I wrote a story for today's newspaper about linebacker Eltoro Freeman. Here's how it starts:

AUBURN, Ala. — The game film left Eltoro Freeman mystified.

The Auburn linebacker didn’t recognize the impostor wearing the No. 21 jersey, the uptight one fearful of making a mistake, lacking the confidence and bravado that had served him so well all his life.

“I’d say, ‘That’s not me at all,’” Freeman said. “I can’t even explain it. Things just weren’t clicking for me.”

All Freeman had heard since transferring to Auburn from junior college was that he’d be a star, a fact he never doubted until the season began and the sophomore struggled through a rash of injuries, inconsistent play and personal issues that left him lost.

“I felt like I was letting myself down, my fans down, my teammates down,” Freeman said. “They were really looking forward to me coming in and making an impact and I felt like I wasn’t doing that. That was just really frustrating for me.”

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Of course after I had already turned in my story yesterday, we got an interview with former Auburn linebacker and current graduate assistant Travis Williams, who has played a major role in helping Freeman get everything in order. Here's some quotes from Williams on the subject:

(On what he did with Eltoro)

"Toro is a very, very passionate player. Very passionate. He has a lot of talent and with me being here, coach (Ted) Roof and coach (Gene) Chizik kind of wanted me to spend a lot of time with him and just go over football and, a lot of the times, just life. Just talking with him. Football-wise, all I do is reiterate what coach Roof is telling him. Coach Roof is trying to run the defense. I wouldn't say he doesn't have time to sit down with a player, but that's what I'm here for. I love talking linebacker and football, so it just kind of worked out well. "

(On watching Freeman's performance at LSU)

"Oh man, it was like a father watching a son. Just because watching his hard work during the week, him calling me in the morning, us meeting in the morning and then we'd meet at night, and just his passion to be great and wanting to be great, it was amazing to see him. He didn't do everything right, but it's just his speed to the ball. When he got to the ball, it was just being violent, just getting there, it was fun watching him."

(On Freeman's passion for the game)

"That's why I took him under my wing and just kind of worked with him. He's passionate. He wants to be great. He told me, 'Man, when I leave and they bring recruits in, I want them to say, "He reminds me of Eltoro Freeman."' I was like, well we've got to work at it. He's just so passionate. I was trying to figure out a word to say how passionate he is, but he's exactly what Auburn's looking for in a linebacker as far as passion goes."