Four players caught passes for the Tigers on Saturday, only two of whom consider themselves wide receivers.

One day after pretty much everything went to plan or better, Gene Chizik wasn’t ready to declare that a cause for concern.

“I think it’s more of an indication that offensively, we’re just doing what the defenses give us,” Chizik said. “So if you’re in a particular spot and we feel like the defense is giving us an opportunity to throw to that particular wideout, then that’s who gets the ball. If you’re a running back or you’re in a position where you can get the ball running the football, if the defense gives that to us, then that’s what we’re going to take, as well.”

The biggest no-shows on the stat sheet were freshmen DeAngelo Benton and Emory Blake, each of whom had been expected to contribute immediately.

Benton was the target of three passes while Blake had his only pass attempt knocked out near the goal line in third quarter.

Chizik said the pair made their fair share of “first-game” mistakes, but none more than anyone else.

“They get big-eyed out there for their first game, but have really, really shown some great signs at practice of getting better,” Chizik said. “For the first night, taking into consideration everything, their blocking, their route-running, things of that nature, I’m really pleased with where those two are.”

Quarterback Chris Todd said he expected more opportunities for Benton and Blake now that the first-game jitters are behind them.

“That was their first game,” Todd said. “It’s a totally different atmosphere than in high school.”

‘One block away’
Kodi Burns ran the ball eight times for 24 yards and threw one incomplete pass out of the Wildcat formation Saturday.

Chizik said he expects better, but understood what the problem was.

“We’re a block away or a hair away from it being more productive,” he said.

Burns appears to be the only player in line to take direct snaps in the formation, as Mario Fannin said Monday that he is no longer working at that position.

As for Todd, he remained on the field, splitting out as a wide receiver, when Burns took the snaps.

He joked Monday about the possibility of him catching a few passes.

“They’re really trying to utilize my athletic ability so they’re trying to put me in a spot where I can use it,” Todd said. “We’re probably going to progress to where I’m going to go out there and probably run some routes and probably going to put some double moves on.”

Still feeling good
Todd said his surgically repaired throwing shoulder was feeling just as good following his first regular season game since Oct. 11, 2008.

“My arm feels fresh,” Todd said. “We still take it easy on days we’re supposed to take it easy. It felt pretty good. The ball was spinning pretty well the other night, so the arm’s holding up pretty good.”

‘Oh man’
When Walt McFadden was whistled for a questionable pass interference call in the first quarter Saturday, Chizik followed the side official up and down the sidelines, jawing in his face.

McFadden was taken aback for a second. This wasn’t something he’d seen before.

“Oh man, at first I thought he was coming at me,” McFadden said. “I tried to hurry up and run to the other side, but eventually he had my back. He ran at the referee and that’s when I started saying, ’Yeah, yeah, referee, referee, take that.’ But he has my back.”

McFadden said he and Chizik discussed the play Monday and that Chizik reaffirmed to him that he was improperly whistled.

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