For the second straight week, a member of Auburn's highly touted 2013 recruiting class is receiving top honors from the SEC.
Following defensive end Carl Lawson's breakout game against Ole Miss last weekend, quarterback Jeremy Johnson was named SEC Freshman of the Week on Monday morning.
The Montgomery native completed 17-of-21 passes for 201 yards and four touchdowns in Auburn's 62-3 home rout of the Western Carolina Catamounts.
Johnson, the winner of Alabama's 2012 Mr. Football Award, was named Auburn's starting quarterback Friday afternoon in place of injured starter Nick Marshall.
"It was great," Johnson said after Saturday's win. "I enjoyed every bit of it. You never know when the opportunity will come."
Johnson's performance garnered the praise of his veteran teammates in Saturday's postgame interviews.
"He handled it all very maturely," said senior H-back Jay Prosch. "I remember starting when I was a true freshman. Even if it's not a huge game, you still get those jitters. I think he stepped up confidently and handled the offense like anyone else would have."
According to offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee, Marshall was at 80 percent fitness for Saturday's Homecoming game. With Johnson taking most of the snaps as the No. 2 quarterback on the depth chart, Johnson was called into action for the first time in his collegiate career.
"We felt like he was ready," Lashlee said Sunday night. "He's been getting those reps behind Nick all season. We felt like the way the situation unfolded, it was a good game to let him play."
Auburn has not received multiple SEC Freshman of the Week honors in one season since 2009, when running back Onterio McCalebb won them twice. The last time a pair of Auburn freshmen received conference recognition was 2005, when running back Brad Lester and quarterback Blake Field were named Freshmen of the Week.
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