Hugh Freeze opens up on short first quarter for Auburn vs. Missouri

The first quarter of a game between Auburn and Missouri flew by, and the Tigers from The Plains weren’t able to manage much after getting stuck in some bad spots in the opening frame.

Coach Hugh Freeze explained why his team hadn’t really been able to open things up in the early going.

“Well special teams put us at the 5-yard line, you can’t, that really hurt us,” Freeze told ESPN sideline reporter Taylor McGregor. “Then they had the field position. Luckily our defense has played well enough to keep them in field goals, and they missed one.”

Missouri took an early 3-0 lead on a field goal, but it lost quarterback Brady Cook at least temporarily due to injury. That’s worth monitoring going forward.

Finally, after a second field goal attempt from the Tigers missed, Auburn was able to get the ball in decent field position. And the offense began to crank things up.

“So we’re leaning on them now,” Freeze said. “Finally got a little field position, having some good runs right now.”

Auburn will look to keep it going and punch in its first score of the game as the second quarter continues on.

Brady Cook suffers ankle injury, leaves game

Missouri quarterback Brady Cook headed to the locker room after suffering an apparent injury on a sack in the first quarter.

Cook appeared to suffer the injury without contact, going down before the pass rush got to him, taking a big loss in the process.

The Missouri starter then jogged off the field at about three-quarters speed, but he did so prior to a third-down snap. He pretty immediately headed to the locker room hurt.

The ESPN broadcast crew calling the game noted they were attempting to get an update in short order and did so after just one Auburn series.

“It is good news regarding Brady Cook,” ESPN’s Taylor McGregor reported. “I’m told it is an ankle injury. He went into the locker room. They are currently taping up that ankle, but the expectation is he will return to this game.”