In the moments after his freshman center played the most significant snaps of his college career, Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze’s first description of Connor Lew was mature.

So come Tuesday when Lew talked to reporters for the first time as a college football player, Lew spoke with the poise and confidence of a player who had been here for years. It’s indicative of how ready he may be for the moment coming his way far sooner than he ever anticipated.

Lew entered the game in the first quarter of Auburn’s eventual 28-21 loss to Ole Miss on Saturday after starting center Avery Jones went out with an injury. Auburn has not stated exactly what Jones’ injury is, but he was not seen on the field during a practice window open to reporters Tuesday.

Auburn is not anticipating Jones to play in Saturday’s game against Mississippi State, which would put Lew in line to make his first collegiate start.

“Treating this week as I do every week,” Lew said Tuesday. “As normal as possible.”

Lew has been here in Auburn since spring ball, but he was among the trendy up-and-coming names during fall camp — even though his only route to playing time was an injury.

Auburn’s defensive linemen said they noticed him immediately, and know he will develop into a good player. Offensive lineman Tate Johnson said he’d bet money on Lew being successful. When many of Lew’s teammates on the offensive line were asked about who stood out in fall camp, Lew was the answer.

Offensive lineman Gunner Britton said Lew has the biggest forearms he’s ever seen. He said when he was a freshman, his body didn’t look as strong as Lew’s.

“Connor Lew was one when I came here I was like, ‘No wonder I was a 2-star coming out of high school,’” Britton said. “I did not look like that when I was 18.”

Lew said he’s been able to adjust to the games quickly because of the extensive time he’s had in spring and fall practices. Nor did it take him long to realize how different high school and college football is, especially with regard to the speed practices are held. That “wow” moment, Lew said, came in his very first practice with Auburn.

“I tell everybody that asks: ‘If you could do it all over again, would you still come in the spring,’” Lew said Tuesday. “And I say, ‘No hesitation. I definitely would.’”

He said that first practice caught him off guard. Since then, Lew’s growth from a high school senior to a college freshman has been seen by his path to the moment he felt he truly belonged at this level. He said it’s been a gradual process.

Much of that time has been spent with the offensive lineman he’ll be surrounded by on the field like Britton and team captain Kam Stutts. Lew said he’s been sitting next to Jones in film sessions, too.

Jones and Lew have appeared to work together well thus far. Two weeks ago in Baton Rouge, when Auburn was down by multiple touchdowns to LSU in the fourth quarter, Lew warmed up on the sideline to go into the game in relief of the starters. Yet as he practiced snapping the ball, it was Jones playing the role of quarterback behind him catching the ball, seeming to coach him on the game Jones had just come out of.

“For Connor Lew to be 17 years old is kinda crazy for him to be this good,” Jones said in August.

It all seemed to set up Lew as an obvious redshirt candidate. But that isn’t an option anymore. Technically it already wasn’t an option as Lew has played in more than four games as it is, but his role will now see many more meaningful snaps as the potential starter.

Lew finally had that moment where he felt he truly belonged when he was quickly forced to be ready to enter the Ole Miss game as Jones came off the field injured.

“When I was getting ready to go in, they were like, ‘You’re ready,’” Lew said of his coaches. “I knew in my mind I was ready, but they were telling me, too. Just to back it up. Like: ‘You’re ready for this moment.’ That’s been helpful, too.”

He once wondered what it would be like to play in an SEC game. No need to wonder anymore.

His teammates thought he played well in the opportunity.

“I think people say as an offensive lineman if nobody mentions your name that’s usually a good thing,” quarterback Payton Thorne said. “I don’t think anybody mentioned his name.”

Freeze said Lew is going to be a “heck of a football player” but Auburn certainly missed Avery’s experience at times in the second half of the game.

Though Freeze knows Lew is poised, and with a week more of practice will be ready if in fact he is needed to start.

But, even if just for a moment, Lew said he’ll take it all in when he runs out of the tunnel Saturday.

Matt Cohen covers Auburn sports for AL.com. You can follow him on Twitter at @Matt_Cohen_ or email him at [email protected]