Quick introduction: this is Andy Bitter, the new Auburn beat writer for the Columbus (Ga.) Ledger-Enquirer.

Quick mission statement: I’d like to get this blog back to its former state, where you can get the Auburn information you need as quickly as possible.

I’ll elaborate in a later post.

For now, here are a few things that came from today’s presser:

-- RB Brad Lester practiced Tuesday afternoon after a scary play over the weekend in which he landed on his head and had to be carted off the field. The senior, who met with several doctors and a neurosurgeon this week, didn’t take any contact.

“He’s still real stiff,” Auburn coach Tommy Tuberville said. “He’s got to work the soreness out. He’s got to come a long way between now and Thursday, but he’ll have to have contact before I let him play.”

Tuberville was hopeful Lester could play.

-- QB Kodi Burns’ role still sounds undefined. The sophomore didn’t play against Mississippi State and won’t be used in just short-yardage situations on Saturday, from the sounds of it.

“I don’t want Kodi to learn only one part of the offense,” Tuberville said. “I want him to throw the ball and to run it. In the Southern Miss game, when we put him in and ran it in on the goal line, that’s good, but I think that Chris (Todd) could’ve done the same thing on a 1- to 2-yard run. I want Kodi to make sure that he understands the entire offense. We’ve just started this stuff and he’s going to get better and better in it, but if you go out there and say ‘Ok, Kodi, we are going to make this small package for you and let you run it,’ he’ll never get any better and you’ll never find out what kind of quarterback he is.”

-- As an aside, I love the attitude SEC teams have. This is a big game for Auburn, and nobody’s hiding behind the “one game at a time” drivel most places will spew out.

To wit, safety Mike McNeil’s thoughts about the game: “This game is going to decide who plays in Atlanta for the SEC championship.”

Blunt. And probably accurate, though I’m sure some folks in Tuscaloosa would disagree.