AUBURN, Ala. — He drove most of the night, and then again the next morning to make kickoff. And now here was Tommy Tuberville sitting in the stands Saturday, not as a former Auburn head football coach, but as a dad.
Tommy Tuberville saw his son, Tucker, play in his first college game, ever, in Jordan-Hare Stadium, a reward for a player who served the last three years as a walk-on quarterback for the Tigers.
"If I was ever going to see him play in Jordan-Hare, this was going to be it," reasoned the coach. "I watched him at Tiger Talk, got a hug picture and watched him play a few snaps. I really enjoyed it."
Tucker Tuberville, who grew up in Auburn, played in the fourth quarter of the Tigers' 56-34 win over Idaho. His playing time was not guaranteed when his dad jumped in a car at 12:30 a.m. Saturday after coaching his team, Cincinnati, at South Florida.
The trip was worth it for Tommy and Tucker Tuberville.
His dad said the Tubervilles sought no special favors.
"I told him I'm not making one call," said his dad. "You've got to do it all on your own. And he did. Gus didn't have to do it, with me leaving there, and that he might take a little bit of flak for having a Tuberville on the team. But he never wavered. He's been great. Tucker has had a great time."
Tucker Tuberville said he appreciated his father making the trip to Jordan-Hare.
"That was really special. He told me Thursday he would get a chance to come here," he said. "It's hard for him to do that. For him to drive up from Tampa after the game and take time out of his day, because they have a big game next week, is special. Not a lot of guys could do that."
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