Tez Doolittle granted a sixth year

Tez Doolittle never stopped believing.

The Auburn defensive tackle kept the faith through eight long months, after rupturing his Achilles’ tendon last August. Though most observers predicted the injury would end Doolittle’s career, the former Opelika star never doubted he’d be back.

Monday, Doolittle’s optimism was rewarded.

Auburn’s athletic department announced that the NCAA had granted Doolittle a sixth year of eligibility. The decision restores a football career some believed ended on a hot morning last August, when Doolittle ruptured his Achilles’ during a routine blocking drill.

Instead, Doolittle will be back on the roster this fall.

He believes he’ll be back on the field as well. Doolittle, who graduated last fall with a bachelor’s degree in criminology, spent three weeks in Atlanta working out with former teammates Quentin Groves and Prechae Rodriguez, who are preparing for the NFL draft.

Rehabbing from a serious Achilles’ injury isn’t easy: Doolittle still isn’t cleared to run and spent most of his workouts jogging in a pool. But he expects to be healthy enough to play this fall.

“I’ll be ready to go in August, I’m hoping,” he said.

The decision to grant Doolittle an extra season of eligibility is part of a serious of decisions suggesting the NCAA is loosening its requirements for a sixth year. In previous years, players usually had to prove they’d missed two seasons with the same injury.

But this year, Doolittle and Tennessee’s Antonio Gaines each received sixth years in similar circumstances. Both redshirted as true freshmen after undergoing surgery to repair high-school injuries, then suffered different injuries five years later.

The decision doesn’t just help Doolittle. It will also provide Auburn with some much-needed depth on the defensive line.

Sen’Derrick Marks, Jake Ricks, Zach Clayton and Mike Blanc were the only healthy scholarship tackles available this spring. If Doolittle’s rehab allows him to play this fall, it will take some pressure off AU’s incoming freshman class.

The Tigers signed six defensive linemen in February; most observers predicted at least one would have to play this fall to round out the depth chart. A healthy Doolittle would allow AU to redshirt all six rookies, if necessary.

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