AUBURN, Ala. -- Worked into his usual bundle of energy, Auburn linebacker Eltoro Freeman released it with a slight miscalculation last Friday, whiffing on a first-half tackle of Alabama’s Greg McElroy as the quarterback scampered for a first down.

His head hung low, Freeman trudged back to the sideline, fully expecting to hear an earful from the coaches.

Instead, defensive coordinator Ted Roof was reassuring, telling the linebacker it was OK and to get back in the game.

“To hear him say that made my confidence level just shoot up,” Freeman said. “It was just unbelievable. When I went back out there, dawg, I just played free. … I could just play football now. I didn’t have to be on pins, needles, anything.”

He responded with his best game this year, finishing with nine tackles, two tackles for a loss and a sack in Auburn’s 28-27 win, a comeback about as improbable as Freeman’s.