AUBURN NOTEBOOK: No decision on quarterbacks

By Andrew Gribble
Auburn University Beat Reporter
Published: October 10, 2008

Tommy Tuberville had yet to pin down who would be this Saturday’s starting quarterback after Thursday morning’s practice.

A decision, he said, would come in the “next 24 hours.“

“Both have practiced well,” Tuberville said. “They know the scheme, they know what we’re doing. The entire team believes in both of them, which is good.

“They’ve both had great attitudes for the last seven, eight weeks.“

This is the first week Auburn has gone deep into a week open-ended at the quarterback position since Chris Todd earned the coach’s endorsement after the Tigers’ win against Southern Miss the second week of the season.

The indecision comes as another setback for Todd this week. Todd was originally recruited to Troy by Tony Franklin before following the now ex-offensive coordinator to Auburn.

Tuberville said it hasn’t affected the junior-college transfer.

“Chris said, ‘Coach, I came here to play football,’” Tuberville said. “His attitude is great and I wouldn’t expect anything different. He’s a hard worker and wants to play.”

He just may not get to start, an opportunity Kodi Burns would love to have.

“I feel like I’ve improved,” Burns said. “I’m just waiting on that chance to stay out there and show people what I can do.”

Burns, like Todd, has looked effective at times, but has primarily struggled in adapting to Franklin’s spread, which Auburn will continue to run with tight ends coach Steve Ensminger calling the plays. Franklin often harped on Burns for opting to run out of the pocket too quickly instead of looking for second or third passing options.

“Yeah, I guess that’s what I struggle with,” Burns said. “I don’t know. I look and I feel like I work myself in the pocket, but when things don’t open up that’s kind of my natural instinct is to run.”

Hand me the ball
Mario Fannin doesn’t care how he gets the ball, just as long as he’s getting it.

But if he had a preference, the 20-year-old wideout/running back would rather have it handed to him.

“That’s something I came here for — to run the ball,” Fannin said Tuesday. “Coach Franklin felt like receiving was the best thing for me. I got back there at running back and he said I do a great job with that.”

Coach Franklin, of course, is no longer with the program, but Tuberville said Thursday he hoped to get Fannin more touches out of the backfield against Arkansas. Fannin will become the centerpiece of the offense when, or if, Tuberville breaks out the War Eagle formation, where he lines up as the lone player 5 yards behind center.

“We want to get him more and more involved,” Tuberville said. “We’ve still got the War Eagle formation. Mario needs to be a big part of it. He’s physical, he can catch the ball, he’s good on special teams.”

Not sweating it
After he fired Franklin, held practice then addressed the media, Tuberville hit the phones Wednesday night.

His mission: Make sure there was no unrest among Auburn’s 26 verbal commitments for the 2009 season, many of whom were recruited by Franklin or enticed by the spread offense he coordinated.

“Obviously, we texted and tried to make as many calls as we could last night to recruits,” Tuberville said. “That went great. No problems.”

That’s not to say Tuberville wasn’t concerned about the fallout.

“It’s been a tough 24 hours,” he said. “But again, when something like that happens, you have to make contact and it’s been very, very good.”

Jetgate?
Long thought to be the dominant storyline heading into this weekend, the checkered past between Tuberville and Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino has almost become an afterthought.

While both coaches mostly deferred comment on the scandal from 2003 where Auburn officials flew to Louisville to try to replace Tuberville with Petrino, Tuberville said Tuesday that he now has a good relationship with the former Auburn offensive coordinator.

“Obviously at that time, I was a little confused as to what was going on,” Tuberville said. “He was at a great place at Auburn. He realized that. I guess he felt like if there was going to be a change, why not him?

“That is all passed. He’s got a good job. I’ve got a good job.”

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