AUBURN, Ala. — With Auburn facing a short turnaround for a Thursday night game at Mississippi State, head coach Gene Chizik was asked if the publicity gained from being ESPN’s marquee game is worth the trouble.
“I’ll tell you after it’s over,” he joked.
On Sunday, No. 22 Auburn (1-0) began the first of four days of preparation for Mississippi State (1-0), which has an equally short turnaround after thumping Memphis 49-7 in its opener Saturday.
Auburn’s last Thursday night game was a 34-17 loss at West Virginia in 2008, Tommy Tuberville’s final season. The Tigers haven’t played after a short week with their current staff.
“You’ve got to be smart in how you proceed,” Chizik said. “You can’t do too much, yet you can’t do too little.”
It helps that the game is so early in the year. The Tigers were able to work on some things for the MSU game during the summer and two-a-days.
“It’s going to be mental,” defensive end Antoine Carter said. “It’s going to be a quick turnaround so you’ve got to learn fast, study more and try to get things in as fast as you can.”
The payoff is usually worth it, especially from a recruiting standpoint. The game is a showcase, one of two on the night and the only one televised by ESPN.
Chizik doesn’t think the extra attention will change the team’s approach.
“It’s got to be a very business-like nature,” he said. “They need to understand that everybody’s watching and it’s going to be an exciting time, but you’ve got to prepare like every other week.”
Nothing further
Chizik did not divulge any further details about linebacker Craig Stevens’ team-imposed suspension.
The All-SEC senior did not play in the opener. It’s not clear how long he’ll be out or whether or not he’ll be allowed to practice in upcoming weeks.
Fellow linebacker Josh Bynes thinks Auburn’s newfound depth at the position will help while Stevens is gone. Junior Eltoro Freeman (6 tackles) and sophomore Jonathan Evans (4 tackles) rotated series in Stevens’ absence.
“It’s no worry at all,” Bynes said. “I feel like the linebackers we got now are able to step up at any point. They have to go with the flow, regardless of who’s out there and who’s not.”
Running man
Saturday night was the first time most people have seen quarterback Cam Newton show off his running ability. It’s old news for Auburn’s players.
“I’ve seen in a number of times,” center Ryan Pugh said. “Y’all have only seen it one game.”
Newton ran for 171 yards in the opener, breaking the 36-year-old school record by a quarterback of 160 set by Phil Gargis against Georgia.
It’s an element Auburn hasn’t had for a while. Although he had an accurate arm, Chris Todd, the team’s quarterback for most of the previous two years, wasn’t fleet-footed. He finished with minus-116 rushing yards last year, a figure that includes sack yardage.
Pugh, for one, welcomes the change.
“It puts stress on the defense and causes them to change what they do a little bit,” he said. “It’s nice for us guys up front because we really haven’t had a running threat at quarterback in three years. It’s nice to have somebody who can make you look really good up front.”
Quick hits
Chizik didn’t know if the CB Chris Davis would be available after the freshman limped off the field with an ankle injury Saturday night. “That one really is probably going to be day-by-day,” Chizik said. “I don’t know. He’s sore.” … Chizik said WR Trovon Reed (bruised kneecap) is “doing better.” It’s unsure if the freshman will play at MSU. He was held out of the opener. … Freshman DE Craig Sanders had three tackles on special teams in the opener, catching Chizik’s eye. “His hustle I’m hoping is very contagious to our team,” he said.
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