Football News: 7-6-2026
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Dudley Dent
Jul 6, 2026, 7:56:00 AM (yesterday) Jul 6
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Auburn Football News: 7-6-2026
On The Plains with Hudson Kaak: 'Try new things':
https://auburntigers.com/news/2026/07/2/on-the-plains-with-hudson-kaak-try-new-things
Most Valuable Tigers: No. 15:
https://247sports.com/college/auburn/article/auburn-tigers-football-cornerback-rayshawn-pleasant-2026-288151505/
Path to the Plains: Wide receiver Keshaun Singleton:
https://www.on3.com/teams/auburn-tigers/news/path-to-the-plains-wide-receiver-keshaun-singleton/
Path to the Plains: Tight end Jake Johnson:
https://www.on3.com/teams/auburn-tigers/news/path-to-the-plains-tight-end-jake-johnson/
Auburn Analyst Warns of Notable Weakness in Tigers’ 2026 Offense:
https://www.si.com/college/auburn/football/auburn-analyst-warns-of-notable-weakness-in-tigers-2026-offensive-line
Alex Golesh Defines One of the Most Important Aspects of Auburn Football:
https://www.si.com/college/auburn/football/alex-golesh-defines-important-aspects-of-auburn-football
"Trusted Me": Alex Golesh Reveals $9M SEC Coach's Role in Landing Auburn Job:
https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/trusted-alex-golesh-reveals-9m-114539086.html
Caldwell Column: Let Freedom Ring, Two OL to watch this fall:
https://247sports.com/college/auburn/article/thoughts-on-the-250th-celebration-and-auburns-offensive-line-288149396/
On The Plains with Hudson Kaak: 'Try new things'
By Austin Perryman
Hudson Kaak has never watched an American football game in person.
He’s played in plenty of them, of course. But the Auburn senior punter from Seymour, Australia, has never sat in the stands to experience all the trappings and traditions of a gameday at Jordan-Hare Stadium – or anywhere else, for that matter.
In fact, the first time he ever got to see Auburn’s famed pregame eagle flight was at the Argentina vs. Iceland soccer friendly in June.
“I’ve never been to a football game that I’m not playing in,” Kaak said. “In my whole life I’ve never sat and watched a football game in a stadium, which is funny to think about. My friends and family all come over, and they’ll have this whole crazy experience, and I’ve never done that."
If not for a four-year run of one setback after another as a teenager, Kaak might never have experienced American football or culture in any form.
Kaak grew up playing Australian football, or footy, as most Aussie kids do.
“We grow up playing kick-to-kick instead of catch with our dads,” Kaak said. “If you ask most Aussies to throw a ball, we’d be not that great.”
A promising prep career ahead of him, Kaak knew that teams from the Australian Football League were interested in him, and the three final years of high school are key for prospective AFL players to solidify their draft stock.
In 2017, when he was 16, he had an ankle reconstruction and missed significant playing time.
A year later, he had an appendectomy that required a 10-day hospital stay. Complications from that procedure led to internal bleeding, a hematoma, and another lengthy hospital stay.
“I wasn’t able to come back the rest of that year,” Kaak said. “So, I got healthy again that offseason, and I had another year, which was my draft year.
“I played eight games (of a 16-to-20-game season). And all the clubs were excited to watch me again, I’d built up momentum.
“And then I got glandular fever (mononucleosis). I had a bad case of that, I was in hospital for another two weeks with that. So I wasn’t able to do any contact sport for the rest of that season, so that season was written off.”
Normally the AFL drafts players after their 18-year-old season. But the clubs in the league can request an overage exemption – a medical redshirt, if you will – and all 18 clubs wanted to see Kaak play one more season as a 19-year old.
This was in March of 2020.
“We had our first game, I kicked five goals, I was like, this is going to be the season, I’m going to go on to potentially get drafted,” Kaak said. “And then the next week COVID hit and the whole season got canceled.”
With the chances of getting drafted now near zero, Kaak went into selling real estate while still playing part-time in the minor leagues with the hopes that an AFL club would eventually be interested.
“The stars didn’t align for me,” Kaak said. “There was something that was like, this isn’t what you’re supposed to do."
Soon after, he heard from ProKick Australia – a coaching program that trains footy players to punt and kick with the aim of obtaining scholarships to play for American college teams.
“I knew nothing about American football,” he said. “Literally nothing. They asked me what I knew, and I said, ‘Well, I know who Tom Brady is.’ That was about it. That was my whole knowledge. You could have asked me about Cam Newton or Bo Jackson, and I literally knew nothing. I don’t think I would have known any college teams.”
Kaak said that American football has a following in Australia, particularly the NFL, but the 15-hour time difference makes it difficult to follow the sport. A noon game here becomes a 3 a.m. kick there, and Sunday Night Football becomes Monday Morning Football in Australia.
"The games are during the day when everyone’s at work,” he said. “It would be a Monday at 9 a.m., and no one’s sitting at home watching the NFL.”
Through the ProKick program, Kaak signed with Oklahoma State and played there for two years before transferring to Auburn prior to the 2025 season. He said the small-town atmosphere and the community involvement with the university were key factors in his decision to enroll at both schools.
“I’m from a town of 1,000 people,” he said. “Small, country town north of Melbourne. I didn’t want to go to a big city. My comfort zone is a small town, so I loved that about both Auburn and Stillwater.”
Kaak has embraced the Auburn culture and traditions and has introduced his friends and family to them – in many cases, to general astonishment.
"I love the Toomer’s toilet paper,” he said when asked about his favorite Auburn traditions. “When my family comes over and we have a win, taking them there and showing them that, it’s one of the most mind-blowing things. You’ve basically got 80,000 people vandalizing the main street of the town, and that’s a celebrated thing, which makes no sense to most people. If you did that anywhere else, you’d get arrested.”
With his senior year at Auburn upcoming, Kaak is keeping his options open for his post-college career. A shot at the NFL would be a key goal, of course. But in the short-term, he is launching a social media show called “The Gifted,” which will focus on musicians and other artists and the processes that go into creating their works.
"I find it fascinating watching amazing people write music, or painting, things like that,” he said. “The focus of the show will be the process and behind-the-scenes of creating a masterpiece.”
A music lover, Kaak also caught the acting bug during the spring semester when a theatre class turned into an appearance in a campus musical and led to a change in major.
