Tigers open drills today

[SupperClub 0]

It Burns! It Burns!!

AUBURN - Kodi Burns can't really say he grew up as a life-long Auburn fan.

``I hadn't really heard of Auburn before the '04 season."

But two things caught his attention that year: Auburn's 13-0 record and quarterback Jason Campbell. Burns was impressed enough with the school and the quarterback to sign with the Tigers out of Fort Smith, Ark., last February, and now the freshman hopes to grow up to be a starter like the player who caught his fancy.

He'll take a baby step toward that end when Auburn begins fall practice this morning.

Burns' exploits will surely light up Internet message boards this fall simply because of his position. Everybody loves backup quarterbacks, right? And what about the comparisons to Tim Tebow, the Florida backup who was the golden child of Gator fans last year when he was a freshman?

Burns, like Tebow, not only can pass, but run.

``He's slippery," said Lee Ziemba, Auburn's blue-chip freshman offensive lineman who occasionally was asked to chase Burns around football fields in Arkansas the past few years.

Being slippery would be a change of pace to starter Brandon Cox, the passer, and more like Campbell. Slippery might also add a page to offensive coordinator Al Borges' playbook.

``I think they're trying to get back to that a little bit, as far as a scrambling quarterback," Burns said.

But, Burns said, "in Borges' offense, you have to be a quarterback first and foremost."

Slippery, he reasons, only goes so far. That's why Burns says he understands the comparisons to Tebow may have to wait.

``They are not going to hand me the job," Burns said "I'll go out in two-a-days and compete, and anything can happen. There are five quarterbacks here and nobody is going to lie down and give the job to you.

``I feel like it could go either way. If I do pretty well in two-a-days, I could see some playing time, but if I redshirt it won't be a bad thing. I definitely want to get out there right away, but sometimes it doesn't happen that way."

Burns said he was told that during recruiting.

"When they came to my house they said they'd like to redshirt me, but at the same time if they needed me, they'd play me," Burns said. ``I feel like if I can go out in two-a-days and prove myself, I can be the backup quarterback."

Like Tim Tebow?

``I get that all that time, trying to compare me to Tebow and various other quarterbacks," Burns said. ``But all I can do is compare myself to me. I feel like I could do what Tebow did - come in the game and give the defense a different look every now and then.

``They do compare me to Tebow, but I feel like if I just do me I'll be out there on the field."

I thought our coaching staff told him he'd be able to start at QB this year? At least that's how BG said we recruit all the top players.

[ssgaufan 0]

I like this guy. Best of luck to him!

WDE!