AUBURN, Ala. -- Auburn linebacker Josh Bynes and left tackle Lee Ziemba added one more game to their schedule: the 2011 Senior Bowl.
Both players accepted invitations Thursday to play in the senior showcase, which takes place at Ladd-Peebles Stadium in Mobile, Ala., on Jan. 29.
“I’m really, really proud of those guys,” Auburn head coach Gene Chizik said. “Very deserving of that honor. I think, again, when you have a good team and you’re doing well, that comes with the territory. Those two guys are certainly very well deserving of that selection.”
Ziemba is a consensus All-American and has won the Jacobs Blocking Trophy as the SEC’s top offensive lineman.
“I think anytime you’re recognized as an All-SEC player, that says something about you,” offensive line coach Jeff Grimes said. “But when you go to that next level and people are willing to say you’re one of those best players at your position, I think that says a lot.”
Bynes is a second-team All-SEC selection by the Associated Press after leading the Tigers with 71 tackles.
“It’s a great opportunity for me to showcase what I can do alongside some of the other top players in the nation,” Bynes said. “Getting a chance to work out in front of NFL scouts will be a great chance for me to show my skills, and it’s also an opportunity to have a fun time.”
Adams again
Wide receiver Darvin Adams will handle Auburn’s return punts in the BCS title game against Oregon, wide receivers coach Trooper Taylor said.
Adams handled the duties in the SEC title game after Quindarius Carr, who had the job all year, fumbled a punt against Alabama the previous week.
Adams had one return for 10 yards against South Carolina. He has two this season for 21 yards.
“The biggest deal is Darvin does a good job picking the ball up off the guy’s foot,” Taylor said. “It’s kind of like a baseball. You never want to catch that ball going backward. You want to have your momentum going forward.
“His decision-making with the football -- I think because of so much time on offense -- he makes good decisions with the ball.”
Carr will be the backup, followed by Anthony Morgan and Chris Davis.
Superstitious pants
Running backs coach Curtis Luper and Taylor have an odd superstition before every game. Taylor parades around in Luper’s pants, something he’s done since the opener.
“I was looking for my pants and he had them on,” Luper said. “I said, ‘Troop, look, give me my pants.’ The next week, Coach (Jay) Boulware said, ‘Troop, you’ve to put Loop’s pants on again.’ I reluctantly gave him my pants.
“That’s been for 13 consecutive (weeks). It’ll be 14 on Jan. 10. I’ve got to give my pants to Troop. He parades around in them, and then I put them on. 14-0 is the goal.”
James returning to Oregon
Heisman Trophy finalist LaMichael James is coming back to Oregon next season.
James, a sophomore running back and the nation’s leading rusher this season, repeatedly had suggested he would forgo an early entry to the NFL draft. Thursday’s announcement made it official.
“I came to the University of Oregon to get a quality education as well as to play football and feel I have yet to complete that goal,” he said in a written statement.
James has thrived in Oregon’s speedy spread-option offense. He has run for 1,682 yards this season, averaging 153 a game. He also is averaging a national-best 12 points per game. His 22 touchdowns (21 on the ground plus one touchdown reception) are a school record.
His reputation was tainted this spring when he was accused of assaulting an ex-girlfriend and pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor harassment charge. James apologized to the woman and was suspended for the season opener against New Mexico by coach Chip Kelly.
James was third in the Heisman vote behind two quarterbacks -- winner Cam Newton of Auburn and Andrew Luck of Stanford.
But James has said the only individual honor he would like is Academic All-American. He didn’t make that list this season, but he was on the Pac-10’s All-Academic first team. James, a sociology major, has a 3.01 grade-point average.
Quick hits
Chizik had no news on the academic front Thursday. “I’m going to stay on the same course,” he said. “If there’s a change of any sort, regarding our personnel, I’ll let you know.” ... Auburn altered its schedule. After this afternoon’s practice, the Tigers will do a walkthrough on New Year’s Day. But they added a Jan. 2 practice, which had been scheduled as an off day. Auburn flies Jan. 3 to Glendale, Ariz., and resumes practice the following day.
-- The Associated Press contributed to this report
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