Auburn notes: JUCO transfer Freeman struggling

Instead of the highly recruited junior-college transfer outside linebacker, Auburn has relied on Adam Herring, who didn’t take a snap at practice until the season opener, at outside linebacker, with much more frequency during the first half of the season.

Herring has certainly impressed, especially when his long layoff from heel surgery is factored into the equation, but Eltoro Freeman’s rocky transition to Division I football has been just as apparent.

Freeman got the start at Tennessee, but spent the majority of the game standing alone on the sidelines away from most of his defensive teammates.

“He just needs to keep working,” defensive coordinator Ted Roof said. “It’s a tough position, and because of the depth situation, there is no learning curve, or time for you to season. You’ve got to come play. So, we’ll just keep working him and I’m sure things will work out.”

Freeman missed the first game of the season with a hamstring injury. He returned the following week against Mississippi State and picked up six tackles.

He’s had just one in the past three games, one of which Herring missed completely while he nursed his heel.

Coach Gene Chizik said his decision to play Herring significantly more Saturday was a product of in-game circumstances.

“We just really look and see basically how they're fittin' in the defense and how they're adjusting to certain things,” Chizik said. “Are there a lot of new things in the offense that we weren't expecting? Are there a lot of the same of what we practiced? And then a lot of it was how much we're out on the field.”

Though Herring has picked up just seven tackles of his own, Roof and Chizik have been surprised by his immediate impact.

“We had no idea. It was a guessing game. I didn't know,” Chizik said. “It's been good to see him come through and help us, because he has a lot.”

Byrum, McCalebb nab honors: Auburn kicker Wes Byrum was named SEC Special Teams Player of the Week and Onterio McCalebb picked up his second Freshman of the Week honor Monday, the league announced.

Byrum hit four of five field goals—good for a career high—in Auburn’s 26-22 victory at Tennessee.

His only miss came from 46 yards near the end of the first half. It was his first of the season, making him 10-of-11, with five coming from 40 yards or more. Byrum went just 11-of-19 last year.

Byrum took home Player of the Week honors once in 2007 distinction when he nailed a 43-yarder with no time remaining (twice because of a timeout) to beat Florida in the Swamp.

McCalebb, meanwhile, had 204 all-purpose yards (51 rushing, 62 passing and 91 on kick returns) against Tennessee.

All 91 of his kickoff return yards came on two in the fourth quarter, his second of which serving major importance. McCalebb’s 52-yard return with 4:19 remaining in the game put the Tigers, clinging to a seven-point lead, in Vols’ territory and set up Byrum’s final field goal of the night.

Auburn has now earned five Player of the Week honors in as many weeks.

Back at night: It’s back to the undercard and back under the lights for Auburn when it hosts Kentucky.

The Tigers’ Oct. 17 tilt with the Wildcats will kick off at 6:30 p.m. CST and will air on ESPNU, the league announced Monday.

The primetime matchup will mark Auburn’s sixth night game out of seven to start the season. That total goes up to seven out of eight when the Tigers kick off at 7 p.m. at LSU on Oct. 24.

It also marks Auburn’s second game on ESPNU. The Tigers have had two games apiece on ESPN, ESPNU and Fox Sports South with another airing on ESPN2.

The LSU game will be Auburn’s third on ESPN.