Auburn Tigers News: Why Keionte Scott returned to AU, Bruce Pearl on Tahaad Pettiford's role

In today's edition of Auburn Tigers News, Keionte Scott talks about his decision to withdraw from the portal and Bruce Pearl talks about incoming freshman Tahaad Pettiford's role at AU

After announcing that he would be returning to the Plains for another season with Auburn football, Keionte Scott entered his name into the transfer portal. With so many other defensive starters parting ways with the team, it was terrible news for the Tigers.

Then, Scott withdrew his name from the portal and announced three days later he would remain on the Plains. Shortly before Scott entered the portal, secondary coach Wesley McGriff was expected to take a job at Texas A&M, and then Zac Etheridge stepped down from his position. The changes on the staff were not the only reason that Scott decided to return, but they impacted his decision.

"Oh yeah, 100 percent," Scott said Thursday of whether McGriff's return to the staff influenced his decision, per Auburn Undercover. "We talked a lot throughout the process and stuff like that. He was able to still mentor me through the process of everything. So ultimately having him come back, that was a plus.

"I love this place at the end of the day. Just had to really sit down and focus on everything, look everything through, and Auburn is the place I wanted to be."

Bruce Pearl talks about incoming freshman Tahaad Pettiford's role at AU

Is Auburn basketball going to try to divvy up time at the point guard position between three players next season? With Tre Donaldson and Aden Holloway both expected to return as of now, and incoming freshman point guard Tahaad Pettiford on the way, there seems to be overcrowding at the position.

However, according to Bruce Pearl, Pettiford's role is going to be different on the Plains, and instead he will be a scorer that can do many things.

"Tahaad's not a point guard," Pearl said Thursday, per Auburn Undercover. "He's got the size of a point guard, but everyone assumed Tahaad was going to come in and be our point guard. He's not. Tahaad is a scorer. He is an incredible athlete. He can make plays on both ends of the floor. He's going to be one of the fastest, quickest, most explosive little guards I've ever had. But he's not a true point guard."

With KD Johnson in the transfer portal, it's likely that Pettiford will back up Denver Jones, another player who has become a known scorer for Auburn basketball.