Gene Chizik turned to John Sullen Friday and told him, “John, we need you to step up. It’s time to grow up.”

Then the freshman guard from Auburn High said the Tigers’ head coach told him he would start Saturday’s game against Ball State.

“I was real excited, and then I got excited again when I heard the crowd react to my name on the big screen (player introductions),” the former Auburn High star said after the Tigers’ 54-30 victory.

“Since I was second-string, coach said all the time to be prepared for anything.”

Sullen filled in for starter Byron Isom at right guard, helping the Tigers amass 560 total yards, including 254 on the ground. Chizik announced after Saturday’s game that Isom was suspended for an undisclosed violation of team rules.

“We won’t go into specifics,” Chizik said. “John Sullen stepped in and did a great job all night.”

Sullen graded his performance as “silent.” And silent is good on the offensive line. He was never penalized. The 322-pounder, who earned all-state honors last season in Class 6A and helped Auburn High reach the state quarterfinals, said he wasn’t nervous.

“It’s just football,” he said. “I heard Peyton Manning say ‘You only get nervous when you don’t know what you’re doing.’ I wouldn’t be out here if I didn’t know what I was doing.”

Sullen didn’t mind encouragement on the field from teammates either.

“I had Ryan Pugh (center) and Andrew McCain (right tackle) with me the whole step of the way,” he said.

Afterward, McCain was asked to grade Sullen’s debut.

“He took the job and put it on his shoulders,” he said. “He made a few mistakes like everyone else, but he did a great job. He was shaky, but settled down. It was fun to see him succeed. I started my first game not long ago. I can relate.”

Considering this was the most extensive playing role in his young college career, one could think that Sullen would be exhausted afterward. He wasn’t.

“Once the game got started, I never got tired,” he said.

Sullen’s role for next week’s game was not clear Saturday night as Isom’s status was not discussed by Chizik. That didn’t faze Sullen, who wasn’t sure what his immediate role with the team would be when fall camp kicked off last month.

“I knew I was going to come in and work,” he said.

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