Zac Etheridge says he will be back in action this fall. The safety, who suffered a serious neck injury late last season, was cleared medically today after undergoing a series of tests.

Etheridge spread the word first on Twitter. Here's what he wrote on his Facebook wall not too long ago.

"I am VERY excited to announce that your very own #4 will be returning to the field this season with all of my love and passion for auburn football!!!!! I would like to thank God for his amazing work for healing me up perfectly and the life he has given me.. I want to thank everyone for their support and prayers bc i couldnt have done it without you!!! get ready for a great season.. WAR EAGLE!!!!!"

Etheridge is obviously a huge boost to Auburn's defense. He's started 33 games and made 192 tackles in his career and provides a some hard-nosed leadership in the secondary.

It'll take some time to see how he comes back from an injury of this severity. He hasn't faced any contact since briefly laying motionless on the Jordan-Hare Stadium grass last fall. He'll have to use the next month to get used to the physical rigors of the sport again.

UPDATE: Auburn has confirmed that Etheridge has been cleared to play. We'll be talking to him shortly. Check back for some quotes in a little bit.