Auburn Tigers defensive back Antonio Kite has been booted off the team for skipping multiple practices after his recent demotion.
Kite, who transferred to Auburn from instate rival Alabama in the offseason, initially became a crucial member of the Tigers‘ defensive backfield when starting corners Tyler Scott and Keionte Scott suffered injuries early on in the campaign.
The sophomore has appeared in all eight games this season, yet the emergence of Jay Crawford recently bumped him down in head coach Hugh Freeze’s pecking order.
Crawford eventually leapfrogged him on the depth chart at the end of September, before the freshman went on to record 12 tackles and an interception in four games as a starter.
In the wake of his demotion to a reserve role, Kite is believed to have ditched a number of practice sessions with the Tigers, meaning Freeze has made the decision to remove him from the roster.
Auburn will now be extremely thin at cornerback for the remainder of the season following Kite’s dismissal, with Vanderbilt up next this weekend.
They then finish the year with back-to-back games against Texas A&M and Alabama.
Kite, who had six tackles and one interception this season, was a four-star prospect before he signed with Alabama out of high school.
The 6-foot, 175-pound player will now begin the search for his third team in as many seasons following his Auburn exit.
He mostly played on special teams with the Crimson Tide but returned one punt for no gain.
Kite had offers from the likes of Florida State, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi State, Penn State, South Carolina and Tennessee before opting to stay closer to home in Alabama.
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