Always be recruiting. While not everyone of note can come play for your school, it serves a major college football brand like Auburn to always put one's best foot forward, even in trying times for the program. Although the Hugh Freeze era of Tigers football came and went with a whimper, there is reason to believe things could change under Alex Golesh. He did a lot with a little at South Florida.
One player he should be over the moon about signing is wide receiver DeShawn Spencer. He might only be a three-star recruit out of Saraland, but he just did something that not even Alabama Crimson Tide star Ryan Williams could do in high school. Spencer broke Williams' single-season receiving record of 1,641 with 1,709 receiving yards of his own. The guy was so incredibly productive this fall.
With Auburn's receiving room potentially in a state of flux, Spencer will be a most welcomed addition.
New Auburn signee, Saraland wide receiver DeShawn Spencer’s 1,709 receiving yards this year broke the school’s single season record previously held by Bama wr Ryan Williams’ 1,641 yards receiving pic.twitter.com/F6S5Bgbjvw
— Power of Dixieland (@PwrofDixieland) December 9, 2025
This comes on the heels of Cam Coleman potentially entering the transfer portal, as well as Eric Singleton Jr. now eligible for the 2026 NFL Draft. After how last season went for Auburn, it would not be the least bit shocking to see either of them head to greener pastures this offseason. For Golesh, he must find ways to empower incoming high school stars like Spencer to make a difference soon.
Let's now unpack how Auburn can get back into good graces with its fanbase after a strong 2026.
DeShawn Spencer may be the ideal player to build a new Auburn around
When Auburn is at its best as a football program, everyone gets on the same page, no matter how they arrived down on The Plains. Whether they have been there for a while, are promising recruits out of high school, or made their way to the team by way of the transfer portal, alignment is everything. Under Freeze, it always felt like he never established a firm ground beneath his feet while at Auburn.
What makes the Golesh hire so intriguing is the noted Josh Heupel disciple just won at a very difficult program in South Florida. His predecessor Jeff Scott was one of the worst head coaches the Group of Five had ever seen. Under Golesh, the Bulls were one of the toughest outs in all of The American. Although they did not make the College Football Playoff under him, they were a consistent bowl team.
By getting a productive high school player like Spencer to come aboard, Golesh could use him as an example of what putting in the work looks like to be great. The stars next to your name do not matter. It is what you do within the context of the gridiron over the course of three months on Saturdays. Auburn can do this right under Golesh, but it must not cut corners. Spencer can help the slow build.
The best course of action would be to get this Alabama high school phenom some early playing time.