Auburn starting linebacker Austin Keys will have surgery after picking up a thumb injury in Auburn’s game Saturday against UMass, head coach Hugh Freeze said during the Wednesday SEC conference call with reporters.

Freeze said Keys will be out for “a while.”

Keys dealt with a shoulder injury during the preseason and wore a yellow non-contact jersey before Auburn’s second scrimmage. He was healthy to start in Auburn’s first game, but it is not immediately known when exactly the injury occurred.

On Monday, Freeze mentioned Keys in a group of players, but did not say specifically what injury then.

“We’ve got a long list,” Freeze said Monday. “From Nick Mardner to Austin Keys to Jalen (Mcleod) to (Nehemiah) Pritchett. All of those guys hopefully can have a good week. We can really, really use some of those guys.”

During a period of practice open to reporters Tuesday evening, all the players Freeze mentioned as dealing injuries were participants in practice except Keys. Keys was not seen on the field at all.

North Texas transfer Larry Nixon III is listed as Keys’ backup on Auburn’s depth chart. He did not record a stat in the UMass game.

When Keys was injured during fall camp, Nixon was consistently the linebacker filling his spot while Eugene Asante and Cam Riley rotated in the weak side linebacker role. Riley started alongside Keys in the UMass game. It is possible, given the strong preseason Asante had, to start the former North Carolina transfer in Keys’ position. Asante led Auburn with six tackles against UMass, including 1.5 for loss and 0.5 sacks.

Wesley Steiner, who is listed behind Nixon on Auburn’s depth chart, would likely factor into the rotation, too.

Keys transferred to Auburn this offseason from Ole Miss. Keys started five games for Ole Miss last season and had a total of 402 snaps. He had 39 total tackles, 3.5 for loss and two sacks. He also had a forced fumble and had a fumble recovery.

Matt Cohen covers Auburn sports for AL.com. You can follow him on Twitter at @Matt_Cohen_ or email him at [email protected]