For the most part, Auburn’s players said Tony Franklin’s firing had no lingering effects, wasn’t a distraction and had nothing to do with the Tigers’ meltdown Saturday.

It was bound to happen.

A lack of progress prompted Tommy Tuberville to fire Tony Franklin six games into the season, hand the offense to a trio of longtime assistants and hope for the best.

Tony Franklin is gone. The spread, allegedly, is not.

Oh, where to start.

Auburn’s internal struggles on offense made it difficult for much of this week’s media focus to be placed on its opponent.

Tommy Tuberville had yet to pin down who would be this Saturday’s starting quarterback after Thursday morning’s practice.

Tommy Tuberville seemed baffled at the larger-than-average media gathering Thursday in the Rane Room of Auburn’s Athletic Complex.

Tommy Tuberville, just one day after endorsing Tony Franklin yet again as his offensive coordinator, said he came to the decision Wednesday morning and relieved Franklin of his duties early in the afternoon. 

“I’ve come to the decision this morning that we would make this change,” Tommy Tuberville said. “It’s just, bottom line, you’ve got to go out there and you’ve got to be productive.”

Raymond Cotton Sr. called Tony Franklin “the final sell” in his son Ray’s verbal commitment to Auburn.