AU NOTEBOOK: Freeman’s status unclear after concussion

Eltoro Freeman’s status remains uncertain heading into the Iron Bowl after suffering a concussion in the third quarter of Saturday’s game.

The sophomore linebacker went down when attempting to make a hit on Georgia’s Caleb King on the second play of the third quarter.

Gene Chizik, in typical fashion, remained vague when discussing Freeman’s prognosis.

“I don’t know,” Chizik said. “We’re going to have to play that one by ear.”

One of Freeman’s better friends on the team, safety Demond Washington, said Freeman was in good spirits, but that reporters would have to ask Freeman, himself, if he’d be ready for the Alabama game.

“I’m surprised he came back,” Washington said. “That’s a plus he’s doing good.”

Freeman was not made available for interviews Sunday.

Freshman Jonathan Evans, Auburn’s only available scholarship linebacker off the bench, filled in for Freeman in a pinch Saturday, picking up four tackles and half a tackle for loss. It served as a crash course for Evans, who had not previously seen any meaningful snaps at the position.

Evans appeared active from the start, but constantly needed the help of safety Daren Bates to get in proper position before the snap.

Georgia amassed 131 of its 169 rushing yards in the second half.

“We had faith in Jonathan,” linebacker Craig Stevens said. “We talked to him on the sidelines and tried to help him get aligned and just calm down out there and play just like practice. He did OK out there. He’s not like Toro out there. Toro has a lot more experience than him out there.

“I feel like he did all right once he got out there. He did better than I thought he would.”

Chizik said Evans played adequately.

“For getting kind of abruptly thrown in there, I thought he did well,” Chizik said. “Obviously there were some things in there he could have done better.”

Dropping the ball
Washington said his excitement might have gotten the best of him after his 99-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in Saturday’s fourth quarter.

Replays of Washington’s run showed that he barely crossed the goal line before dropping the ball to celebrate. Once the side judge’s arms went up in the air, though, Washington had no reason to risk going back and picking the ball up, he said.

“Coaches told me to take the ball to the ref next time,” Washington said.

It wasn’t as if scoring the touchdown came as a surprise, said wide receiver Emory Blake, who served as Washington’s lead blocker on the return.

“Demond was telling us all night that he was going to take one to the house and all we needed to do was get our blocks,” Blake said. “That’s what I did. That’s what everyone else did — and we made a big play.”

He’s OK
Georgia safety Bacarri Rambo was released from St. Mary’s Hospital in Athens on Sunday after passing his medical tests “with flying colors,” Georgia coach Mark Richt told reporters Sunday.

Rambo was motionless for nearly 15 minutes late in the fourth quarter Saturday after making a hard hit on Auburn’s Mario Fannin. He lost consciousness on the field, but did not suffer any serious injuries.

Richt said Rambo, who suffered a concussion, will not play Saturday against Kentucky.

Still 25-worthy to some
Auburn’s loss Saturday didn’t dissuade all of the Associated Press’ poll voters, as two in the 60-member panel kept the Tigers in their respective top 25’s.

Auburn received a total of 9 voter points, which would put it at 33rd if the poll went that far. The Tigers received eight votes in the ESPN/USA Today coaches’ poll.

Auburn has yet to crack the BCS top 25.

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