Nick Marshall is healthy, which means the junior will be Auburn’s starting quarterback Saturday at Texas A&M.
After Marshall sat out last week’s blowout win against FCS opponent Western Carolina with a minor knee injury and true freshman Jeremy Johnson stepped in and had a fantastic game in his first game action, there were grumblings of a possible quarterback battle.
Not so says Auburn coach Gus Malzahn. The first-year Auburn coach said after the 62-3 win Saturday that as soon as Marshall was physically ready, he would be the starting quarterback.
Malzahn said he didn’t expect Marshall to be rusty after sitting out the one game.
"He was locked in during practice last week," Malzahn said of Marshall. "He practiced Sunday and looked good. Got another week of practice. We're past the midway point. If it was early in the season, I'd be concerned but not too concerned now."
Johnson was named the SEC freshman of the week after throwing for 201 yards and four touchdowns for the newly ranked Tigers. Johnson was expected to spent the season using his redshirt, but Auburn coaches decided several days before last week’s game that Johnson would get the nod.
And now, there’s a chance that Johnson will be worked into the offensive gameplan for certain sets.
NEBRASKA OL LONG LIKELY DONE
Nebraska has lost its top offensive lineman, most likely for the rest of the year.
Coach Bo Pelini said Tuesday that Spencer Long will have surgery Thursday on his left knee. Long was hurt on the Huskers' fifth play from scrimmage on Saturday at Purdue. Nebraska won the game 44-7.
Long was an Outland Trophy candidate after making first-team All-Big Ten and second-team All-American in 2012.
Pelini says it looks like Long is gone for the year, "but the prognosis going forward's a little bit better."
BYRD SUFFERS 3RD TORN ACL
It simply hasn’t been meant to be for N.C. State’s Jarvis Byrd.
Wolfpack coach Dave Doeren announced Tuesday that the redshirt senior safety will miss the rest of the season after suffering his third torn ACL since arriving in Raleigh.
Byrd injured his knee Oct. 5 against Wake Forest. He started the first five games of the season and had 17 tackles before the injury.
“Jarvis is a true champion,” Doeren said. “This team and staff love him as a brother and respect him as a leader. It is so unfortunate that a plyer like Jarvis, who has been through two other ACL surgeries, has to endure another. I know that he will have a tremendous attitude and will use all the support available to him to have a healthy recovery.”
Byrd first tore his ACL in 2009 as true freshman after earning a starting position. He missed the 2010 season after that injury and had the second ACL injury during summer workouts in 2011. He played in four games last season.
WEIS CHANGES STAFF DUTIES
Rotating players on the depth chart hasn't worked so well for Kansas this season, so now coach Charlie Weis is shaking up coaching responsibilities to jumpstart his struggling team.
Weis announced Tuesday that he would change how the offensive staff operates. Quarterbacks coach Ron Powlus will be in charge of the passing game, tight ends coach Jeff Blasko will take over the running game and Weis will oversee the offense and help coach skill positions.
Weis also said he wants to receive input from the offensive coaches and have their ideas be the base for the game plan, rather than formulating the majority of it himself.
The first chance to showcase all the changes comes Saturday against No. 18 Oklahoma.
A&M SELLING FIELD GRASS
Texas A&M fans can buy some of the same Kyle Field grass run upon by Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel and the rest of the Aggies.
Online sales began Monday on live grass from the football stadium in College Station. A new playing surface is being grown off-site and will be installed in time for the 2014 season.
A&M plans to harvest the current grass following the final home Nov. 9 against Mississippi State. Buyers must pick up their grass the next day.
Each harvested pallet of about 450 square feet of sod goes for $400. A limited number of single squares of grass are $20 apiece. Buyers will receive a certificate of authenticity.
Contributors: Ken Bradley, The Associated Press