Auburn vs. Georgia notes

‘Super Mario’ breaks out
Auburn’s players call him “Super Mario,” a gimme of a nickname for the Tigers’ sophomore tailback.

He lived up to the billing Saturday, but was relegated as a spectator for Auburn’s final two scoring drives.

Fannin provided the Tigers’ two biggest plays Saturday, catching and running for a 52-yard touchdown in the first quarter and breaking a number of tackles on a 35-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter. He became the first Auburn player to run for and catch a touchdown in the same game since Carl Stewart did it in the 2007 Cotton Bowl.

Fannin was not hurt, both he and coach Tommy Tuberville said.

“Ben (Tate) was running the ball well,” Tuberville said.

Tate finished with 37 yards on 14 carries. He had four carries for 7 yards on Auburn’s second-to-last drive and had a touchdown pass sail just out of his reach on the game’s final play.

De facto offensive coordinator Steve Ensminger said he had no responsibility in Fannin’s absence.

“We had a bunch of them not in the last two series that were banged up, in and out and all that deal,” Ensminger said. “The substitution on the sidelines and who was in and who was out and all that, was coaching.”

Fannin finished with 59 yards rushing on eight carries and four receptions for 48 yards.

Kicking woes continue
The conditions certainly weren’t favorable, but Auburn’s kicking struggles hit an all-time low Saturday.

Though it wasn’t exactly his fault, as Clayton Crowfoot bobbled the snap, Wes Byrum missed Auburn’s first extra-point chance. On his next opportunity, a 42-yard field goal attempt in the second quarter, Byrum missed well to the right.

Byrum had no more chances after that, as Morgan Hull warmed up on the sidelines the entire second half and was called upon for the Tigers’ extra point following Fannin’s second touchdown.

The misses proved costly, as Auburn was forced to go for a touchdown on its last two drives.

“The kicking game hasn’t been with us all year long,” Tuberville said. “We haven’t been able to take our opportunities when they are there. That has been a big difference in three or four games.”

Byrum has missed at least one field-goal attempt in three of Auburn’s losses and missed an extra point in the Tigers’ 14-13 loss at Vanderbilt. The sophomore is 11-for-19 on field goals this season.

Animated Tuberville
During Georgia’s final scoring drive, Tuberville uncharacteristically lost his cool and drew a 5-yard penalty.

Tuberville was upset after Jerraud Powers drew a flag for pass interference on the first play of the drive. Replays showed Tuberville had a legitimate gripe.

Tuberville remained heated on the following play, but was followed and restrained by strength and conditioning coach Kevin Yoxall.

Lester sits
Senior tailback Brad Lester, a Georgia native, did not line up in the backfield once Saturday, but he played on special teams. He was not injured, Tuberville said.

“He just didn’t play,” Tuberville said.

McKenzie back at tight end
Gabe McKenzie returned to his natural position Saturday, getting a lot of work on offense at tight end.

He caught two passes for 27 yards, seeing every-down action after Tommy Trott went down with a knee injury.

“I talked to ’em, told ’em I thought I could help the team more on this side of the ball,” said McKenzie, who was converted to a defensive end before the season. “The defensive guys can handle themselves.”

McKenzie said he plans to remain at tight end for the Iron Bowl.

“This is what I was born to do,” McKenzie said. “I’ve done this all my life.”

Huddled up
For the first time all season, Auburn ran its offense from the huddle on the majority of its plays Saturday.

“I think that really helps — get away from the signaling — so everyone knows for sure what the play is,” offensive line coach Hugh Nall said. “It’s nice, everybody leaves the huddle in the same mindframe.

“You know that everybody heard the same thing instead of hoping they saw the same thing.”

Just visiting
Three of Auburn’s verbal commitments for the class of 2009 made their official visits Saturday at Jordan-Hare Stadium.

Running back Onterrio McCalebb (Marietta, Ga.), four-star tight end Philip Lutzenkirchen (Lassiter, Ga.) and four-star quarterback Raymond Cotton (Fort Meade, Md.) were in attendance.

Best of the Day
Best adjustment: It appeared that Georgia would run all over Auburn early, as the Bulldogs amassed 94 rushing yards in the first quarter. They managed just 42 yards over the remainder of the game.

Best moves: Both of Mario Fannin’s touchdowns — his 52-yard catch from Kodi Burns in the first quarter and his 35-yard scamper in the fourth — featured nice cutbacks to fake out Georgia defenders.

Best bounce: What appeared to be a shanked Clinton Durst punt in the first quarter took a nice roll and turned into a 56-yard beauty that pinned UGA inside its own 10.

Worst of the Day
Worst special teams: The first half was a comedy of errors for both sides, featuring a missed field goal, a blocked field goal, a muffed punt, a botched extra-point hold and a minus-8-yard punt return.

Worst hold: Auburn, leading 6-0, appeared to have first-and-goal at the Georgia 5 after a 9-yard Fannin run, but Tyronne Green was called for a holding penalty, pushing the Tigers back to the 24-yard line. Kodi Burns fumbled two players later, ending Auburn’s hopes of going up two scores.

Worst call: On what turned out to be Georgia’s winning touchdown drive, Jerraud Powers was called for pass interference on Mohamed Massaquoi on the drive’s first play, when it appeared Powers had not even touched him.