“I was in ‘Sweeney Todd’ in January,” he said. “I just kind of stumbled my way into that. I was in a theatre class, I made some friends in there, and they offered me to audition for the musical. Maybe 130 people auditioned, and I got a part.
“It was so fun, one of the most fun things I’ve done in college. Way, way out of my comfort zone. I was way more nervous performing in front of 400 people than I am in front of 90,000.”
The experience led to him adding a theatre major to his current track of interdisciplinary studies.
Between jumping into the world of American football kicking with no previous experience in the sport, moving to a new country and embracing acting on a whim, Kaak said his philosophy has always been to try new things.
“If an opportunity presents itself, just try it,” he said. “When people ask if I have advice, it would just be, don’t be scared to try something. You just never know what something’s going to lead to.
“Going to the ProKick tryouts, which led to an opportunity to come to America, terrified me. Moving across the world to a place you’ve never been before with no one you know, it’s terrifying. Then when the opportunity came up to do theatre, I was like, don’t be a hypocrite, your message is always to try things.
“Just try anything. You never know what’s going to happen.”
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Most Valuable Tigers: No. 15
By Nathan King
We're still in the heart of the college football offseason, but things are getting closer in the rearview mirror: inside a month until media days, and less than 70 days until the 2026 season, Auburn's first under head coach Alex Golesh.
So what better time to crank up the rankings? As we do annually this time of year, Auburn Undercover is counting down the top 25 most valuable players for the Tigers' 2026 season.
A few notes to set the table: These rankings are based on a player's previous contributions in college, as well as his assumed impact in 2026 — how important he is expected to be to Auburn's success in both production and the win-loss column. It is not simply Auburn's best players in descending order.
Next up is No. 15: cornerback Rayshawn Pleasant, who should be in line for a more important role in DJ Durkin's defense after the departure of starting corners Kayin Lee and Jay Crawford via the transfer portal.
AS A RECRUIT
Hometown: West Monroe, La.
Class: 2022
247Sports ranking: 3-star, No. 144 ATH
AS A PLAYER
That Pleasant became an All-American kick returner in college is no surprise when you look at his high-school tape, where he regularly raced past opponents for touchdowns at West Monroe all the way back to his sophomore season. That explosiveness earned him some Group of Six interest, including in state from Tulane.
Pleasant couldn't get on the field until his redshirt sophomore season with the Green Wave, but once he did, he made an immediate impact in 2024. Pleasant had 35 tackles, four pass breakups and a pick, but more importantly, he became one of the best return men in the nation, earning All-American honors after averaging 34.5 yards per return in 2024, with two touchdowns.
Auburn, which had not had a kick-return touchdown since 2019, immediately saw a return on its investment on Pleasant in the portal last season, as he housed one in the season-opening win at Baylor.
Pleasant was essentially Auburn's No. 3 cornerback last season behind Lee and Crawford, totaling 16 tackles. His two interceptions, including a pick-six, came in the same game — in the same quarter, no less — as part of Auburn's four takeaways in the fourth quarter to notch its only SEC win at Arkansas.
Pleasant decided to come back for his final college season, saying in the spring that he didn't want to transfer to a third school and that Auburn had become home.
2026 OUTLOOK
With the departure of Lee and Crawford to the portal, Pleasant was obviously going to be looked at as a starting-caliber cornerback on this new Auburn team, and he was a first-teamer throughout spring practice. UCLA transfer Andre Jordan Jr. most commonly lined up across from him.
Pleasant was versatile for Auburn last season and played some nickel, but he'll mostly be looked at as a leader at corner in 2026. Sophomore Blake Woodby is also in the mix, along with Florida State transfer Shamar Arnoux and USF transfer Gavin Jenkins.
Auburn needs Pleasant to be a solid player, with quite a turnover at that position. His retention on DJ Durkin's defense, though, and experience within that system can be valuable for the Tigers in the fall. Pleasant's pure coverage skills don't necessarily have a ton of data throughout his career, and now would be the perfect time for him to prove he's an NFL-caliber player on the outside.
WHAT THEY SAID
"I felt like I owed it to these boys to come back. I owed it to these fans. It's been a long drought, and they've been supportive of us. I've transferred once, but I'm a big guy on just staying committed to a place. I feel like I owed it to the fanbase and the coaching staff. I was a big fan of Coach Golesh, me being a G-5 guy. I feel like it was only right for me to give them a chance to get my best and stay there for them." — Pleasant on why he came back to Auburn
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Path to the Plains: Wide receiver Keshaun Singleton
By Caleb Jones
Auburn’s roster will look almost brand new this fall.
It’s just how college football operates nowadays. The transfer portal makes it more rare than ever for fans to know the entire roster like they used to. And since there’s so much overturn on Auburn’s roster, there’s no better time than the summer to get to know the guys suiting up for the Tigers this fall.
Over the next several weeks, we’ll take a look at the projected two-deep and their journey to the Plains.
Up next is wide receiver Keshaun Singleton, who projects as one of Auburn’s starting wide receivers and will have two years of eligibility remaining.
BELIEVING IN GOLESH FROM THE START
Singleton was a 3-star prospect out of Meadowcreek in Norcross, Ga., with an initial top five of Memphis, Georgia Southern, Eastern Michigan, Western Kentucky and Georgia State. And then on signing day, Singleton somewhat surprisingly signed with Alex Golesh and South Florida.
He spent his true freshman season on the sideline, using his redshirt while dealing with an injury.
In the following two seasons, Singleton emerged as one of the top wide receivers for USF. Singleton caught 27 passes for 408 yards and three touchdowns as a redshirt freshman in 2024 before his best season last fall.
As a redshirt sophomore in 2025, Singleton led the team with 50 receptions, 877 yards and eight touchdowns. His 877 yards receiving ranked eighth in the American Conference, while his eight touchdowns were tied for second-most in the league.
Singleton then entered the transfer portal following the departure of Alex Golesh from USF. He signed with Auburn nine days later, following Golesh, his position coach Kodi Burns and offensive coordinator Joel Gordon.
“I trust (Golesh),” Singleton told AuburnSports in January. “I believe in his process, I believe in everything he is about to bring to this team, I trust he and the coaches to put us in a position to where we will win a bunch of games.”
Not to mention it also reunited him with his quarterback for his entire college career, Byrum Brown.
