Auburn’s edge-rush picture took a hit with the news that second-year player J.J. Faulk is likely out for the regular season after a collarbone injury, but the group still has enough bodies to keep moving forward.
Even with Faulk sidelined, the Tigers have seen Chris Murray and Nate Johnson surge in the last few practices, giving the room some needed momentum alongside veteran Da'Shawn Womack and sophomore Jared Smith. Smith has been part of the conversation from the start of camp, and Auburn is still trying to get him to the point where he can be trusted on every snap.
That remains the next step for Smith, who is still a very young player working on consistency. Coach Alex Golesh said the message has been simple: raise the urgency and keep it there. And from Golesh’s view, Smith is starting to respond.
"The word urgency would not have been synonymous with Jared about four days ago, so I would say it's more of what we've done in terms of we just keep yelling at him," Golesh said of Smith. "Today he was like, 'Man, if I am more urgent, then they won't yell at me so much.'
So we'll just keep yelling at him until he figures it out. But he's a young guy that's uber, uber talented and is just learning.
Man, he's young, which is the last excuse anybody would ever want to use. It's just learning how to play hard all the time, and it has nothing to do with not wanting to."
In Other News...
Auburns Pass Rush Just Took A Hit At BUCK
Auburns pass rush depth at BUCK just took a significant blow before the season even gets rolling. Jakaleb Faulk, the linebacker-hybrid EDGE who was expected to be part of the Tigers pressure package, will miss the entire 2026 regular season after a collarbone injury required a procedure, coach Alex Golesh said.
DaShawn Womack is now in line to start at BUCK in Faulks place, and Auburn is expected to spread the snaps around among several other players as it reshapes that edge group. There is still some hope Faulk could work his way back late in the year, but for now the Tigers have to plan as if one of their more important front-seven pieces is unavailable when the games start counting. [Read more 🡒]
Cam Newton Has Auburn Fans Debating His Place In The Program
Cam Newton showing up in Missouri gear at the Tigers fall camp was enough to spark a fresh round of conversation among Auburn fans, especially because his visit was tied to receiver Cayden Lee, one of the players he mentors. Newtons ties to Missouris coaching staff come from his Auburn days, but his connection to this stop is more about support and relationships than any real playing history with the program.
Even so, the sight of the former Auburn star wearing another schools colors got people talking about what his place should be around Auburn going forward. For all the debate it stirred, the bigger takeaway may be simpler: Newton still carries real weight in college football circles, and Auburn could benefit from finding a more formal way to use that presence around its athletics program. [Read more 🡒]
Auburns Defense Is Already Facing Heat After Camp Scrimmage
Auburns defense has spent much of preseason camp under the microscope, with the staff using recent scrimmage work to stress the basics before the real tests arrive. Head coach Alex Golesh, along with coordinator DJ Durkin and position coach Coleman Hutzler, has made tackling and overall technique a point of emphasis, a sign that the Tigers are still trying to sharpen the group as camp winds on.
The tone around the unit has been firm, and the players have taken notice of the demanding coaching that comes with it. Auburn knows the early camp work is about more than just sorting out depth - it is also about building habits that hold up once the season starts, and the defenses uneven showing has only raised the urgency around getting those details right. [Read more 🡒]