Alex Golesh is at the beginning stages of building the Auburn Tigers back up after several starts, stalls, and stops over the past five years. While he brought on a number of high-impact win-now transfers from the USF Bulls, he also nabbed some transfers who could develop into starters by next season.
As you're rebuilding a program in the NIL era, more has to go into it than just the season ahead. Golesh brought over Byrum Brown at quarterback to lead the team in 2026. The Tigers' ceiling is already higher by way of his presence, at least based on past performance. Brown will be around for just one year, though.
As On3's Justin Hokanson notes, one of Golesh's other additions at the position, Oregon State Beavers transfer Tristan Ti'a, could help give Golesh clarity on whether the team needs to spend big in the portal moving forward.
"Tristan Ti’a’s development this season could play a big role in Auburn’s QB portal plans next cycle. It’s something to watch," Hokanson said.
Ti'a was brilliant during the A-Day spring game this past April, completing 15/20 passes for 179 yards, with one touchdown and one interception. It wasn't perfect, but Ti'a is catching on to the playbook just like Brown and inarguably outplayed Auburn's QB1 during the intrasquad scrimmage at Jordan-Hare Stadium.
With spring practice sessions, a fall camp, and some reps during the 2026 season under his belt, Ti'a could be ready to take over next year. If he is, Golesh and Co. will be able to focus elsewhere in their roster-building efforts.
Alex Golesh and Co. need to show proof of concept to keep Tristan Ti'a
Of course, if Ti'a proves himself in glimpses during the 2026 season, Golesh and Co. will still need to recruit him back to the roster. It's the NIL era, after all, and as of now, recruits are free agents every offseason.
AU could get a major assist from the Protect College Sports Act, which could force Ti'a to sit out a year if he transfers again. Auburn is one of several SEC schools that are against the Protect College Sports Act, though, because of the potential chaos it'd create in micromanaging roster management. We'll see how that unfolds over the coming weeks and months.
Either way, the Tigers could find plenty of clarity from Ti'a developing into the guy in the backfield. The QB position has been the best example of why Auburn has been a bottom-feeder in the SEC for so long. Not only did Hugh Freeze and Bryan Harsin struggle with finding their own starter, they never recruited a QB who could one day take over. Holden Geriner, Hank Brown, and Walker White were never in a position to grow into becoming the guy.
Golesh may have found his answer this year in Brown, and, perhaps more importantly, may have found a multi-year solution with Ti'a. It all depends on what the coaching staff could accomplish in Tia's development over the next five months before the portal opens in January.
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