Kansas State quarterback Josh Freeman threw a career-high 57 passes in the Wildcats’ 23-13 loss at No. 18 Auburn on Saturday. He took repeated shots from the Tigers’ attacking defense and even twisted his ankle when his cleat got caught in the grass trying to slide.

Even though most quarterbacks would probably be in pain for a few days after a game like that, Freeman wouldn’t acknowledge to feeling a little banged up.

“I feel good,” he said Monday. “I took a couple shots, but it was getting to a point where I never felt like I was going to come out.”

The slide, which came midway through the third quarter on a quarterback draw, was the main cause for concern. It appeared he might have sprained his left ankle or knee with the awkward landing, but Kansas State coach Ron Prince said there was nothing to be worried about.

“Josh is fine,” Prince said. “I had a chance to go back and watch the TV copy of the game and the commentators, I think, were reading a little more into that.”

Although Freeman was unable to throw a touchdown pass for the third-straight game, dating back to last season, he did finish with 268 yards passing and led his team on three separate scoring drives.

However, it was his poise and demeanor in front of almost 90,000 fans at Jordan-Hare Stadium that impressed his teammates and coaches the most.

As a true freshman in 2006, Freeman was prone to turnovers. He had nine combined turnovers in the final two games – losses at Kansas and to Rutgers in the Texas Bowl.

Big stage knack

Today, though, Freeman showed a knack for performing on the big stage, even when plays didn’t go as planned. At one point he scooped a botched shotgun snap off the grass, rolled to his left and found wide receiver Deon Murphy for a first down.

“Josh can see the whole field,” Murphy said. “He was real poised. He knows what he wants to do pre-snap, coming out of the huddle. He’s just one of the biggest playmakers on the field, and not just because he’s 6-foot-6.”

It was this poise under pressure that Prince likely had in mind when he chose to start Freeman for the sixth game of his freshman season. Since then, there have been highs – a 45-42 upset of Texas last season – and lows – a six-turnover debacle at Kansas – but several of Freeman’s teammates said he is developing into the leader they need to have a big season.

“He did a great job leading us,” offensive tackle Nick Stringer said. “It was loud. He was calling the plays in the huddle and screaming as loud as he could and we were having a hard time hearing that. And then he’d be up there on the line of scrimmage and nobody could hear the count so we just had to watch the ball. With all the pressure he had on him, he did a real good job.”

As the Wildcats prepare to try to bounce back in their first home game of the season, today against San Jose State, Freeman said he still feels confident, despite the disappointing loss at Auburn.

“I always have confidence in my game,” he said. “I feel like I’m getting better.”