When Gus Malzahn was at SEC Media Days everybody wanted to know one thing: What would the punishment for Nick Marshall be following his citation for marijuana possession? Malzahn didn't have an answer then, but he has one now.
Marshall will not start Auburn's season opener against Arkansas, but he will play.
Now, what's not nearly as clear is what "not starting" means. Will Marshall miss the first play? The first series? The first quarter?
"I'm not ready to say that yet," Malzahn told reporters Friday, keeping us all in suspense a bit longer.
Considering that it was a relatively minor offense, and that Marshall has already paid the fine, I can't imagine he'll be held out of the game for too long. Were Auburn playing San Jose State to open the season instead of a conference opponent in Arkansas, it's possible he would be held out for the entire game. But even if Arkansas didn't win a single SEC game last season, nobody needs to tell Malzahn how quickly teams in that position can turn things around.
Malzahn also announced that defensive back Jonathan Mincy will suffer the same punishment as Marshall after his own marijuana charge in June.