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AUBURN, Ala. (AP) — Auburn coach Alex Golesh and quarterback Byrum Brown jokingly call each other out if one of them is at the football facility without the other.It’s the kind of relationship that gives the Tigers hope heading into the season.“He is now in his fifth year, like as particular as anybody I’ve ever been around in terms of what the process looks like,” Golesh said. “He truly is like a coach.”The Tigers, coming off a fifth consecutive losing season and a coaching change, begin the Golesh era against Baylor in Atlanta on Sept. 5.Golesh said having Brown, one of more than a dozen players who followed him from South Florida to the Plains, has helped the Tigers be “light years ahead” compared to other Year 1 stops on his resume.“We’re not starting at square one,” Golesh added.That’s a positive for a program on its fourth head coach in seven years and in desperate need of an offensive makeover. Auburn scored 24 or fewer points in 17 of 22 Southeastern Conference games under coach Hugh Freeze, who missed on hand-picked portal quarterbacks Payton Thorne (Michigan State) and Jackson Arnold (Oklahoma) — and went 1-12 against ranked teams.
“I’ve been a part of a rough couple years, and I came (back) here to change that,” senior running back Jeremiah Cobb said. “To see that the Auburn family is still here rocking with all the players and everything about Auburn, it’s awesome to see that. I love to be a part of it.”The Tigers wrapped up fall practice with a scrimmage Saturday and ended training camp feeling good about their progress and potential.
