Alex Golesh reaffirms one of his earliest commitments to the Auburn family

Lots of things have changed for the Auburn Tigers between Alex Golesh’s hiring back in November and SEC Media Days now in July, but one thing has remained entirely consistent: Golesh’s offensive identity.

In his very first press conference as the head coach of the Tigers, Golesh told the press that they were going to ‘run the piss out of the ball’ in 2026, and Tuesday, at SEC Media Days, he repeated that exact phrase, verbatim.

In his initial press conference, Golesh also joked that he had heard that Auburn fans were typically fans of that philosophy, and the general reaction to that quote has certainly matched his thoughts. For a few years now, particularly under Hugh Freeze, there were many who believed that Freeze was not using his rushing game to the best of its ability.

Golesh, however, appears determined to make sure that does not happen under his reign. 

After all, the Tigers have built one of the stronger rushing cores in the country, led by Auburn returner Jeremiah Cobb, who rushed for 969 yards last season, averaging 5.5 yards per carry. The Tigers have also added Baylor transfer Bryson Washington, who missed a good part of last season with an injury, but still managed to rush for 788 yards.

Then, the Tigers complete the three-headed monster with the rushing ability of Byrum Brown, who, aside from passing for over 3,000 yards last season, managed to rush for 1,008 yards, averaging a ridiculous 5.8 yards per carry.

Then, the Tigers have incredible depth in their running back room, including Omar Mabson, who is expected to be fighting for the RB1 spot sometime in the next few years, Nykahi Davenport, USF’s RB1 last year despite the fact that he was a true freshman at the time and even Alvin Henderson, a Hugh Freeze-recruited five-star running back, who was one of the few to stick around after his departure.

For the unit to work to its maximum potential, though, the Tigers’ offensive line will have to step up, and there are some concerns as to the level that they will be able to play, particularly in a loaded SEC schedule. If the unit stays healthy and improves during fall camp, the Tigers could be well-poised for one of the better rushing seasons in recent Auburn memory.

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This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/auburn as Alex Golesh Reaffirms One of His Earliest Commitments to the Auburn Family.