’s a kid that really struggled and contemplated ‘do I need to move on’ back in the crazy portal world. I give a lot of credit to his father, who spoke real truth to him. He hung in here and now he has worked his tail off to get better and better. He played his best game.” His four tackles for loss were Auburn’s most in an SEC game since Jalen McLeod had 4.0 against Arkansas in 2023. Sitting at 38 total tackles, two sacks and 10.0 tackles for loss on the season, Woodyard has also earned the respect from his younger teammates looking up to his elite awareness as a defender. “He sees what we can’t see on the front, so like, it just helps us being up there and him being behind us making plays,” Sophomore edge rusher Amaris Williams said. “He’s been working. His communications skills, way better improved since last year.” Following the Tigers’ 23-17 loss to Missouri, Woodyard broke down his message to the team and the defense as Auburn prepares for a conference matchup on the road. The Tigers will travel to face Arkansas as both programs are winless in SEC play so far. Auburn currently has a 3-4 overall record and is 0-4 against conference opponents. “Just keeping our team levelheaded, always keep the main thing the main thing,” Woodyard said. “And as a man, you just got to go out there every day and put your best foot forward no matter what happens in the past, you got to put your best foot forward each and every day.”
