Auburn’s special teams enter this season with a different look, and maybe more importantly, a different voice guiding them.
The Tigers are on their third special teams coordinator in three seasons, with Jacob Bronowski stepping into the role and trying to lift a unit that wasn’t the reason Auburn finished 5-7 in each of the last two years, but also didn’t swing enough games in the Tigers’ favor. The roster hasn’t turned over much among the specialists, but the expectation around the group has.
One of the biggest reasons for optimism is placekicker Alex McPherson. The senior from Fort Payne battled gastrointestinal issues over the past two seasons, and that clearly affected his power.
His accuracy, though, stayed intact. Now that he’s healthy again, Bronowski believes Auburn has a real weapon.
McPherson’s career long is 53 yards, and he said at SEC Media Days that he can make kicks from anywhere inside 60 yards. Bronowski went even further.
“I’m a confident coach, and I’m confident because of him,” Bronowski said. “So, we’ll see what it is on game days, but we’re going to cut it loose.”
That confidence matters because McPherson was still dependable for most of last season even while dealing with those issues. Auburn’s punting operation, on the other hand, was far less steady.
Hudson Kaak is back for his second season in the program, and the Oklahoma State transfer did one thing extremely well in 2025: he limited return damage. Kaak ranked third in the SEC in average yards per punt return allowed and didn’t give up a punt return longer than 20 yards.
But Auburn didn’t get enough field-flipping production from him. Kaak sat near the bottom of the SEC in average yards per punt and rarely changed the field position battle in the Tigers’ favor.
Bronowski thinks that part of Kaak’s game is about to take a step.
“At the end of the day, this is SEC football, and that’s his job, and he knows that, but I’m extremely confident in that,” Bronowski said. “The consistency piece for him because of his process being the right way has been really remarkable to watch. I can’t wait for him to go out there and show that that first Saturday.”
If Auburn’s special teams do improve, Bronowski may end up being the biggest reason why. He helped Pittsburgh finish 11th in ESPN’s SP+ special teams rankings in 2024, and at Miami (Ohio) in 2023 his unit ended the year first in the SP+ rankings. Pittsburgh slipped to No. 60 in the final 2025 rankings, but Bronowski’s track record still carries weight.
Kaak sees the energy up close.
“In the best way possible, he’s a maniac. He’s crazy,” Kaak said of Bronowski. “His passion for the team and passion for winning is something that is completely infectious, and it’s been really, really good to be around.”
That edge is obvious even in early preseason camp. The players will decide what Auburn’s special teams become, but Bronowski is the clear new piece, and the one difference between last year’s group and the one set to take the field on Sept. 5.
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