Alex Golesh walked out of Wednesday’s scrimmage in Jordan-Hare Stadium sounding a lot different than he did five days earlier.
The Auburn coach still had things to clean up, but the tone was far more upbeat after the Tigers’ second and final scrimmage of fall camp before mock game week begins next week. Golesh said the day produced plenty to like on both sides of the ball.
“Some really, really good stuff came out of today on both sides,” Golesh said.
That was a sharp contrast from Saturday, when Golesh was frustrated by Auburn’s tackling and even suggested a shift in how much the team would tackle in practice going forward. On Wednesday, he said the defensive finishing was much better.
“Tackled so much better,” Golesh said. “Man, I was really proud of the way we tackled.
There was some violent, violent intent. Defensively, some really good situations came up.”
The offense had its moments, too. Golesh said there were plenty of “explosives” spread across multiple players, and Auburn247 reported long touchdown catches from Keshaun Singleton and Kory Pettigrew, along with an early long grab by Chas Nimrod.
The Tigers also put together a drive starting inside their own 5-yard line with crowd noise cranked up, a situation Golesh said last week had been an issue. This time, Auburn handled it better.
“Some long, long drives - which was good for both sides to work,” Golesh said. “Especially with the heat the way it was - and I'm talking offensive football here - with coaches off the field and truly long drives.
And what does that really feel like to go eight, 10, 12, 14, 15 plays in a drive at the tempo that we play? There's nothing like actually doing it.
You can try to replicate it all you want, but there's nothing like actually doing it. I thought there was some really, really positive there.”
Golesh also singled out several players on defense, including nose tackle Dallas Walker IV, defensive end Jared Smith, edge rusher Da'Shawn Womack and safety Eric Winters. On the other side, he described quarterback Byrum Brown as “super steady” and praised Singleton and Nimrod.
Even with the positives, Golesh said Auburn still has work to do in situational football. The issues weren’t as much about botched snaps or pre-snap penalties this time, but rather the bigger-picture decision-making that comes with down, distance and field position.
“Where we're not really good right now really on both sides is truly recognizing situational football and letting the guys take control of it,” Golesh said. “What I mean by that is simply understanding where it is rather than just playing the next play - where are we, what's the situation, what are we trying to do? That takes time, that takes the play-caller being on the same page with the guys, that's why I say we still need two more days of (practice) - working on us to get closer to that.”
Auburn has Thursday off, then returns Friday for a practice focused on situations. Saturday will be the final full practice before the team shifts into mock game week, and it will come with a bigger crowd on hand as parents and alumni are invited back to the facility.
For Golesh, though, the biggest takeaway was less about one drill or one rep and more about the way the team is responding to the grind.
“I think the biggest thing that I'm proud of - and I said this to the staff last night - is how much this team has come together,” Golesh said. “And some of it was forced early.
But these guys genuinely care about and respect each other. I've tried to create as crazy of adverse situations for them to have to fight through, and they just keep coming together.
I'm incredibly proud of them.”
In Other News...
Auburns Pass Rush Just Took A Hit At BUCK
Auburns pass rush depth took a significant blow before the season even gets rolling, with linebacker-hybrid EDGE Jakaleb Faulk sidelined after a collarbone injury. Coach Alex Golesh said the issue required a procedure, and the Tigers now have to move forward without one of their more intriguing pieces at the BUCK spot for the time being.
Da'Shawn Womack is slated to step into the starting role in Faulks place, and Auburn will lean on several other defenders to absorb the snaps and keep the position productive. There is still hope Faulk can make it back late in the year, but for now the Tigers are planning as if he will be unavailable throughout the regular season, leaving a notable hole in a spot that depends on disruption and depth. [Read more 🡒]
Auburn Fall Camp Is Starting To Reveal Who Golesh Trusts Most
Auburns second scrimmage of fall camp offered a better look at which players are starting to separate themselves in Alex Goleshs eyes, and the first-year coach made it clear several defenders helped themselves. Golesh singled out Dallas Walker, DaShawn Womack, Jared Smith, Eric Winters, Kaleb Harris and Anquon Fegans after the workout, while Byrum Brown, Keshaun Singleton and Chas Nimrod also drew praise on the offensive side.
For a staff still sorting out trust and depth, those kinds of early camp impressions matter, especially with a season opener against Baylor set for Sept. 5, 2026. Fall camp is where roles begin to harden, and Auburns latest scrimmage seems to have started separating the players Golesh leans on from the ones still trying to climb into that group. [Read more 🡒]
Auburns Defense Is Already Facing Heat After Camp Scrimmage
Auburns defense has spent much of preseason camp under a sharper spotlight than the coaches probably wanted, with recent scrimmage work exposing the kinds of cleanup issues that tend to show up quickly once the pads come on. Alex Golesh, DJ Durkin and Coleman Hutzler have made tackling and technique a daily point of emphasis, and the message around the group has been straightforward: the standard has to rise before the season does.
Players have taken the hard coaching in stride, treating it as part of the process rather than a sign of panic, even if the early returns have left room for concern. The staff has been pushing development as much as immediate results, and the way Auburn responds in the next stretch of camp will go a long way toward showing whether the defense is simply still sorting itself out or facing a deeper adjustment ahead of opener week. [Read more 🡒]