Former Auburn head football coach Terry Bowden ran the Tigers during a different time than now. His six-year tenure in charge was short in the time of Pat Dye and Ralph Jordan having long reigns on the Plains.
Bowden was grateful for the memories, but it was notable hearing him speak about the changes the Loveliest Village has undergone throughout the years.
"I'm thankful for Auburn giving me a chance," Bowden said, per 247 Sports. "I'm thankful for the players, the coaches and the moments we shared together.
"I wish things had ended differently. But when I look back, I have so many great memories. There's no point in focusing on anything else.
"My kids grew up there, and I miss that as much as I miss Auburn. I don't even recognize Auburn anymore. It's grown so much. But the memories will always be there.
"If there was ever a time in my life that people use to define me, it was 1993. That was a special year, and I'll always be proud of what we accomplished at Auburn."
College Street is different from even the end of the COVID-19 pandemic. Massive buildings overlook the campus. Magnolia now has a Hilton hotel, The Graduate, with an extravagant rooftop bar and a view of Jordan-Hare Stadium and Samford Hall from one of the highest points in the city.
Auburn is a different program too. The level of scandal coaches deal with in the post-Gus Malzahn era is different from the kind of coaches who previously ran the program.
If the Tigers returned to their winning ways, the changes wouldn't be as polarizing and, to some, bothersome.