Auburn’s next test comes with a clear warning label: Appalachian State can defend, and Steven Pearl knows it.
After Auburn opened its season by rolling past Southeastern Louisiana, the Tigers now turn to a Mountaineers team that has already shown it can make life difficult on both ends. Appalachian State is 2-0, having survived Merrimack in a 63-49 defensive battle before blowing past Christendom, 108-43. The competition level will rise here, but the early returns are enough to make Auburn pay attention.
Pearl made it clear this week that the defensive profile is what stands out most.
“It's a team that defensively has always done a lot of really good things,” Pearl said. “That's no different this year.
They've held their first two opponents to 49 and 43. And they have good depth and good shooters.”
That kind of pressure could be a real issue for Auburn if the Tigers start slowly again. They haven’t been held under 71 points in a game this season, going back to their first preseason matchup against Florida State, but the opener against Southeastern Louisiana showed how quickly things can get uncomfortable when the starters don’t immediately settle in.
The saving grace for Auburn is its depth. Even when the first group has had to grind through rough stretches, the bench has been able to keep things from slipping away. Against Southeastern Louisiana, Kolby King, George Kimble and Adam Olsen all gave the Tigers a lift, helping keep the game tight until Tahaad Pettiford sparked an 11-0 run that opened things up before halftime.
Appalachian State has also shown a willingness to lean on the three-point shot to build separation, and Pearl said Auburn’s response has to start with the basics on the glass.
“Our guys gotta do a great job of boxing out,” he said. “Gonna be really important for us this week to drill that.”
Auburn may have the edge inside with 7-foot-1 Bukky Oboye and 7-footer Narcisse Ngoy beginning to settle in, but Pearl’s group will still need a full-team effort to leave Neville Arena with a 2-0 record.
Tip-off is set for 8 p.m. CT Monday, with the game airing on SEC Network.
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Now the attention shifts to the structure behind the calls, with speculation already building around whether offensive coordinator Joel Gordons role could change. Auburn got the win, but the postgame tone made clear this was not the kind of offensive performance Golesh wants to keep living with. For a team trying to build momentum, the bigger question is whether the staffs answer is a tweak, a reset, or something more significant. [Read more 🡒]
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Byrum Browns impact helped cover up an offense that still looked uneven up front, and the protection issues were hard to miss even in a victory. The pass rush gave Auburn a lift, but the secondary also had stretches that will keep coaches busy, which is why a win like this can still feel like a reminder of how much work remains. [Read more 🡒]
Auburn Finally Showed A Pulse But One Concern Isn't Going Away
Auburns 26-23 win over Arkansas offered a much-needed jolt, both for a team that had been searching for traction and for an offense that finally found a better rhythm after a slow start. The Tigers are now 5-4 overall and 3-4 in the SEC, and while the early struggles were real, the second half brought enough improvement to suggest there is still something to work with as the season moves deeper into November.
The defense did its part in keeping Auburn afloat, holding Arkansas to 23 points even while giving up 179 rushing yards, and freshman linebacker Shadarius Toodle stood out with a disruptive performance that included 11 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss and three sacks. Still, the run defense remains the concern that wont go away, and it is the kind of issue that could keep this team from turning one encouraging result into a real run of momentum. [Read more 🡒]