AUBURN | Robby Ashford has one start and one win under his belt. Now, Bryan Harsin is ready for him to take the next step in his development.

And it might come as a surprise that Harsin wants his dual-threat quarterback to spend more time in the pocket.

“I think he’s shown tremendous toughness and played extremely hard. Now, the next step is just really playing the quarterback position,” said Harsin. “Being able to stay in the pocket. Being able to deliver the throws. That really comes from experience. It takes a little bit of time to figure that out and get a better feel for it.”

In last Saturday’s 17-14 overtime win over Missouri, Ashford completed 12 of 18 passes for 127 yards and led Auburn with 46 rushing yards on 15 carries.

He scored AU’s first touchdown of the game on an 11-yard run.

“Even in the last game, I thought he did some good things throwing the football,” said Harsin. “There’s a couple of balls, they didn’t get caught, but he had some touch on. He did some things that we see that I’m impressed with that we’ve been working with him on, and that he’s been working on.

“I think every single week he’s gotten better and better. So I just think the more that he gets an opportunity, the better that he’s going to be.”

Auburn has one of the nation’s worst passing attacks averaging 202.8 yards per game, which ranks 103rd nationally. The running game isn’t much better averaging 174.0 rushing yards per game, which ranks 57th nationally.

Having Ashford utilize more zone-reads, RPO’s and throws outside the pocket might suit his skillset better. It’s an attack that Ashford said he’s comfortable with when asked about it earlier this week.

“I feel like it is, just with me being able to pull it and get going. I feel like that could open up more holes for Tank, 'quez, Damari,” said Ashford of Auburn’s three running backs. “Just for those guys and just helping the O-line, too, because it's got to take them out of certain fronts. They can't run certain stunts and stuff a lot of teams want to run when you know the quarterback isn't a threat to move.

“So I feel like I can open up the run game a lot more, and I mean, just whatever I can do every week to be able to help us get in the end zone, help us get positive yardage every single play, that's what I'm going to do. If it takes me having to pull one down for only once a game. If that's going to be what it takes to get our backs the ball and just let them get in space and be able to create, that's what I'm gonna do. And if it takes me 15 times to pull it for them to be able to break it for that one time, I'm going to do that. So just whatever it takes for the team to win.”

Auburn (3-1, 1-0 SEC) hosts LSU (3-1, 1-0) Saturday night at Jordan-Hare Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. CT on ESPN.