AUBURN, Ala. — True to his promise, Auburn coach Gene Chizik gave no concrete update on injured linebacker Eltoro Freeman on Wednesday.

"Again, it will be a gametime deal," he said.

Freeman has missed practice because of an ankle injury suffered in the Georgia game. He was seen walking out of the Auburn athletic complex Wednesday with a protective covering to the top of his foot, although it was not the full protective boot he wore last week.

If Freeman can't play, true freshman Jonathan Evans would likely get the nod at weak-side linebacker. Evans filled in for Freeman in the second half of the Georgia game and made four tackles, getting in on one tackle for a loss.

"It's different preparing when you may have to be the guy," Chizik said. "And I think he's been really focused and I think the reps he accumulated (are enough for) him to feel comfortable. And that's the whole goal. So if he has to be the guy, we've repped him enough for him to do that, we think. But proud of him, because he's been very focused and in 10 short days he's made a lot of strides."

Some other notes from Wednesday's brief meeting with Chizik ...

• Auburn went through a 75-minute early practice in helmets and shorts Wednesday, leaving only a walkthrough tomorrow morning and an afternoon team Thanksgiving function left before it gets ready to play Friday's game.

• Chizik said players who live nearby won't have an opportunity to leave town tonight, but said that they can spend times with their visiting families tonight and tomorrow night. "Just try to get some rest and some relaxation with their family before we get out of town," Chizik said.

• Linebackers Josh Bynes and Craig Stevens rarely come out of the game, probably a big reason they rank 1-2 on the team in tackles with 84 and 83 stops, respectively. "It's rare," Chizik said. "Those two guys have been workhorses for us on defense. I can't remember a time when they just really had the luxury of having ever had a break for the most part. Those two have played beat up, they've played tired, they've just done a great job for us. Both those guys."

• Despite 10 days of preparation time, Chizik didn't think his team was antsy at all. "I think they've handled the time here well," he said. "I think it's been just about the way we envisioned it from 10 days out. I don't think they're antsy. We've prepared about like we would any game week. Obviously we had the extra couple days, but I think they're at the right place where they need to be right now, both mentally and physically."

• Asked if it was important to at the very least keep Friday's game competitive, even if it doesn't result in a win, Chizik had this response: "In my opinion, every game is that important. Every game it's really imperative that we're competitive and we fight and we find ways to win it. And this game is no exception. We know this is a big game just because of what the game stands for and what the game is, but the way we approach is mentally is for us to be physical and for us to fight and claw and scratch down to the end, in every game, whether we're winning or whether we're losing. It doesn't matter. We need to be able to lay a foundation, knowing that we're going to be able to play the same way all the time. It doesn't matter who it is."

• I nearly forgot this one last note: Cornerback Walt McFadden was named to the 2009 SEC Football Community Service Team. The league recognizes one player from each of the 12 schools "who has made a superior effort to give back to his community," according to the press release. Here's Walt's long list of activities (from the release):

• McFadden has been active with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes for the last three years, and has participated in Toys for Tots and the Beat Bama Food Drive the last three years with the AU Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. He participated in the BRIDGES Summer Program at Drake Middle School as a featured speaker during the summer day camp. He has also participated in the Learning Zone Day Care Center Pep Rally and the Auburn Early Education Center Pep Rally, and has been a featured speaker at the KUMON Math and Reading Center and Camp Kaleidoscope (a summer program sponsored by the City of Auburn).