First year Auburn head football coach Alex Golesh was clear when he spoke to the media yesterday about his expectations for his team this week. “For our guys to use this week as it is a normal week and perfect their process.”
Golesh hopes this mock game week will allow his squad the opportunity to fine tune their preparation when the live bullets begin to fly on the 2026 season next week. The Tigers are back on the practice field today with hopes of polishing up their game week routine. Golesh feels the next few practices are key leading up to Saturday, when he will put his team through a mock game situation.
Golesh had this to say about Saturday’s dress rehearsal, “work a lot of situational stuff. Work a lot of substitution stuff, coming off the sidelines. Just continue to pick up where we left off in that last scrimmage.”
In the midst of this mock game week, Golesh and his coaches are still trying to finalize a working depth chart and game rotations. At his press conference yesterday, Golesh said the preferred eight man rotation at the offensive line position was still a work in progress.
He praised that group as really being “tight” and having worked hard together to establish an identity. Golesh did voice some concern about depth along the offensive front. “Once you get past the top six you're young, talented but young. Those guys are gonna have to grow up to give us that seven and eight for us to really feel good about where we are,” Golesh said.
Golesh feels his offense will only go as far as the offensive line takes it. “We’ll go as the o-line goes. They know that. Huddy (Tyler Hudanick) knows that. That whole o-line crew knows that. The challenge has been to be the best unit on the field. That's how they've been coached.”
Golesh said he thinks this offense could be ahead of other first year staffs because of veterans who have executed the offense for years, including senior center Cole Best. Golesh added that a lot of the offense goes through him (Best), which he hopes will provide an advantage this year.
In concluding his thoughts about this mock game week, Golesh said, “this week will be really good for us to go against a scout team. To get a really good feel… It's just getting ready to go play someone else I think is a really good change up for them. It will certainly prepare them for the season.”
We are now just 11 days away from Auburn's 2026 season kicking off in Atlanta against Baylor.
Auburn Undercover is an independent Auburn sports media company covering Auburn athletics, recruiting and insider news.
