After seeing his first significant playing time of the season three weeks ago against Arkansas, Eltoro Freeman said he wanted to end his Auburn career with a bang.

The senior linebacker hasn’t taken his finger off the trigger since.

Starting in his third consecutive game in the middle, Freeman led the Tigers with 11 tackles and two sacks as the defense tightened up in the second half to help Auburn beat Ole Miss, 41-23, Saturday night in Jordan-Hare Stadium.

Freeman had seven solo stops in the first half alone, including two sacks and a forced fumble.

In the past three games, Freeman’s racked up 22 tackles, 4.0 tackles for loss sacks and 3.0 sacks.

“He was very, very productive tonight,” Auburn defensive coordinator Ted Roof said. “(He) tackled well. Real proud of his development and how he’s coming along, because he’s an older player and he continues to get better. He keeps showing up, keeps being productive.”

Production has been one of the knocks against Freeman during his three-year career at Auburn, showing up for one game then disappearing for a few.

This season, he’s putting it all together — and not just on the field during game day.

“He’s preparing well every week,” head coach Gene Chizik said. “I told him during the game, ‘You’re learning how to prepare, you’re learning how to get in a football game and calm down,’ — He’s a very emotional player — ‘… and see the game and fit within the defense and do what we’re asking you to do.’ “And I think he’s done a much better job of that.”

In his first season with Auburn, Freeman started seven of the 10 games he played in, totaling 21 tackles. Last year, he played in 12 of the Tigers’ 14 games, starting just five and finishing with 37 tackles.

This year, he has 37 stops in just eight games.

Freeman, who began the season as the backup middle linebacker, had to sit out the season opener against Utah State after the NCAA deemed there was clerical issue with paperwork when he transferred from a Mississippi junior college prior to the 2009 season.

Against Arkansas, Holland went down with an injury early in the game and Freeman stepped in.

He hasn’t come off the field since.

“I think he’s getting better every week of just being able to get in there, absorb the gameplan and try to execute the gameplan,” Chizik said. “He’s playing with energy. He’s playing with passion. He looks like he’s having fun out there.”

Freeman agrees wholeheartedly.

“Yes, sir. I’m having (a lot) of fun,” the senior from Alex City said. “I’m looking forward to every week, going out and helping my team win.”