AUBURN - A-Day was Daniel Cobb's day. He'll have to wait more than three months to find out if he will have his season.
Cobb, a sixth-year senior, got the best of sophomore Jason Campbell on Saturday in the race to become Auburn's starting quarterback. Cobb completed 13-of-25 passes for 182 yards and a touchdown. He directed three touchdown drives and threw two interceptions, one of which bounced away after hitting his receiver in the hands. He won the Lionel James AU officially names building after Huntsville's Tatum. Page B10. Award as the most outstanding offensive player.
Campbell was 10-for-21 for 123 yards with no touchdowns and no interceptions.
The Blue team, quarterbacked by Campbell in the first half and Cobb in the second, won the game 21-17 before a sun-splashed crowd announced at 33,652 at Jordan-Hare Stadium.
Auburn coach Tommy Tuberville and first-year offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino agreed that Cobb was the star of the day. And they agreed the race is still not even in the home stretch.
''Bobby and I will sit down in a few days and make a decision on who we will give the reins to, if anybody,'' Tuberville said. ''If you go off today, Daniel Cobb had a heck of a day. He threw the ball with authority. He was consistent.''
Either way, Petrino said, the job will be there to be won when two-a-days start in August. Saturday's game, he said, will count no more than any other scrimmage.
''I think we'll evaluate it all and see where we are,'' Petrino said. ''Somebody will have to take that very first snap in two-a-days. I thought Daniel did a better job today. I thought he looked more comfortable.''
Petrino said it would probably be the end of the first week of two-a-days before a final decision is made.
''We've charted everything we've done,'' Petrino said. ''Right now, just coming off the field, I'd say they are really even.''
Cobb made no claim to the job. The defense, he pointed out, wasn't allowed to blitz or stunt in Saturday's game.
''The defense wasn't doing what they are good at - blitzing and disguising things,'' Cobb said. ''If they had been, it would have been a lot different.''
Campbell said he felt ''pretty good'' about his performance. Summer, he said, would be for learning and working.
''I just focus on what I need to do to get better, what I need to do to lead this team,'' Campbell said. ''I'm going to work hard over the summer in the weight room and watching film.''
Sophomore tailback Carnell Williams had the most electrifying play of the day, a 38-yard touchdown run in the second quarter. He took a toss running to his right, cut back across the field and was gone. It was his last play of the day. He finished with eight carries for 61 yards. Ronnie Brown had 17 carries for 89 yards.
Chris Butler scored three touchdowns, going in twice from the 1 and once from the 2. Wide receiver Silas Daniels caught an 8-yard touchdown pass from Cobb. He finished with five catches for 51 yards.
Philip Yost kicked a 49-yard field goal.
On defense, redshirt freshman linebacker Travis Williams was in on eight tackles. Redshirt freshman defensive end Steven Bouldin had seven, including four for losses. Roshard Gilyard and Hayes Mecure intercepted passes.
All in all, Tuberville said, it was a good day and a good spring.
''We're better now than we were when we started,'' Tuberville said. ''We're more physical than we were. That's one of the things we've worked to achieve.''
Wide receivers improved: Petrino said Auburn's wide receivers, criticized for much of the spring, made rapid improvement in recent practices.
Daniels, the leading receiver Saturday, spent much of spring practice with a cast on one hand.
''Silas Daniels came along and showed he could make plays,'' Petrino said. ''He had that cast on his hand for several weeks and pushed through it. I was proud of that.''
Tight ends shine: Tight ends have played a major role in Auburn's offense all spring, and Saturday was no different.
Redshirt freshman Cooper Wallace caught four passes for 77 yards. Junior Robert Johnson caught four for 64 yards.
