Tampa, Florida – Every football coach will tell someone that the operations of every part of the team need to go smoothly in order to be successful during a game. From the snap of the ball to where a player’s eyes are looking downfield, each aspect of a play needs to be seamless.
Auburn kicker Alex McPherson harped on that at SEC Media Days as the only specialist in Tampa, Florida during the Tigers’ session on Tuesday, July 21.
McPherson’s college career has been easy by any means since he arrived on campus, riddled with health issues that have kept him off the field for a number of games.
That has not stopped him from becoming a leader for Auburn though, getting invited down to be one of the three player representatives for the Tigers at the 2026 media days.
“I was honored and just so grateful to be able to come and that (Coach Golesh) would trust me to represent this team,” McPherson said. “He holds the players to a high standard, and to be able to represent us here is just such an honor.”
McPherson was diagnosed in April 2024 with ulcerative colitis and underwent surgery to remove his large intestine later that same year. In 2025, he got diagnosed with Crohn’s disease, providing him with additional complications that saw him miss some action.
Now though, McPherson is back healthy, giving him confidence as fall camp nears.
“It’s been really fun, exciting, just to be back to normal and where I was,” McPherson said. “I think I’m kicking as good as I have since before I got sick. It’s just really exciting getting to do that and play with the guys to the full extent.”
With the hiring of Golesh as the head coach of Auburn football shortly after the 2025 Iron Bowl, a large emphasis has been placed on resolving an identity for the team.
With this being the third head coach that he has played for, McPherson says the relationships that this team has built have been positive, but things need to keep moving forward.
“I think we’ve built a great foundation for the brotherhood of this team, and I think going into this fall camp it’s going to be huge for us to continue to build that and just the relationships with each other and with the coaches,” McPherson said.
The Tigers welcome in Jacob Bronowski from Pittsburgh as the team’s new special teams coordinator, replacing Chad Lunsford, who is now in the same position at Arkansas.
McPherson has been high on the new hire to be his coordinator, highlighting his energy and dedicated mindset as the positives that he is benefitting from.
“Coach Brew is a guy that’s going to get you fired up to play special teams, which I don’t think many guys can do,” McPherson said. “Having him around the whole time, it’s different. It’s really cool to kind of pick his brain on why we do things instead of just do it. And it’s been a great transition. Coach Brew is awesome. He’s fiery, but he has your back at the same time.”
The confidence of being a chosen leader, having a brotherhood and an energetic special teams coordinator certainly helps McPherson do his job, but the whole thing comes together when he trusts who he is directly working with, that holder and punter Hudson Kaak.
Kaak was the regular holder last season for Auburn, and will now receive the ball Hudson Powell, a transfer from Miami Ohio.
With that familiarity in his back pocket, McPherson says he is as confident as ever about what this year holds.
“I think they’re kind of the unsung heroes of (our) field goal unit,” McPherson said. “If there’s a good snap, good hold, I can do my job, and they’ve been nothing but great and I’m just grateful for them. I’m excited to have Hudson (Kaak) returning for holding. It’s been a great offseason for us.
