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Former Auburn quarterback Ben Leard


On the game…


"You can't help but walk away from a game like that and feel positive and excited about how the kids played. They fought their tails off. They played with a lot of heart. There were just a few mistakes that were the difference in the game. Our defense, those kids came to play. They played an outstanding game. It was exciting for me to watch because that was some big-boy football being played. In the end, it was a loss and it will be remembered that way, but you have to be excited about the future and what is to come after seeing those kids play the way they did Saturday night."

On Kiehl Frazier…


"There were some inconsistencies. He did some good things, but I think those good things were neutralized by some indecisiveness and poor decisions here and there. He made a tremendous throw to Emory Blake on a third-down play, but on the interception when he was trying to throw to (Philip) Lutzenkirchen, that was just a poor throw. He was trying to make a play, and I commend him for that, but you have to throw it up there to a guy like Lutz and let him go get it. There were some other throws that he wished he could take back like the wheel route to Onterio (McCalebb) when he overthrew him.

"I'm pointing out a few plays that are keeping him from going from good to great. He's showing potential. He's just got to figure out a way to reduce the times that he wished he could have a throw back. Early in the game, he was throwing with authority. He was stepping into his throws. He wasn't overstriding. He was accurate in his delivery. As the game progressed, it didn't look like he had as much confidence in his throws. There wasn't a lot of velocity on them. The throws into the flat, they almost looked like they were shot-puts.

"When you play a team as fast as LSU, you have to be decisive. You have to know where you're going with the football, and when you make that decision, you better get it there with authority because a split-second can be the determining factor. We saw in the game that a finger by Eric Reid stopped Onterio from winning that ball game. It's that close, that much difference that separates the good plays from the great plays. Right now, I think that is where we are with No. 10. I have confidence in him. He's going to be a really good quarterback. He has a world of potential. We just have to find what he does well and go to it."

More from Leard


On the running game …


"LSU was giving up an average of 40 yards per game and Auburn netted just under 100 and that included four sacks. I think the offensive line did an admirable job blocking those guys, putting a hat on a hat and giving the running backs lanes to run. That was extremely important. ...

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