“That’s my guy,” Singleton added. “It’s amazing. We have a special bond. I’m really fired up to get back on the field with him.”
QUOTES OF NOTE
Alex Golesh in April on Singleton:
“Keshaun Singleton continues to be really steady, continues to play really, really confident, which is – we need him to. He’s had to take this next step for him.”
Cornerback Rayshawn Pleasant on who’s tough to go against in practice:
“Keshaun Singleton and Jeremiah Koger. There’s a lot more guys, but those guys — you don’t have any room for error. Every error you make, they’re just gonna make a play. That just makes us be detailed with everything that we do. If we have one little error, those boys are gonna make a play.”
Singleton’s message to Auburn fans after signing with the Tigers:
“I’m ready to come in and work. Y’all are going to get everything out of me every single day.”
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Path to the Plains: Tight end Jake Johnson
By Caleb Jones
Auburn’s roster will look almost brand new this fall.
It’s just how college football operates nowadays. The transfer portal makes it more rare than ever for fans to know the entire roster like they used to. And since there’s so much overturn on Auburn’s roster, there’s no better time than the summer to get to know the guys suiting up for the Tigers this fall.
Over the next several weeks, we’ll take a look at the projected two-deep and their journey to the Plains.
Up next is tight end Jake Johnson, who enters his first season with Auburn after transferring from North Carolina.
This is the third stop in the collegiate journey of Johnson, who’s back in the SEC after beginning his career in the conference.
Johnson earned a 4-star rating in high school and ranked as the No. 1 tight end in the 2022 class, according to the Rivals Industry Ranking. Initially, he pledged to LSU — where his older brother, Max Johnson, started at quarterback.
Then LSU parted ways with head coach Ed Orgeron. It changed things for Jake, who decommitted from LSU one week before signing day. He signed with Texas A&M, as did his brother Max out of the portal.
Jake caught just one pass as a true freshman, but had a breakout season the following year. As a sophomore, he hauled in 24 receptions for 235 yards and four receiving touchdowns, which ranked second on the team.
His first career touchdown reception? A 22-yard catch from his brother against Auburn.
Following the season, Max transferred to North Carolina and younger brother Jake followed. However, Jake couldn’t quite replicate the success he’d had as a sophomore with Texas A&M in his time in Chapel Hill.
Over two seasons with the Tarheels, Jake caught 18 passes for 165 yards and one touchdown. He then entered the transfer portal for the second time in his career following the 2025 season, looking to spend his final season of eligibility elsewhere. Auburn hosted him on an official visit Jan. 9, and he signed with the Tigers on Jan. 10.
Following the spring, Jake projects as the top tight end in a room totally renovated by new tight ends coach Larry Scott.
QUOTES OF NOTE
Alex Golesh back in the spring, speaking on tight ends:
“Jake Johnson is kind of the old, grizzled vet. It’s been a minute since we had a guy with a bald spot coming in. He’s played a lot. Nothing wrong with bald spots, but I mess with him.”
“I love his spirit. He’s got some jerk in him — in a good way, like, on the field. I didn’t know that, because when you meet him, he’s like the nicest kid you’ll ever meet. He’s got really good awareness. It’s almost like he grew up in it. He’s got really good awareness of space and blocking schemes, and he’s played a ton of football. He’s been awesome. It’s been great to have him.”
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Auburn Analyst Warns of Notable Weakness in Tigers’ 2026 Offense
By Brooks Crew
Auburn Tigers on SI
The Auburn Tigers are simply looking to improve this year–after all, after five straight seasons below .500, it is hard to imagine the team getting any worse.
New head coach Alex Golesh has worked tirelessly to assemble a new offense in the wake of the mass exodus following Hugh Freeze’s firing, and he has done quite well. However, there is still one area that is concerning to Christian Clemente of AuburnUndercover: the offensive line.
“It’s a lot of USF transfers and then a bit of a hodgepodge of an offensive line,” he said. “Just three total players return from last year’s team, and they’re all second-year players who are likely in the two-deep but probably not starters. Cole Best is the only “lock” of a starter… A combo of James Madison transfer Jo Simmons and Michigan State transfer Stanton Ramil are the likely tackles, but questions surround Ramil’s health with multiple injuries previously and very limited in spring. The guard spots are still completely up in the air, to be honest.”
This is certainly not news Tiger fans want to hear, especially since the Tigers’ entire ideal offense revolves around the rushing attack, particularly via the three-headed monster of Byrum Brown, Jeremiah Cobb and Bryson Washington. The three are certainly top-of-the-line rushers, but there is only so much they can do if the offensive line is not holding up.
Last year, the Tigers’ offensive line struggled as well, though all six Tigers to record a start in the trenches last year have departed, either for the NFL Draft or to the transfer portal. This has resulted in the ‘hodgepodge’ of an offensive line, as Clemente describes it, as Golesh was forced to portal shop for offensive linemen.
However, though this issue may persist throughout the season, there are two major silver linings to keep an eye on. First, the Tiger trenches, though cobbled together, are made up of almost entirely veteran players, who should be able to mesh well together given their prior experience on different teams and in different systems.
Additionally, this issue should not persist for long, as Golesh has already gone to work in recruiting; it is, of course, better to develop an offensive lineman in-house over a few years, rather than pick up one someone else developed. The Tigers’ 2027 class currently boasts four offensive linemen, including two four-star prospects and two three-star prospects.
As it always seems to be, the offensive line will be a big question for the Tigers as they head into the season. If the line can hold up well against SEC opponents, the Tigers’ offense could be poised to go on an impressive run (no pun intended) with their high-level rushing talent. If they struggle, however, we could see a repeat of the disappointing offenses of yesteryear.
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Alex Golesh Defines One of the Most Important Aspects of Auburn Football
By Brooks Crew
Auburn Tigers on SI
The Auburn Tigers are entering a new era with quite a bit of uncertainty, especially as Tiger fans continue to wait to see what the program will look like under new head coach Alex Golesh. The Tigers’ new skipper has been clear that there are quite a few important aspects that he is trying to hammer into his players, but one may stand out among the rest: accountability.
“We’ve talked from day one that, you know, you’ve got to love your brother enough to hold him accountable,” he said in an interview with David Pollack. “I think that’s the hardest thing to do when you bring guys in from all over the place, into an environment.”
