Local Sports
AUBURN NOTEBOOK: Turnovers don’t phase Ben Tate
By Michael A. CummingsAUBURN — Everyone knew the stats.
For the host Auburn Tigers: Five fumbles, three lost. Two impressive drives stopped cold inside the Southern Miss red zone.
It's enough to make even the most confident running back question himself.
But after Auburn picked up a 27-13 win over the visiting Golden Eagles, Ben Tate wasn't going to get down on himself.
“Everybody fumbles, and you just have to come right back from it and get the job done,” said Tate, who finished with 71 yards on 15 carries. “I'm sure I'm going to hear about it tonight from my dad.”
Even though he lost the fumble — which ended Auburn's second drive at the Southern Miss 15 — Tate was a force to be reckoned with Saturday. Along with his 71 yards and one score on the ground, the junior running back also collected 51 receiving yards on three catches.
“We rushed for over 100 yards today, which is a necessity in this offense,” said head coach Tommy Tuberville. “Both Tate and Lester had a strong game.”
• Franklin says Burns was scheduled to play: Even with Chris Todd listed at the top of Auburn's quarterback depth chart, offensive coordinator Tony Franklin said he knew Kodi Burns was going to play at some point Saturday.
“I knew he was going to play,” said Franklin. “It wasn't a matter of if Chris stunk it up out there.”
Asked after the game whether Todd would remain his starting quarterback, Tuberville said yes.
“He played most of the game, and he did a pretty good job,” said Tuberville. “But we'll keep seeing what we need to do in each game.”
Tuberville added he was pleased with the overall offensive effort.
“It was much, much better this week,” he said. “That's what we need getting ready for SEC play.”
• Shutout ended: It had been a while since anyone had scored on Auburn's defense.
A long while.
When Southern Miss scored its first touchdown of the day with 3:23 left in the third quarter, it marked the first time Auburn's defense had given up points in almost nine months.
The last time the Tigers conceded was Dec. 31 in the Chick-Fil-A Bowl against Clemson.
And Paul Rhoads' unit knew it, too.
“It was real disappointing,” said junior linebacker Tray Blackmon. “But you can't do a thing about it. You've got to put it in the back of your mind and keep moving forward.
“It would have been nice to have a shutout, but those guys came up here to play.”
Both of Southern Miss' touchdowns came from senior tight end Shawn Nelson, who Auburn's coaches called one of the best receivers the Tigers will see this year.
“They have some of the best receivers that we'll see this year, period,” said Tuberville.
“Those guys came to play, but we also came to play,” added Blackmon. “That's how the game should be played.”
- Local Sports
-
-
TALKIN' PREPS: Playoff-bound Aggies keep moving in the right direction
FAIRVIEW — Outside the home locker room at Fairview High, the celebration was loud enough that you almost thought you were part of the team.
-
RECLASS SHAKES UP AREA
No one at West Point High was surprised when the Alabama High School Athletic Association released its reclassification numbers for the 2010-12 school years.
West Point’s return to Class 4A was short-lived. When the ’10 football season begins next fall, the Warriors will be playing in Class 5A, Region 6 alongside Cullman, Hartselle and Walker.
-
PREP BASKETBALL: Cullman uses late push to beat Clay-Chalkville
CULLMAN — Morgan Smith didn’t deliver a freshman performance in her second varsity basketball game.
-
TALKIN' PREPS: Skipper goes from unknown to asset
Remember when Dylan Skipper was an unproven quarterback? How about when he was the glaring preseason question hanging over Cullman High’s offense?
-
JUCO MEN'S BASKETBALL: Farmer, Jones lift Lions to win in season opener
HANCEVILLE — Wallace State’s L.A. Farmer finished with 22 points and seven rebounds and Devon Jones added 13 points off the bench to lift the Lions past Northeast Mississippi 65-60 in the season opener for both teams Monday at Tom Drake Coliseum.
-
PREP FOOTBALL: Bearcats have sights set on another deep playoff run
Ben Moore will be in an unfamiliar position when the postseason begins Friday. He’ll be watching from the Cullman High sideline.
-
PREP FOOTBALL: Aggies ride early lead to win over Raiders
FAIRVIEW — For the final five minutes of their final regular-season home game in purple and gold, Fairview High’s seniors were exactly where they wanted to be.
-
PREP FOOTBALL: Bearcats beat elements, Bears
DECATUR — It was simply a matter of time before the heavy rain was going to arrive. But when it did, the Cullman Bearcats were unphased.
-
PREP FOOTBALL ROUNDUP: Warriors grab county win
-
PREP VOLLEYBALL: Ol' Blue heads to Addison
PELHAM — Nothing against the city of Pelham, but Pam Wilkins was ready to hightail it back up Interstate 65 with a shiny blue trophy in tow.
And the sooner the better.
Trailing late in game three of the Class 2A state championship match after taking a 2-0 lead in the best-of-five series, the Addison High volleyball coach called a timeout to give her team a challenge.
Or maybe just a friendly suggestion. Whatever it was, it worked.
- More Local Sports Headlines
-
TALKIN' PREPS: Playoff-bound Aggies keep moving in the right direction
