Sandberg builds confidence

[aubiefifty 18,230]

Backup quarterback Cord Sandberg builds confidence with first two touchdowns

Updated Nov 23, 2019;Posted Nov 23, 2019

3-4 minutes

As Auburn prepared for Samford, senior running back Kam Martin told backup quarterback Cord Sandberg, “Man, you’re going to score your first touchdown this week.”

Sandberg replied that he hoped so, and Martin reassured him it was going to happen.

In Auburn’s 52-0 shutout of Samford, Sandberg scored not one but two touchdowns for the first time in his Auburn career.

“It felt good,” Martin said. “It was kind of special to see him do that.”

Sandberg, who has been the number two passer since Joey Gatewood left on October 30, had only played in one game ahead of Samford. He rushed for four yards against Kent State.

With Gatewood gone, there’s been a level of uncertainty shadowing every play made by Nix. If he goes out, how would Auburn fare with Sandberg as quarterback?

Martin said Sandberg has been “doing his thing” in practice lately, but that doesn’t always translate in games.

“Obviously, I want to build confidence,” Sandberg said. “But to give the players and coaches confidence in kind of that ‘what-if’ situation if we had to go in there and do some things … really happy with what we were able to do today, for sure.”

During the 19 minutes Sandberg was at the helm, Auburn’s offense gained 157 yards and scored two touchdowns. Sandberg had five completions for 84 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for 31 yards on five carries.

“I thought he did a very good job with two touchdowns,” coach Gus Malzahn said. “He managed the offense very well. That was really good to see.”

Just over four minutes into the third quarter against Samford, Auburn increased its lead to 38 with a 2-yard rushing touchdown from D.J. Williams. On the next drive, Sandberg took over for Bo Nix.

On his first snap, he took off down the left sideline for a 15-yard gain.

“I was like, ‘Is that Cord running down the sideline?’” offensive lineman Jalil Irvin said.

A holding call took away 10 yards of his run, but two plays later, he gained another 15 on the ground.

“He was moving,” Irvin said.

Auburn had to punt that drive, but Sandberg got some momentum going the next time he got out there. He, Martin and Shaun Shivers rushed for a combined 14-yards before Sandberg connected with Matthew Hill for a 13-yard reception.

It was Sandberg’s first completion of the season and first throw across the line of scrimmage since his senior year of high school in 2012. His only other completion at Auburn was a screen pass against Alabama State in 2018.

Four plays later, Sandberg connected with Zach Farrar for a 27-yard touchdown, the first for both of the two former minor league baseball players since they got to Auburn.

“I saw Zach even and thought he was leavin’, and he was able to make a play,” Sandberg said. “That was awesome. That was pretty cool.”

The play got Nix fired up. He ran over to the older player, yelling “Let’s go! C’mon now! Here we go.”

Sandberg added another touchdown to his collection on the next drive. As he rolled out of the pocket, he saw Farrar sitting in the end zone and completed a short pass in an “unorthodox triple-option play.” It wasn’t pretty, but it got the job done, which is all Sandberg is concerned with. It helped him get his first two touchdown passes under him and real-life experience in games he’s only ever watched and thought, “‘Wow, it would be pretty cool to play in something like that.”

[creed 1,787]

Good to see Cord play and make plays Saturday.

[AUBwins 10,267]

Happy for all of the bench guys.