Accountability, at least from the outside looking in, seemed to be a factor that was not preached by the previous head coach at Auburn, but Golesh is looking to make sure that trend dies quickly and fully. That is not to say it is an easy quality to exemplify, though, especially in the modern era of social media and NIL.
“And, you involve money in it, you involve egos in it, you involve a lot of different things to put together a team,” he said. “But that’s what I asked for, man, like can we be selfless enough and love each other enough to hold each other accountable?”
Golesh had an opportunity to exemplify this quality when new transfer edge rusher Da’Shawn Womack was arrested on a charge of reckless endangerment, though we, as a public, are unsure as to exactly how Golesh handled that situation. If Golesh handles these situations like he says he does, though, the team is certainly in good hands.
“[Accountability is] the hardest thing to build,” he said. “You need time, you need tough situations, and I told them from the beginning, we’re gonna put them in those tough situations.”
Tiger teams, over the past few years, have been immensely talented but could never seem to show up in the big moments when it mattered. Players were quite vocal on social media about the team’s failures, the coach was dragging his quarterback in press conferences, and overall, it seemed like the bond between coach and player was nearly nonexistent.
With any luck, Golesh will change that. He has certainly said all of the right things to get the Auburn faithful on his side, but we will not know if his words are true, nor the impact of his actions, until the Tigers step onto the field in September.
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"Trusted Me": Alex Golesh Reveals $9M SEC Coach's Role in Landing Auburn Job
By Malabika Dutta
Before taking over at Auburn on a $44.25 million deal, Alex Golesh was not even sure he was ready to run his own program. The turning point came at Tennessee, where SEC head coach Josh Heupel, a $9M-level hiring in his own right, kept telling Golesh one thing: "I trust you." That trust, Golesh now says, is what made him believe he could lead a major job like Auburn.
"I thought he [Josh Heupel] did a really good job of being very meticulous and detailed, really, in everything. Offensively, certainly," said Golesh during his recent appearance on See Ball Get Ball with David Pollack when asked what lesson he carried from Tennessee to Auburn. "As a head coach, I thought [Heupel was] very meticulous in certain things that need to get done, detailed from a football side but also from a recruiting side. It was awesome to be able to be there at the beginning part of that."
When Auburn started its search, Golesh did not promise a perfect scheme. He promised the belief Heupel had built in him: that he could run a big program, call bold plays, and handle SEC pressure.
Tennessee was a big jump for Golesh, though. He had been a co-offensive coordinator at UCF, but now he was calling plays in the SEC. The good news: he already knew Heupel's system from 2020 at UCF, when Heupel was the head coach. That shared language made the transition faster.
"We had a really good relationship. There was a lot of trust, and he trusted me to do a lot of things. I don't know if we walked into a normal situation in December; if it would have been that way. But he certainly trusted me with a lot, and I don't know if without that experience I would have been ready to go run it myself so quickly," said the new Auburn head coach.
Under Golesh, Tennessee's 2022 offense led the nation with 538.1 yards per game. The unit also set program records in scoring and total offense. Heupel pushed an attack-first mindset, and Golesh built the play sheet around it: push tempo, attack every down, and force defenses to react.
"It was good to learn and grow. I think the best thing from an offensive standpoint with Josh [Heupel] was just the way that his mentality was in terms of we're going to be the ones that attack them and not wait for a defense to attack us and essentially force the defense to play a certain way," added Golesh.
"It was the first time [for Alex Golesh at Tennessee] I really saw offensive football in that light consistently: if we are going to put pressure on the defense to do what we want them to do rather than what they want to do."
At Auburn, the stakes are clear. The Tigers finished around 83rd nationally in total offense last season, averaging about 358.2 yards per game, not what fans expect on the Plains. In the SEC, that kind of ranking keeps good teams out of big games. Golesh's first real test comes in October, when he faces Heupel and Tennessee in a matchup that will show how fast Auburn can change under his lead.
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Caldwell Column: Let Freedom Ring, Two OL to watch this fall
By Jason Caldwell
Thankful for our freedoms
As we celebrate 250 years of the United States of America, it's another opportunity for me to be thankful for the country I live in, but also the freedoms we get to experience. They have come at a heavy price over the years and for that we can never say thanks enough to the men and women that have given their all over these many years.
This freedom has allowed me to experience things I never thought would be possible when I was growing up in Sylacauga, Alabama. I have followed Auburn sports all my life, but I would have never dreamed this would be my profession for nearly 30 years now. I was reminded this week of watching Jeff Burger to Lawyer Tillman in 1987 in Atlanta when the U.S. Men's Soccer Team scored a goal by a player named Tillman. That's a memory I will always have, but it's just one of many things.
All my life I heard about the 1957 national championship team and never dreamed the next time Auburn would win one on the field (there were others), I would be field level watching it from the sidelines. When Wes Byrum's kick went through the uprights it was kind of like people talk about with their wedding day. I can remember being there, but I can't really remember the moment itself because too much was happening around me and it was such a big deal.
I can't get through this day without thinking about my friend Rod Bramblett and his wife Paula. Rod was someone I talked with usually several times a week and during baseball season that was probably more. He was taken from us way too early, but he lived out his dreams of calling Auburn sports.
Dreams are what this country is still made of and what it was built upon. If you don't think so just look at the people here for the World Cup. They are seeing what makes people still want to come here every moment of every day.
It's still the Land of Opportunity and it will always be the land of dreams. We just have to continue to make sure it's the land of the free, because it will always be the home of the brave.
Two wildcards for Auburn football
There is no question that the offensive line is going to play a big part in Auburn's 2026 season this fall. With no starters back from last year, it will be a much different looking group for the Tigers in year one under Alex Golesh. I do think it's important not to forget about two guys we saw very little of during the spring, transfers Jacob Strand from Oregon State and Jack Leyrer from Stanford.
Strand has played in 18 games with 8 starts during his career while Leyrer has played in 26 games with 16 career starts. Both guys could play inside, but also have experience at the tackle position.
That could be crucial and create some interesting competition and conversations when Auburn opens preseason camp. While it certainly appears Jo Simmons will be one of the tackles for the Tigers, the other spot is still very much wide open with Tai Buster getting the most reps in the spring. Stanton Ramil is expected to compete for one of the tackle spots, but don't forget about Strand and Leyrer. They could push to get on the field, which would be good news for Auburn because competition will only serve to make the entire group better.
