AUBURN NOTEBOOK: Coaches look for ways to improve after 3-point performance

How many runners did Auburn leave on base Saturday in the Tigers’ 3-2 win over Mississippi State?

According to head football coach Tommy Tuberville, too many to count.

“We do have a lot to work on,” Tuberville said Sunday. “We have a lot to work on on offense. We’ve got to find the right combination to what we’re doing. We’re still a work in progress — we knew that. We just made too many mistakes.

“It was a team effort on offense of not scoring points.”

With the running joke being that Saturday’s final score was more suited for a baseball game rather than football, it’s easy to see how penalties, fumbles and missed assignments — not to mention two missed field goals — could correlate to stranding runners on base.

“We had too many first-and-15s, first-and-20s,” Tuberville said of his offense starting in a hole after penalties. “It amazes me we fumbled the ball eight times in two weeks. It’s just hard to realize on an offense that’s based on what we do, that we’re not protecting the ball better. It’s something … we’ve got to coach harder. We’ve got to concentrate a lot harder.”

Auburn’s offense did put up significant yardage against a tough and physical Mississippi State defense — 315 total, which was more total yards than the Tigers had in six games last year — but only once did a drive result in points.

Auburn had the ball inside the Bulldogs’ 11-yard line twice Saturday night, and came away with no points.

“We’re obviously not satisfied with what we did on offense,” Tuberville said. “I would have loved to played better in the red zone. We’re going to have to make some adjustments there.”

What kind of adjustments?

Offensive coordinator Tony Franklin has an idea.

“It’s about finding out what everybody can do and finding out what they do under game conditions,” the first-year Auburn OC said. “We’re trying to figure out what everybody can do — what are their best assets? Then we make sure they’re in there doing that.”

What about Mr. Burns?
Kodi Burns didn’t play one single snap in Auburn’s win Saturday. Not even when Auburn’s offense got the ball inside MSU’s 10-yard line.

Why didn’t the quarterback play?

“I know everybody wonders why Kodi didn’t play,” Tuberville said. “A lot of that had to do with me. I thought putting him in a situation where our back was to the wall a lot in certain situations, I wanted it to be a positive note when he goes back in the game.

“He was ready to go. He’s a team player. And we’ve got to find the right situation.”

Franklin also believes there’s a spot for Burns in game situations.

“It’s going to be a feel thing,” Franklin said. “I think Kodi needs to play. We need to find a way to do that, whether it’s this week or next week or every week.”

Brad Lester injury update
Senior Brad Lester was seen walking outside the locker room after Saturday night’s win over Mississippi State wearing a neck brace after suffering a sprained neck.

The running back was upended on a tackle Saturday night and landed awkwardly on his head and shoulder. Lester was down for several minutes, while medical personnel attended to him on the field. He was then placed on a neck brace and backboard and taken off the field on a cart.

Tuberville said Lester’s X-ray and MRI were negative, but will still have to have more tests to rule out any nerve damage.

“That was pretty tough,” Tuberville said. “He got flipped and landed on his head and neck. He had full movement when we got out there. He had a little numbness and that’s what scared them a little bit so they took him to the hospital and X-rayed him.

“He was fine last night in the locker room, had a neck brace on just to give him support. MRI today was negative, but we’ll have a neurosurgeon check him. He’s walking around. He’s fine today.

“Those things just scare you to death because of how vulnerable you are as a running back. I expect him to bounce back. He had a good game going. I just hate that that happened to him.”

His status for this Saturday’s game against LSU is unknown.

Players of the week named
For his three-catch, 68-yard performance against Mississippi State, wideout Montez Billings was named the offense’s most valuable player. Tray Blackmon, who led the Tigers with six tackles, including one for loss, was named defensive MVP.

Jerraud Powers was honored with the nod on special teams, while Michael Gibson (offense) and Wade Christopher (defense) were scout team players of the week.

Polls: Tigers hold in one, drop in another
Auburn stayed No. 9 in the USA Today Coaches’ Poll, which was released Sunday, but fell one spot to No. 10 in the AP vote. Alabama took Auburn’s slot in the AP poll, moving up from No. 11.

In the AP poll, five SEC schools are represented in the top 10 — No. 3 Georgia, No. 4 Florida, No. 6 LSU, No. 9 Alabama and No. 10 Auburn.

According to the SEC office, it is the first time in conference history that five teams from the league have been ranked in the top 10 in the same poll, giving the SEC 29.6 percent of points in this week’s poll.

mszvetitz@oanow.com | 737-2513