Throughout the 2026, the Auburn football team has had to deal with a variety of injuries to its players, but a main priority heading into the final three games is keeping the team as healthy as possible.
Elijah Melendez, Demarcus Riddick, and Cody Sigler all exited Saturday's matchup against Arkansas with injuries, and while head coach Alex Golesh did not offer a concrete update, he said he believes the team is in a good spot. Still, minimizing the risk of injuries and keeping players in the game is top of mind at the moment.
"Bunch of guys were beat up and banged up," Golesh said in his Monday press conference. "I think we’ll be in a really good spot. We’ve got to be really smart with how we practice and the intent going in to make sure that one, we’re prepared, but two, we’re healthy and rocking on Saturday."
Of course, the concept of health versus preparation is not a new one. Beginning in fall camp, coaches across the country talk about just how hard to practice in order to face their top competition while still keeping their players healthy and ready to go. Golesh said at this point in the season it is a tough balancing act.
"Where we are as a program at this point, that’s probably the biggest balancing act we’re trying to manage, is keeping the intensity, the physicality, the energy level, the speed of practice to continue to create urgency while trying to take shots off shoulders and hips and thighs and it is as big of a balancing act as you can imagine," Golesh said.
The head coach also said he leans heavily on the conditioning work that the players put in over the summer and fall and on his training staff for the best guidance and support. But he knows that the team being at its best is critical for success in this league.
"You’re at a point in the season right now where you have to be at your best," Golesh said. "You’ve got to be able to run at the speed you need to run at, you’ve got to be able to be physical at the physicality you need to be at but you’ve also got to be fresh to go."
The Tigers return to action this weekend with a road trip to Starkville to take on the Mississippi State Bulldogs at an 11 a.m. kickoff.
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