On The Plains with Hudson Kaak: 'Try new things':
https://auburntigers.com/news/2026/07/2/on-the-plains-with-hudson-kaak-try-new-things
Most Valuable Tigers: No. 15:
https://247sports.com/college/auburn/article/auburn-tigers-football-cornerback-rayshawn-pleasant-2026-288151505/
Path to the Plains: Wide receiver Keshaun Singleton:
https://www.on3.com/teams/auburn-tigers/news/path-to-the-plains-wide-receiver-keshaun-singleton/
Path to the Plains: Tight end Jake Johnson:
https://www.on3.com/teams/auburn-tigers/news/path-to-the-plains-tight-end-jake-johnson/
Auburn Analyst Warns of Notable Weakness in Tigers’ 2026 Offense:
https://www.si.com/college/auburn/football/auburn-analyst-warns-of-notable-weakness-in-tigers-2026-offensive-line
Alex Golesh Defines One of the Most Important Aspects of Auburn Football:
https://www.si.com/college/auburn/football/alex-golesh-defines-important-aspects-of-auburn-football
"Trusted Me": Alex Golesh Reveals $9M SEC Coach's Role in Landing Auburn Job:
https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/trusted-alex-golesh-reveals-9m-114539086.html
Caldwell Column: Let Freedom Ring, Two OL to watch this fall:
https://247sports.com/college/auburn/article/thoughts-on-the-250th-celebration-and-auburns-offensive-line-288149396/
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By Austin Perryman
Hudson Kaak has never watched an American football game in person.
He’s played in plenty of them, of course. But the Auburn senior punter from Seymour, Australia, has never sat in the stands to experience all the trappings and traditions of a gameday at Jordan-Hare Stadium – or anywhere else, for that matter.
In fact, the first time he ever got to see Auburn’s famed pregame eagle flight was at the Argentina vs. Iceland soccer friendly in June.
“I’ve never been to a football game that I’m not playing in,” Kaak said. “In my whole life I’ve never sat and watched a football game in a stadium, which is funny to think about. My friends and family all come over, and they’ll have this whole crazy experience, and I’ve never done that."
If not for a four-year run of one setback after another as a teenager, Kaak might never have experienced American football or culture in any form.
Kaak grew up playing Australian football, or footy, as most Aussie kids do.
“We grow up playing kick-to-kick instead of catch with our dads,” Kaak said. “If you ask most Aussies to throw a ball, we’d be not that great.”
A promising prep career ahead of him, Kaak knew that teams from the Australian Football League were interested in him, and the three final years of high school are key for prospective AFL players to solidify their draft stock.
In 2017, when he was 16, he had an ankle reconstruction and missed significant playing time.
A year later, he had an appendectomy that required a 10-day hospital stay. Complications from that procedure led to internal bleeding, a hematoma, and another lengthy hospital stay.
“I wasn’t able to come back the rest of that year,” Kaak said. “So, I got healthy again that offseason, and I had another year, which was my draft year.
“I played eight games (of a 16-to-20-game season). And all the clubs were excited to watch me again, I’d built up momentum.
“And then I got glandular fever (mononucleosis). I had a bad case of that, I was in hospital for another two weeks with that. So I wasn’t able to do any contact sport for the rest of that season, so that season was written off.”
Normally the AFL drafts players after their 18-year-old season. But the clubs in the league can request an overage exemption – a medical redshirt, if you will – and all 18 clubs wanted to see Kaak play one more season as a 19-year old.
This was in March of 2020.
“We had our first game, I kicked five goals, I was like, this is going to be the season, I’m going to go on to potentially get drafted,” Kaak said. “And then the next week COVID hit and the whole season got canceled.”
With the chances of getting drafted now near zero, Kaak went into selling real estate while still playing part-time in the minor leagues with the hopes that an AFL club would eventually be interested.
“The stars didn’t align for me,” Kaak said. “There was something that was like, this isn’t what you’re supposed to do."
Soon after, he heard from ProKick Australia – a coaching program that trains footy players to punt and kick with the aim of obtaining scholarships to play for American college teams.
“I knew nothing about American football,” he said. “Literally nothing. They asked me what I knew, and I said, ‘Well, I know who Tom Brady is.’ That was about it. That was my whole knowledge. You could have asked me about Cam Newton or Bo Jackson, and I literally knew nothing. I don’t think I would have known any college teams.”
Kaak said that American football has a following in Australia, particularly the NFL, but the 15-hour time difference makes it difficult to follow the sport. A noon game here becomes a 3 a.m. kick there, and Sunday Night Football becomes Monday Morning Football in Australia.
"The games are during the day when everyone’s at work,” he said. “It would be a Monday at 9 a.m., and no one’s sitting at home watching the NFL.”
Through the ProKick program, Kaak signed with Oklahoma State and played there for two years before transferring to Auburn prior to the 2025 season. He said the small-town atmosphere and the community involvement with the university were key factors in his decision to enroll at both schools.
“I’m from a town of 1,000 people,” he said. “Small, country town north of Melbourne. I didn’t want to go to a big city. My comfort zone is a small town, so I loved that about both Auburn and Stillwater.”
Kaak has embraced the Auburn culture and traditions and has introduced his friends and family to them – in many cases, to general astonishment.
"I love the Toomer’s toilet paper,” he said when asked about his favorite Auburn traditions. “When my family comes over and we have a win, taking them there and showing them that, it’s one of the most mind-blowing things. You’ve basically got 80,000 people vandalizing the main street of the town, and that’s a celebrated thing, which makes no sense to most people. If you did that anywhere else, you’d get arrested.”
With his senior year at Auburn upcoming, Kaak is keeping his options open for his post-college career. A shot at the NFL would be a key goal, of course. But in the short-term, he is launching a social media show called “The Gifted,” which will focus on musicians and other artists and the processes that go into creating their works.
"I find it fascinating watching amazing people write music, or painting, things like that,” he said. “The focus of the show will be the process and behind-the-scenes of creating a masterpiece.”
A music lover, Kaak also caught the acting bug during the spring semester when a theatre class turned into an appearance in a campus musical and led to a change in major.
