QBs Burns, Todd to share starting role

The Auburn football team returned to practice Tuesday morning after a 12-day layoff for spring break.

And change was in the air.

There was a shuffle on the offensive line and a promotion in the defensive backfield. But the day’s biggest change came at quarterback.

For the first time this spring, offensive coordinator Tony Franklin officially confirmed what most observers had expected from the start: Quarterbacks Kodi Burns and Chris Todd will head into Saturday’s A-Day game — and into the summer — as co-starters.

“There is no No. 1, or else there’s two,” Franklin said. “However you want to look at it.”

Burns, who played in 10 games last season as a true freshman, entered the spring as the starter. Todd, a junior-college signee with years of experience in Franklin’s system, was brought in to compete for the job.

After 11 spring practices, neither is far enough ahead to terminate the competition.

“If somebody emerges clear-cut a lot better than the other one, you may have one guy,” Franklin said. “But I don’t think that’s going to happen, and I’ve told them, I don’t think it is. I think they’ll go into the summer and they’ll be competing against each other.”

According to Franklin, Burns must continue to improve as a passer after completing less than 39 percent of his passes as a freshman. Todd, meanwhile, has been slowed by a mysterious shoulder ailment that sidelined him for more than a week earlier in the spring.

Tuesday, Todd and Franklin both said Todd’s shoulder wore down as practice went on.

“It felt pretty good today for the first three-quarters of the way through practice,” Todd said.

Franklin was less positive.

“You could tell as the day went on, he got worse,” the coach said. “I was asking the trainers, did he throw too much at the end?

“It’s just going to be a work that’s going to take some time. It’s probably going to take another few months to get it back to where it’s ready.”

Sophomore Neil Caudle will be the third-teamer. Caudle spent most of Tuesday’s session on the sideline, signaling plays to Burns or Todd.

That’s the usual practice role for the No. 3 quarterback in Franklin’s system.

Freshman DeRon Furr, who hasn’t practiced since spraining his shoulder in AU’s first scrimmage, is a longer-term project. Asked about Furr’s position on the depth chart, Franklin didn’t mince words.

“He’s just a long, long, long, long, long, long way off, physically and mentally,” he said. “He’s not grasped the offense right now. … He’s a long way off from having any abilities to help us.”

The shakeup at offensive line is less dramatic. Sophomore Ryan Pugh, who started six games at left tackle this season, has spent the spring at right tackle. Pugh is expected to enter fall practice as the starter at the position.

But he’ll spend what’s left of spring practice at a different position.

Offensive line coach Hugh Nall moved Pugh to second-team center Tuesday in an effort to prepare for the future. Senior Jason Bosley, AU’s starting center last season, returns this year.

But in 2009, Auburn will need a new center. And Pugh, who played the position for three high school seasons, is a top candidate.

So Nall decided to give Pugh a look. He’ll practice at the position for the remaining four spring practices, including Saturday’s A-Day game.

Both Nall and head coach Tommy Tuberville stressed that Pugh remains the starting right tackle.

“We just wanted to get him some work at center with the first team and second team,” Tuberville said.

In other depth chart news, Aairon Savage passed Walter McFadden for the first-team cornerback spot opposite Jerraud Powers. All three juniors are expected to play extensively in the fall.

“It’s not what McFadden did, it’s what Savage is doing,” Tuberville said. “He’s getting better and better.”

cmickle@oanow.com | 737-2561