For the third time in the last five years, the Auburn football team is undergoing a rebuild under a first-year head coach. Bryan Harsin and Hugh Freeze couldn't hack it on the Plains, and now it is up to former South Florida head coach Alex Golesh to turn things around for the Tigers.
However, one SEC Network analyst believes that the Auburn football program might be ahead of the curve when it comes to Golesh's rebuild. Chris Doering pointed to roster continuity as a reason that the Tigers may be able to get things off the ground quickly despite having a first-year head coach.
“In terms of year #1, there’s not a better team with continuity that I’ve ever seen before,” Doering said before talking about the coaching staff and the roster, per Yellowhammer News. “You keep D.J. Durkin and a lot of the defensive players, you’ve got continuity there. You bring Byrum Brown over and five or six of his receivers from USF, you bring his center over so there’s a lot of continuity there.”
As Doering points out, not only is there continuity from keeping several key defensive staffers and players from last year's Auburn squad, but there is also continuity between the offensive players and staff.
Keeping defensive coordinator DJ Durkin on board alongside defensive line coach Vontrell King-Williams was a smart move for Golesh, and it allowed the Tigers to keep key peices of the defense like linebacker Xavier Atkins, several young up-and-coming contributors and multiple members of the defensive line.
Quarterback Byrum Brown transferred from South Florida, following Golesh and offensive coordinator Joel Gordon. He spent four seasons developing under the pair during his time at USF. In addition, Golesh brought over 12 transfers from USF, 10 of whom are offensive players—including center Cole Best—and six of whom are receivers who have previously worked with Brown.
Although the former USF players will have to prove that they can kick it in the SEC, there is something to be said about a quarterback who already has chemistry with his center and his receivers and who does not have to learn a new offensive system or playbook ahead of the season.
While Durkin and the returning defensive players can help integrate all the newcomers, both players and staff, into the Auburn culture, Golesh's transfers can be leaders in setting the tone for the new era of Auburn football and laying out the expectations of Golesh and his staff.
Despite the Tigers being in the first year of a rebuild with a new head coach once again, it's possible that this is the year that they got things right in the hiring department.
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