“I was in ‘Sweeney Todd’ in January,” he said. “I just kind of stumbled my way into that. I was in a theatre class, I made some friends in there, and they offered me to audition for the musical. Maybe 130 people auditioned, and I got a part.
“It was so fun, one of the most fun things I’ve done in college. Way, way out of my comfort zone. I was way more nervous performing in front of 400 people than I am in front of 90,000.”
The experience led to him adding a theatre major to his current track of interdisciplinary studies.
Between jumping into the world of American football kicking with no previous experience in the sport, moving to a new country and embracing acting on a whim, Kaak said his philosophy has always been to try new things.
“If an opportunity presents itself, just try it,” he said. “When people ask if I have advice, it would just be, don’t be scared to try something. You just never know what something’s going to lead to.
“Going to the ProKick tryouts, which led to an opportunity to come to America, terrified me. Moving across the world to a place you’ve never been before with no one you know, it’s terrifying. Then when the opportunity came up to do theatre, I was like, don’t be a hypocrite, your message is always to try things.
“Just try anything. You never know what’s going to happen.”
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Most Valuable Tigers: No. 15
By Nathan King
We're still in the heart of the college football offseason, but things are getting closer in the rearview mirror: inside a month until media days, and less than 70 days until the 2026 season, Auburn's first under head coach Alex Golesh.
So what better time to crank up the rankings? As we do annually this time of year, Auburn Undercover is counting down the top 25 most valuable players for the Tigers' 2026 season.
A few notes to set the table: These rankings are based on a player's previous contributions in college, as well as his assumed impact in 2026 — how important he is expected to be to Auburn's success in both production and the win-loss column. It is not simply Auburn's best players in descending order.
Next up is No. 15: cornerback Rayshawn Pleasant, who should be in line for a more important role in DJ Durkin's defense after the departure of starting corners Kayin Lee and Jay Crawford via the transfer portal.
AS A RECRUIT
Hometown: West Monroe, La.
Class: 2022
247Sports ranking: 3-star, No. 144 ATH
AS A PLAYER
That Pleasant became an All-American kick returner in college is no surprise when you look at his high-school tape, where he regularly raced past opponents for touchdowns at West Monroe all the way back to his sophomore season. That explosiveness earned him some Group of Six interest, including in state from Tulane.
Pleasant couldn't get on the field until his redshirt sophomore season with the Green Wave, but once he did, he made an immediate impact in 2024. Pleasant had 35 tackles, four pass breakups and a pick, but more importantly, he became one of the best return men in the nation, earning All-American honors after averaging 34.5 yards per return in 2024, with two touchdowns.
Auburn, which had not had a kick-return touchdown since 2019, immediately saw a return on its investment on Pleasant in the portal last season, as he housed one in the season-opening win at Baylor.
Pleasant was essentially Auburn's No. 3 cornerback last season behind Lee and Crawford, totaling 16 tackles. His two interceptions, including a pick-six, came in the same game — in the same quarter, no less — as part of Auburn's four takeaways in the fourth quarter to notch its only SEC win at Arkansas.
Pleasant decided to come back for his final college season, saying in the spring that he didn't want to transfer to a third school and that Auburn had become home.
2026 OUTLOOK
With the departure of Lee and Crawford to the portal, Pleasant was obviously going to be looked at as a starting-caliber cornerback on this new Auburn team, and he was a first-teamer throughout spring practice. UCLA transfer Andre Jordan Jr. most commonly lined up across from him.
Pleasant was versatile for Auburn last season and played some nickel, but he'll mostly be looked at as a leader at corner in 2026. Sophomore Blake Woodby is also in the mix, along with Florida State transfer Shamar Arnoux and USF transfer Gavin Jenkins.
Auburn needs Pleasant to be a solid player, with quite a turnover at that position. His retention on DJ Durkin's defense, though, and experience within that system can be valuable for the Tigers in the fall. Pleasant's pure coverage skills don't necessarily have a ton of data throughout his career, and now would be the perfect time for him to prove he's an NFL-caliber player on the outside.
WHAT THEY SAID
"I felt like I owed it to these boys to come back. I owed it to these fans. It's been a long drought, and they've been supportive of us. I've transferred once, but I'm a big guy on just staying committed to a place. I feel like I owed it to the fanbase and the coaching staff. I was a big fan of Coach Golesh, me being a G-5 guy. I feel like it was only right for me to give them a chance to get my best and stay there for them." — Pleasant on why he came back to Auburn
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Path to the Plains: Wide receiver Keshaun Singleton
By Caleb Jones
Auburn’s roster will look almost brand new this fall.
It’s just how college football operates nowadays. The transfer portal makes it more rare than ever for fans to know the entire roster like they used to. And since there’s so much overturn on Auburn’s roster, there’s no better time than the summer to get to know the guys suiting up for the Tigers this fall.
Over the next several weeks, we’ll take a look at the projected two-deep and their journey to the Plains.
Up next is wide receiver Keshaun Singleton, who projects as one of Auburn’s starting wide receivers and will have two years of eligibility remaining.
BELIEVING IN GOLESH FROM THE START
Singleton was a 3-star prospect out of Meadowcreek in Norcross, Ga., with an initial top five of Memphis, Georgia Southern, Eastern Michigan, Western Kentucky and Georgia State. And then on signing day, Singleton somewhat surprisingly signed with Alex Golesh and South Florida.
He spent his true freshman season on the sideline, using his redshirt while dealing with an injury.
In the following two seasons, Singleton emerged as one of the top wide receivers for USF. Singleton caught 27 passes for 408 yards and three touchdowns as a redshirt freshman in 2024 before his best season last fall.
As a redshirt sophomore in 2025, Singleton led the team with 50 receptions, 877 yards and eight touchdowns. His 877 yards receiving ranked eighth in the American Conference, while his eight touchdowns were tied for second-most in the league.
Singleton then entered the transfer portal following the departure of Alex Golesh from USF. He signed with Auburn nine days later, following Golesh, his position coach Kodi Burns and offensive coordinator Joel Gordon.
“I trust (Golesh),” Singleton told AuburnSports in January. “I believe in his process, I believe in everything he is about to bring to this team, I trust he and the coaches to put us in a position to where we will win a bunch of games.”
Not to mention it also reunited him with his quarterback for his entire college career, Byrum Brown.
“That’s my guy,” Singleton added. “It’s amazing. We have a special bond. I’m really fired up to get back on the field with him.”
