Tigerbytes: Prime connection

AUBURN - Sophomore quarterback Kiehl Frazier was not surprised when redshirt freshman Sammie Coates emerged as a potential star in last Saturday's 31-28 overtime victory over Louisiana-Monroe.

Auburn quarterback Kiehl Frazier

Frazier hit Coates with a 33-yard touchdown on the final play of the first half. They would have another long touchdown had it not been called back by a penalty.

"He was the first guy I really started throwing with," Frazier said. :Last year, when all the other guys were throwing with Barrett (Trotter) and Clint (Moseley), I'd throw with Sammie because he was redshirted. I have a lot of chemistry with him."

It's not a matchup that would seem to bode well for Auburn. The Tigers will start true freshman Avery Young and redshirt freshman Greg Robinson at tackles against No. 2 LSU on Saturday. They'll take on a pair of first-round draft choices at defensive end.

But offensive line coach Jeff Grimes says he and his player look forward to the challenge.

"Challenge is an understatement," Grimes said. "You don't see a weak link. They are good everywhere. In this league, if you don't handle those four guys up front, then what the rest of those guys do doesn't matter. It's irrelevant because the play never gets started.

"We see it as an unbelievable challenge, but also an opportunity to go out and compete against some of the best in the world at our age."

Senior tight end Philip Lutzenkirchen is making an impact far from the cheering thousands. He was recently named to the American Football Coaches Association Good Works Team.

"I've clearly tricked everyone into thinking I'm a good guy,' Lutzenkirchen said with a laugh. "It's a good honor. I'm just trying to make an impact in younger kids' lives and less fortunate (people's) lives. I've been blessed to be on the platform I am. It's helping people through tough times. I've been given so much in my life and have so many blessings, I am trying to ease others' pain or take their minds of their pain, even if it's just for five or 10 minutes."

Junior Auburn middle linebacker Jake Holland says the Tigers plan to put the pressure on LSU quarterback Zach Mettenberger, who will start on the Southeastern Conference road for the first time.

"I think he has a really strong arm," Holland said. "I think he's a smart player. But he's new to the system, and I think he is exposable. If we pressure him and get to him early in the game, I think we can jar him a little bit and make him check up a little bit."

Holland has almost every snap at middle linebacker through the first three games. He's likely to get some relief against LSU from true freshman Cassanova McKinzy.

"Just the longevity of a year, something is going to get knocked loose if you play that many plays," linebackers coach Tommy Thigpen said. "Sooner or later something is going to get hurt, so we have to take some reps off him and give it to a young guy like Cassanova. He has the talent. We just have to grow him up faster."