AUBURN SPRING FOOTBALL REPORT: Burns has upper hand in QB race
A leader has emerged in Auburn's search for a new quarterback.
The Tigers' offensive coordinator believes sophomore Kodi Burns played significantly better in the Tigers' Saturday scrimmage despite a mediocre statistical performance. Fellow sophomore Neil Caudle threw for 243 yards to Kodi Burns' 162 with a nearly even completion percentage, though numbers and performance grades don't play a central role in Auburn's final assessments these days.
Coach Tony Franklin favors intuition.
"Kodi has an edge because he's dynamic with the ball and he can do so many more things that Neal can't do," Franklin said after the team's 90-minute workout Sunday. "I try to figure out who can win. Grades are nice. Sometimes, it helps you to see that somebody played better than you thought. Still, a grade is not going to decide who wins the quarterback job."
Burns was a role player as a true freshman last season, providing a useful run-first complement to starter Brandon Cox's pass-first skill set. Franklin, hired three weeks before the Chick-fil-A Bowl, used Burns in a similar role during the Tigers' postseason win against Clemson.
That experience seemed to pay off on Saturday. Kodi Burns threw with more conviction and made more deliberate decisions with the run options that Franklin's offense emphasizes.
He also is less likely to make catastrophic passing decisions.
Though defensive tackle Jake Ricks intercepted a deflected Burns pass on Saturday, that miscue didn't seem to annoy Franklin. Caudle threw balls directly into the waiting hands of defensive backs three times.
Two of those passes were caught for interceptions. One was returned for a touchdown.
That annoyed Franklin.
"He definitely has to stop throwing it to the other team," Franklin said. "Just like today -- he did it a few times. He's got to eventually figure out how not to do that. If he doesn't do that, he's not going to play."
Tailback Brad Lester has a much different problem.
Mario Fannin was knocked from the scrimmage with a shoulder injury. Ben Tate missed the scrimmage with lower-leg problems. Tristan Davis hasn't practiced in three days since injuring his right foot.
Lester was Auburn's only healthy scholarship back for most of Saturday's event. The senior estimated that he participated in at least 50 snaps and expects to be similarly busy for at least the next few days.
"It's rough, but as (Franklin) says, it's just part of the game and you've just got to tough it out," Lester said. " I'm trying to take care of my body. He tried to relieve me of some reps today. I'm looking forward to (the other backs) to get back out there."
Coleman back: Defensive end Antonio Coleman, who was taken by ambulance from the team's scrimmage, wore a neck brace while watching Auburn's practice on Sunday. He simply watched from the sideline.
The incident occurred while Coleman worked against left tackle Lee Ziemba, whom some players believe injured the Tigers' defensive star with an unnecessarily aggressive approach. Defensive tackle Sen'Derrick Marks said Ziemba contacted Coleman on Saturday night to apologize, and the two were expected to have a face-to-face meeting on Sunday night.
"There aren't any bad feelings against Lee," Marks said. "Everyone knows Lee goes one speed. He goes full speed, walk-through, practice, game, that's just the speed he goes. He's always trying to do everything right."
Coach Tommy Tuberville said he doesn't believe Ziemba intended to harm his teammate.
"It was just two guys competing and he got hurt. There was no intention on either side," he said. "Both of them got after it all day long. You're going to have a lot of competition."
Seeking answers: Tuberville said several players are headed to Birmingham this week for more advanced medical treatment.
Wideout Tim Hawthorne suffered a broken arm during practice Friday and will undergo surgery later this week. Tailback Mario Fannin suffered a shoulder injury during the scrimmage and will undergo an MRI scan.
Quarterback Chris Todd also is scheduled for a scan after struggling with unusual shoulder fatigue last week. The junior initially injured the shoulder during a junior-college game last season, but believed three months of rehabilitation would suffice.
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