QUOTES OF NOTE
Alex Golesh in April on Singleton:
“Keshaun Singleton continues to be really steady, continues to play really, really confident, which is – we need him to. He’s had to take this next step for him.”
Cornerback Rayshawn Pleasant on who’s tough to go against in practice:
“Keshaun Singleton and Jeremiah Koger. There’s a lot more guys, but those guys — you don’t have any room for error. Every error you make, they’re just gonna make a play. That just makes us be detailed with everything that we do. If we have one little error, those boys are gonna make a play.”
Singleton’s message to Auburn fans after signing with the Tigers:
“I’m ready to come in and work. Y’all are going to get everything out of me every single day.”
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Path to the Plains: Tight end Jake Johnson
By Caleb Jones
Auburn’s roster will look almost brand new this fall.
It’s just how college football operates nowadays. The transfer portal makes it more rare than ever for fans to know the entire roster like they used to. And since there’s so much overturn on Auburn’s roster, there’s no better time than the summer to get to know the guys suiting up for the Tigers this fall.
Over the next several weeks, we’ll take a look at the projected two-deep and their journey to the Plains.
Up next is tight end Jake Johnson, who enters his first season with Auburn after transferring from North Carolina.
This is the third stop in the collegiate journey of Johnson, who’s back in the SEC after beginning his career in the conference.
Johnson earned a 4-star rating in high school and ranked as the No. 1 tight end in the 2022 class, according to the Rivals Industry Ranking. Initially, he pledged to LSU — where his older brother, Max Johnson, started at quarterback.
Then LSU parted ways with head coach Ed Orgeron. It changed things for Jake, who decommitted from LSU one week before signing day. He signed with Texas A&M, as did his brother Max out of the portal.
Jake caught just one pass as a true freshman, but had a breakout season the following year. As a sophomore, he hauled in 24 receptions for 235 yards and four receiving touchdowns, which ranked second on the team.
His first career touchdown reception? A 22-yard catch from his brother against Auburn.
Following the season, Max transferred to North Carolina and younger brother Jake followed. However, Jake couldn’t quite replicate the success he’d had as a sophomore with Texas A&M in his time in Chapel Hill.
Over two seasons with the Tarheels, Jake caught 18 passes for 165 yards and one touchdown. He then entered the transfer portal for the second time in his career following the 2025 season, looking to spend his final season of eligibility elsewhere. Auburn hosted him on an official visit Jan. 9, and he signed with the Tigers on Jan. 10.
Following the spring, Jake projects as the top tight end in a room totally renovated by new tight ends coach Larry Scott.
QUOTES OF NOTE
Alex Golesh back in the spring, speaking on tight ends:
“Jake Johnson is kind of the old, grizzled vet. It’s been a minute since we had a guy with a bald spot coming in. He’s played a lot. Nothing wrong with bald spots, but I mess with him.”
“I love his spirit. He’s got some jerk in him — in a good way, like, on the field. I didn’t know that, because when you meet him, he’s like the nicest kid you’ll ever meet. He’s got really good awareness. It’s almost like he grew up in it. He’s got really good awareness of space and blocking schemes, and he’s played a ton of football. He’s been awesome. It’s been great to have him.”
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Auburn Analyst Warns of Notable Weakness in Tigers’ 2026 Offense
By Brooks Crew
Auburn Tigers on SI
The Auburn Tigers are simply looking to improve this year–after all, after five straight seasons below .500, it is hard to imagine the team getting any worse.
New head coach Alex Golesh has worked tirelessly to assemble a new offense in the wake of the mass exodus following Hugh Freeze’s firing, and he has done quite well. However, there is still one area that is concerning to Christian Clemente of AuburnUndercover: the offensive line.
“It’s a lot of USF transfers and then a bit of a hodgepodge of an offensive line,” he said. “Just three total players return from last year’s team, and they’re all second-year players who are likely in the two-deep but probably not starters. Cole Best is the only “lock” of a starter… A combo of James Madison transfer Jo Simmons and Michigan State transfer Stanton Ramil are the likely tackles, but questions surround Ramil’s health with multiple injuries previously and very limited in spring. The guard spots are still completely up in the air, to be honest.”
This is certainly not news Tiger fans want to hear, especially since the Tigers’ entire ideal offense revolves around the rushing attack, particularly via the three-headed monster of Byrum Brown, Jeremiah Cobb and Bryson Washington. The three are certainly top-of-the-line rushers, but there is only so much they can do if the offensive line is not holding up.
Last year, the Tigers’ offensive line struggled as well, though all six Tigers to record a start in the trenches last year have departed, either for the NFL Draft or to the transfer portal. This has resulted in the ‘hodgepodge’ of an offensive line, as Clemente describes it, as Golesh was forced to portal shop for offensive linemen.
However, though this issue may persist throughout the season, there are two major silver linings to keep an eye on. First, the Tiger trenches, though cobbled together, are made up of almost entirely veteran players, who should be able to mesh well together given their prior experience on different teams and in different systems.
Additionally, this issue should not persist for long, as Golesh has already gone to work in recruiting; it is, of course, better to develop an offensive lineman in-house over a few years, rather than pick up one someone else developed. The Tigers’ 2027 class currently boasts four offensive linemen, including two four-star prospects and two three-star prospects.
As it always seems to be, the offensive line will be a big question for the Tigers as they head into the season. If the line can hold up well against SEC opponents, the Tigers’ offense could be poised to go on an impressive run (no pun intended) with their high-level rushing talent. If they struggle, however, we could see a repeat of the disappointing offenses of yesteryear.
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Alex Golesh Defines One of the Most Important Aspects of Auburn Football
By Brooks Crew
Auburn Tigers on SI
The Auburn Tigers are entering a new era with quite a bit of uncertainty, especially as Tiger fans continue to wait to see what the program will look like under new head coach Alex Golesh. The Tigers’ new skipper has been clear that there are quite a few important aspects that he is trying to hammer into his players, but one may stand out among the rest: accountability.
“We’ve talked from day one that, you know, you’ve got to love your brother enough to hold him accountable,” he said in an interview with David Pollack. “I think that’s the hardest thing to do when you bring guys in from all over the place, into an environment.”
