Alex Golesh isn’t pretending Auburn’s first two games have answered every question about this team. What he does know, though, is that the foundation he wanted to build in year one is starting to show itself in the way the Tigers are handling the day-to-day work.
Ahead of Auburn’s game against Florida, Golesh was asked how close the team is to looking like the group he pictured when he first evaluated the roster. His response was blunt: it’s still too early to pin down exactly where things stand, especially with a roster that looks so different from the one he inherited.
“Where we are, it's hard to say just simply because this will be a different challenge," Golesh said." Size-wise, speed-wise, it's different from what we saw a week ago.
We took a step and we're going to continue to take steps. What I'm most confident in is what our kids are competing like, what are kids are acting like, what the locker room is like."
That’s the part giving him the most confidence right now. Golesh said he didn’t walk into this season with a precise checkpoint for year one, but he believes the Tigers are moving in the right direction because of how they’re treating one another and how they’re competing.
"My confidence comes from the fact that these dudes care about each other," Golesh said. "These dudes are competing for each other, and that may be-I hate to say it-for a year one, and this is my, I guess, sixth time, seventh time being a part of a year one where that's the hardest thing to do and right now these dudes are bought into each other which is really, really positive. If it continues to stay that way and we continue to play really hard and we continue to improve, you'd be really happy."
That matters even more in a season like this one. Auburn brought in nearly 60 newcomers, including 39 transfers, so building chemistry has been as important as installing scheme. Before the season, Golesh made it clear that establishing an identity and a culture was the top priority, with the long-term payoff in mind.
He also pointed out that a locker room can change quickly. Right now, Auburn is 2-0, and that makes it easier for everyone to stay locked in and invested. The real test, he said, will be whether that same buy-in holds once the season gets messier and adversity shows up.
For now, though, Golesh likes what he sees.
Auburn will open SEC play next weekend against Florida in Jordan-Hare Stadium on ESPN.
In Other News...
Former Auburn Star's Sudden USC Exit Now Looks Far More Serious
Chad Baker-Mazaras abrupt exit from USC has taken on a far more serious edge, turning what looked like a routine roster separation into a legal fight with real reputational stakes. The former Auburn standout filed a lawsuit against Trojans coach Eric Musselman, alleging a racially charged rant after a game and wrongful dismissal from the basketball program, while also claiming USC skipped an NIL payment as the school moved to end the agreement under a morals clause.
The suit adds a new layer to a situation Auburn fans know well from Baker-Mazaras earlier career arc, because it centers not just on how his USC stint ended, but on what the fallout may have cost him. He is suing for breach of contract and other claims, and says the dismissal damaged his NBA Draft stock, leaving the case about far more than one lost roster spot. [Read more 🡒]
Auburn Commit Just Gave Fans Another Reason To Believe In Golesh
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Halls path to Auburn also gives the commitment a little extra weight. He had once been viewed as a likely Penn State lean before choosing the Tigers, and his continued confidence in the program has only grown since Alex Golesh took over. With Hall now talking up Auburns direction after another standout performance, he looks like more than just a name in the class. [Read more 🡒]
Auburn's Vanderbilt Spot Just Got More Interesting After The Florida Setup
The SEC finally set Auburns Week 4 date with Vanderbilt, and it brings a different kind of atmosphere to Jordan-Hare Stadium. The matchup is scheduled for 4:15 p.m. CDT on Sept. 26 on the SEC Network, marking Auburns first afternoon home game of the season and adding another layer to a stretch that already has the Tigers heading into the Vanderbilt meeting off a game against Florida.
Vanderbilt arrives with its own wrinkle, too, because this will be the Commodores first road game of the year. For Auburn, the timing matters as much as the opponent, with a home kickoff in the middle of the afternoon offering a new setting after the Florida game and a chance to reset in front of the Jordan-Hare crowd before SEC play starts to settle in. [Read more 🡒]