Auburn’s pass rush, which looked like a real question mark heading into the spring, may be headed in the other direction fast. What once felt like one of the Tigers’ biggest concerns could end up being one of their biggest strengths when they open week one against Baylor in Atlanta.
At the center of that shift is Darrion Smith. The sophomore already showed enough as a freshman to make people notice as a pass rusher, and now he’s being pushed to become something more than a situational threat. Vontrell King-Williams has made that challenge plain.
“You want to just be a third-down guy, or you want to be an every-down guy?” King-Williams said.
Smith appears to be answering the right way. He’s up to around 270 pounds and has spent the offseason working to become tougher against the run. That’s the part Auburn needs if it wants him to grow from a flash player into a steady piece of the front.
Jourdin Crawford has seen the difference too. Smith has always had the speed and twitch to win as a rusher, but now he’s starting to piece it together against the run as well. For Auburn, that’s a meaningful step.
It also says something about King-Williams, who has quickly become one of the more intriguing assistants on Alex Golesh’s staff. He took over as Auburn’s defensive line coach in 2024 after one season as an analyst, and before that he got his coaching start at UTSA as a defensive line intern after his playing career.
King-Williams has been straightforward about the state of his room: it’s young, but there’s plenty to like. Dallas Walker has grown into a bigger leadership role after getting another year of eligibility.
Cody Sigler’s competitive edge has lifted the group. Buddy Mathis is getting more comfortable with the playbook after transferring from LSU.
And then there are players like Crawford and Malik Autry, two guys Auburn needs to become more consistent. If they do, the room could flip from an offseason worry into one of the strongest in the conference.
King-Williams’ bigger vision is to get six, seven, or even eight defensive linemen ready to play. He looks to be moving toward that. If Smith becomes a true every-down option, the rotation gets a lot more dangerous.
The way King-Williams talks about him, that might be exactly the point. Smith, by all appearances, is the kind of player who responds when someone tells him he can’t do something, and King-Williams keeps pressing that button.
If Smith holds up as a mainstay in the rotation, he has a chance to be one of Auburn’s breakout players this season. And for King-Williams, it would be another sign that he’s becoming a key piece of what Alex Golesh is trying to build on The Plains.
In Other News...
Auburns Battle Behind Jeremiah Cobb Is Starting To Get Interesting
Auburns running back picture is one of the more important camp battles as Alex Golesh and Joel Gordon get their first full look at the position group in a new offensive system. Jeremiah Cobb is back as the lead back, giving the Tigers a familiar centerpiece, but the rest of the depth chart is still taking shape as preseason work continues. Coaches have said the group has made steady progress through recent scrimmages as players keep adjusting to the scheme.
Behind Cobb, Omar Mabson II and Bryson Washington have begun to separate themselves as the most prominent backup options, giving Auburn a little more clarity in a room that still has room to sort itself out. Sophomore Alvin Henderson is also trending up after showing improvement, and his path could involve a role on special teams as the staff looks for ways to get him involved. [Read more 🡒]
Paul Finebaum Sees A Different Energy Around Auburn Already
After five straight losing seasons and six consecutive years with six or fewer wins, Auburn has spent plenty of time searching for a reset. The latest one comes with Alex Golesh, hired after head coaching stops at South Florida and his run as Tennessees offensive coordinator, and the early reaction around the program has centered less on schemes and more on the tone he brings into the building.
Paul Finebaum recently pointed to a noticeably different vibe around Auburn already, a small but meaningful shift for a program that has gone through six head coaching changes in a difficult stretch. Still, as encouraging as the energy may look from the outside, the real test for Golesh will come on the field, where Auburns next steps will ultimately decide whether this fresh start becomes something more lasting. [Read more 🡒]
Auburns Quarterback Picture Behind Byrum Brown Still Feels Unsettled
With the 2026 Auburn season drawing closer, Byrum Brown looks firmly positioned to open as the Tigers starting quarterback, giving the offense a clear headliner as preseason work continues. The bigger question inside the room is what comes next, because the backup spot behind the fifth-year player has not been settled yet, even after the recent practices and the A-Day game offered a few hints about the depth chart.
Alex Golesh has kept the competition open, and that leaves Auburn still sorting through a role that could matter quickly if the Tigers need to turn to a reserve. The battle is centered on Tristan Ti'a and sophomore quarterback Loca Brush, with neither having separated enough to close the door on the other, so the picture behind Brown remains one of the more unsettled parts of the roster as camp moves forward. [Read more 🡒]