Accountability, at least from the outside looking in, seemed to be a factor that was not preached by the previous head coach at Auburn, but Golesh is looking to make sure that trend dies quickly and fully. That is not to say it is an easy quality to exemplify, though, especially in the modern era of social media and NIL.
“And, you involve money in it, you involve egos in it, you involve a lot of different things to put together a team,” he said. “But that’s what I asked for, man, like can we be selfless enough and love each other enough to hold each other accountable?”
Golesh had an opportunity to exemplify this quality when new transfer edge rusher Da’Shawn Womack was arrested on a charge of reckless endangerment, though we, as a public, are unsure as to exactly how Golesh handled that situation. If Golesh handles these situations like he says he does, though, the team is certainly in good hands.
“[Accountability is] the hardest thing to build,” he said. “You need time, you need tough situations, and I told them from the beginning, we’re gonna put them in those tough situations.”
Tiger teams, over the past few years, have been immensely talented but could never seem to show up in the big moments when it mattered. Players were quite vocal on social media about the team’s failures, the coach was dragging his quarterback in press conferences, and overall, it seemed like the bond between coach and player was nearly nonexistent.
With any luck, Golesh will change that. He has certainly said all of the right things to get the Auburn faithful on his side, but we will not know if his words are true, nor the impact of his actions, until the Tigers step onto the field in September.
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"Trusted Me": Alex Golesh Reveals $9M SEC Coach's Role in Landing Auburn Job
By Malabika Dutta
Before taking over at Auburn on a $44.25 million deal, Alex Golesh was not even sure he was ready to run his own program. The turning point came at Tennessee, where SEC head coach Josh Heupel, a $9M-level hiring in his own right, kept telling Golesh one thing: "I trust you." That trust, Golesh now says, is what made him believe he could lead a major job like Auburn.
"I thought he [Josh Heupel] did a really good job of being very meticulous and detailed, really, in everything. Offensively, certainly," said Golesh during his recent appearance on See Ball Get Ball with David Pollack when asked what lesson he carried from Tennessee to Auburn. "As a head coach, I thought [Heupel was] very meticulous in certain things that need to get done, detailed from a football side but also from a recruiting side. It was awesome to be able to be there at the beginning part of that."
When Auburn started its search, Golesh did not promise a perfect scheme. He promised the belief Heupel had built in him: that he could run a big program, call bold plays, and handle SEC pressure.
Tennessee was a big jump for Golesh, though. He had been a co-offensive coordinator at UCF, but now he was calling plays in the SEC. The good news: he already knew Heupel's system from 2020 at UCF, when Heupel was the head coach. That shared language made the transition faster.
"We had a really good relationship. There was a lot of trust, and he trusted me to do a lot of things. I don't know if we walked into a normal situation in December; if it would have been that way. But he certainly trusted me with a lot, and I don't know if without that experience I would have been ready to go run it myself so quickly," said the new Auburn head coach.
Under Golesh, Tennessee's 2022 offense led the nation with 538.1 yards per game. The unit also set program records in scoring and total offense. Heupel pushed an attack-first mindset, and Golesh built the play sheet around it: push tempo, attack every down, and force defenses to react.
"It was good to learn and grow. I think the best thing from an offensive standpoint with Josh [Heupel] was just the way that his mentality was in terms of we're going to be the ones that attack them and not wait for a defense to attack us and essentially force the defense to play a certain way," added Golesh.
"It was the first time [for Alex Golesh at Tennessee] I really saw offensive football in that light consistently: if we are going to put pressure on the defense to do what we want them to do rather than what they want to do."
At Auburn, the stakes are clear. The Tigers finished around 83rd nationally in total offense last season, averaging about 358.2 yards per game, not what fans expect on the Plains. In the SEC, that kind of ranking keeps good teams out of big games. Golesh's first real test comes in October, when he faces Heupel and Tennessee in a matchup that will show how fast Auburn can change under his lead.
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Caldwell Column: Let Freedom Ring, Two OL to watch this fall
By Jason Caldwell
Thankful for our freedoms
As we celebrate 250 years of the United States of America, it's another opportunity for me to be thankful for the country I live in, but also the freedoms we get to experience. They have come at a heavy price over the years and for that we can never say thanks enough to the men and women that have given their all over these many years.
This freedom has allowed me to experience things I never thought would be possible when I was growing up in Sylacauga, Alabama. I have followed Auburn sports all my life, but I would have never dreamed this would be my profession for nearly 30 years now. I was reminded this week of watching Jeff Burger to Lawyer Tillman in 1987 in Atlanta when the U.S. Men's Soccer Team scored a goal by a player named Tillman. That's a memory I will always have, but it's just one of many things.
All my life I heard about the 1957 national championship team and never dreamed the next time Auburn would win one on the field (there were others), I would be field level watching it from the sidelines. When Wes Byrum's kick went through the uprights it was kind of like people talk about with their wedding day. I can remember being there, but I can't really remember the moment itself because too much was happening around me and it was such a big deal.
I can't get through this day without thinking about my friend Rod Bramblett and his wife Paula. Rod was someone I talked with usually several times a week and during baseball season that was probably more. He was taken from us way too early, but he lived out his dreams of calling Auburn sports.
Dreams are what this country is still made of and what it was built upon. If you don't think so just look at the people here for the World Cup. They are seeing what makes people still want to come here every moment of every day.
It's still the Land of Opportunity and it will always be the land of dreams. We just have to continue to make sure it's the land of the free, because it will always be the home of the brave.
Two wildcards for Auburn football
There is no question that the offensive line is going to play a big part in Auburn's 2026 season this fall. With no starters back from last year, it will be a much different looking group for the Tigers in year one under Alex Golesh. I do think it's important not to forget about two guys we saw very little of during the spring, transfers Jacob Strand from Oregon State and Jack Leyrer from Stanford.
Strand has played in 18 games with 8 starts during his career while Leyrer has played in 26 games with 16 career starts. Both guys could play inside, but also have experience at the tackle position.
That could be crucial and create some interesting competition and conversations when Auburn opens preseason camp. While it certainly appears Jo Simmons will be one of the tackles for the Tigers, the other spot is still very much wide open with Tai Buster getting the most reps in the spring. Stanton Ramil is expected to compete for one of the tackle spots, but don't forget about Strand and Leyrer. They could push to get on the field, which would be good news for Auburn because competition will only serve to make the entire group better.
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