Auburn vs. LSU notes

Franklin in the booth
For the first time this season, Auburn offensive coordinator Tony Franklin called the game from the coaches’ box.

Normally, the first-year OC runs the offense from the sideline – a practice he started after the fifth game of his first year in Troy in 2006 after the Trojans went 1-4.
It was a change of pace for the coach, on a night where his Auburn offense opened up not in the shotgun, but under center. Granted, the Tiger offense did have the ball on their own 1-yard line.

It didn’t matter, though. Franklin still called a pass … from his own end zone. The play-action pass from quarterback Chris Todd to Montez Billings went for 9 yards.

Lester starts at running back
A week after leaving the Mississippi State game on a cart, strapped to a backboard, Auburn senior running back Brad Lester started against LSU.

Lester, who sprained his neck in Starkville, Miss., after landing on his head and shoulder on a tackle, had full range of motion by Wednesday of this week, said AU head coach Tommy Tuberville.

As Saturday’s game inched closer, Tuberville said that Lester was 100 percent and would play, barring any setbacks, in the LSU game. He did, taking the second offensive play for the Tigers for a loss of 1 yard.

Lester finished the first half with two carries for 1 yard. However, he opened up the second half with a 14-yard carry.

But it wasn’t the comeback Auburn envisioned for its senior. Lester went down with 3:06 to play in the third quarter with what looked like a left knee injury. Lester was carried off the field and didn’t return.

He finished the game with seven carries for 30 yards. He also caught two passes for 2 yards.

First time for everything
For the first time this season, Auburn’s defense allowed points in the first half. Colt David’s 46-yard field goal with 2:02 to play in the first quarter gave LSU a 3-0 lead. Prior to Saturday night’s game, the AU defense was giving up just 5 points a game, which is third-best in the nation and leads the SEC.

The 105 yards AU gave up in the first half to LSU was also the most all season. None of Auburn’s previous opponents had 100 yards of offense heading into halftime.

There was also another first. LSU’s third-down conversion in the second quarter was the first time an opponent converted a third down since the first quarter of the Southern Miss game. Opposing offenses were 0-for-28 on third down up until that point.

Flu sidelines punter Durst
Walk-on punter Clinton Durst, who unseated preseason All-SEC punter Ryan Shoemaker at the beginning of the season, didn't play Saturday night because of an illness, head coach Tommy Tuberville said.

Durst was sick with the flu all week, said Tuberville, and that's why Shoemaker took over punting duties.

Shoemaker struggled punting the ball, averaging 35.4 yards a kick on seven punts.

Tuberville said that Auburn's punting played a "major factor in the field position" in the Tigers' loss.

Etc …
Former Opelika standout and Auburn senior defensive tackle Tez Doolittle got his first sack in three years. Doolittle, who was granted a sixth year of eligibility this season by the NCAA because he missed all of last year with a torn Achilles’ tendon, sacked LSU quarterback Andrew Hatch in the second series of the first quarter. The last time Doolittle had a sack was Sept. 24, 2005 against Western Kentucky. … Gabe McKenzie’s 24-yard interception return for a touchdown late in the second quarter was the first INT returned for a score since Walter McFadden went 93 yards the other way against Tennessee Tech last season.

Best of the Day
Best Noise: The crowd at Jordan-Hare Stadium was arguably as loud as it’s been in a while. Fan decibels were so loud at times, the bands from either school could not be heard. Night games seem to have that effect on people. With all due respect to the Iron Bowl, Jordan-Hare had the most electricity since the 2006 Florida game.

Best almost catch: Tommy Trott nearly caught a lob from Chris Todd that could have resulted in an 18-yard touchdown. Replays showed the ball hit the ground though Trott managed to regain possession afterward. Pass interference on the play, however, gave Auburn first and goal at the 3. Two plays later, Ben Tate scored the first touchdown of the game.

Best catch from a tight end: Gabe McKenzie was a regular at tight end last season, but switched to defensive end this season. He saved his best catch, however, for Saturday when he one-handed a Jarrett Lee pass at the LSU 24 and raced into the end zone for a 14-3 Auburn lead.

Worst of the Day
Worst place to start: Auburn’s first offensive play began at its own 1-yard line following a 52-yard punt from LSU’s Brady Dalfrey. The Tigers responded well as Chris Todd completed a gutsy 9-yard pass to Montez Billings on first down.

Worst drought: Ben Tate’s 1-yard touchdown plunge with 8:56 left in the second quarter snapped an Auburn touchdown drought that spanned six quarters, beginning with the fourth quarter of the Southern Miss game.

Worst punt: Ryan Shoemaker’s fourth-quarter punt was a 25-yard shank that set LSU up at their own 46 with 4:00 to play. The Tigers converted the opportunity into the game-winnning touchdown.