It's the final week of fall camp for the Auburn Tigers, but it is one of the most crucial weeks when it comes to setting the tone for the 2026 season under new head coach Alex Golesh.
After undergoing three weeks of fall camp, including two weeks where the team was sequestered at a hotel together, the Tigers are transitioning into what Golesh is calling a mock game week, preparing for the real thing by simulating what a game week will actually look like for the players.
Golesh has previously expressed that his biggest fear for this Auburn football team is whether or not they will be able to lock in and focus for the entirety of the season, including establishing a strong process for preparation throughout the week leading up to the game. He hopes that this mock game week will set the tone for his players.
"The worst thing you can do from a player perspective is have the inconsistency," Golesh said. "On one week, it looks like this. Next week, it looks like this, then I can't quite put all that together into what your process looks like. Then you wonder, man, why am I performing at a certain level one week and not the next? The challenge to the players is: Make it feel as normal as you can."
According to the Montgomery Advertiser's Adam Cole, Golesh said the Tigers will have six practices and two "hard, on the field days" before closing the week with a mock game day on Saturday where the team will focus on situationals and details like in-game substitutions.
Golesh plans to use the week as a dress rehearsal where not only the players but also the coaching staff can iron out the last minute wrinkles before the season is underway.
"Treat it like a normal game week," Golesh said. "What happens sometimes is you treat it like a mock week, and you're like, 'Well, we'll just get to that next week.' Or we'll put in a bunch and then we'll cut back, which can also be detrimental in a lot of ways. I've been guilty of that."
The Tigers will go through their mock game week before starting a real game week in the leadup to their season opener against the Baylor Bears in the Aflac Kickoff Game in the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, on September 5. Kickoff is set for 2:30 p.m. Central Time.
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