Football News: 4-7-2026
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Dudley Dent
Apr 7, 2026, 7:47:17 AM (6 days ago) Apr 7
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Auburn Football News: 4-7-2026
Alex Golesh gives updates on Auburn’s offensive line competition:
https://www.al.com/auburnfootball/2026/04/alex-golesh-gives-updates-on-auburns-offensive-line-competition.html
Who will return punts and kicks for Auburn in 2026?:
https://www.al.com/auburnfootball/2026/04/who-will-return-punts-and-kicks-for-auburn-in-2026.html
Alex Golesh gives updates on Auburn’s offensive line competition
By Peter Rauterkus
al.com
When speaking to a group of reporters in early February, Auburn head coach Alex Golesh said if there’s one position group he’s praying about, it’s the offensive line.
Those words came shortly after Auburn finished overhauling the unit, signing 14 new players and only retaining three from the 2025 roster. While a handful came with Power Four experience, that’s still a lot of new faces in a unit that is one of the most important on the field.
“There’s praying about it, and then there’s going to work,” Golesh said at the time. “Man, are we excited to get on the grass with those guys that we can start to not just evaluate, but develop that group.”
Auburn is now eight practices into spring ball, meaning that evaluation and development period is well underway. With a number of spots on the offensive line up for grabs, the first eight practices have started to provide an idea of how the group could look in the fall.
Those competitions are still far from over, though, as two weeks of spring ball still remain ahead of a long summer and preseason camp in August. Injuries have also limited some of Auburn’s top transfers up front this spring, making the competition hard to judge so far.
Stanton Ramil’s absence is the biggest this spring, as the Michigan State transfer is the favorite to be Auburn’s starting left tackle. Auburn’s other big tackle signee, though, was the first name Golesh mentioned when talking about the offensive line on Friday.
“I think Jo Simmons has been a really, really ‘Steady Eddie,’” Golesh said. “I don’t know if I’d say ‘surprise.’ We brought him here with the expectation that he’d start. He’s been on both sides of it in terms of left and right.”
Simmons was the starting left tackle for a James Madison team that it to the College Football Playoff last season. He could play at either tackle spot and seems to be one of two players who has all but secured a starting spot already.
The other is Cole Best, who was Golesh’s starting center at South Florida. He’ll likely take on the same role at Auburn and is already the leader of the Tigers’ offensive line.
The two guard spots may be the most up for grabs on the offensive line. Miami transfer Deryc Plazz earned a mention from Golesh and has taken reps with the first team this spring.
Golesh complimented how Plazz has settled into the offense after the pace seemed to get to him at first.
“That’s what you see the first year in what we do,” Golesh said. “Guys, the first couple of days are like, ‘What in the world is going on?’ And then they settle in, and it becomes kind of natural for them.”
The other development to watch is whether or not someone can challenge Ramil for the other tackle spot while the Michigan State transfer recovers from injury. Redshirt freshman Tai Buster has become a name to watch, but true freshman Wilson Zierer is also making an impression this spring.
“He’s gotten reps with the ones and doesn’t look like a freshman,” Golesh said of Zierer. “Has freshman moments but doesn’t look like a freshman and is high, high-level smart, which has given him the ability to compete.”
Whether or not Buster or Zierer will be realistic challengers for Ramil in the fall remains to be seen, but having as many capable players as possible right now is the goal for Golesh and the staff.
When you’re talking about arguably the most important position group on the field, apart from the quarterback, depth is a necessity.
“We’re going to continue to mix it up and go into the summer with hopefully eight guys we feel good about,” Golesh said. “Add Stanton in there, and hopefully get as close to a two-deep leaving spring as we can.”
************************
Who will return punts and kicks for Auburn in 2026?
By Peter Rauterkus
al.com
Under new special teams coordinator Jacob Bronowski, Auburn is hoping to make special teams an advantage again. With kicker Alex McPherson, kickoff specialist Connor Gibbs and punter Hudson Kaak returning, there’s reason to believe that can happen in 2026.
What doesn’t get talked about as much is the return game, an area in which Auburn had some highs and lows in 2026. Whether it was Rayshawn Pleasant returning a kickoff for a touchdown in Week 1 vs. Baylor or Malcolm Simmons fielding a punt on the goal line against Oklahoma, returns were often entertaining, just not always in the way Auburn wanted them to be.
Pleasant is back for his second season on the Plains and is expected to run back kickoffs again, but the Tigers are looking for a new punt returner.
“That’s one spot that going into spring, we knew we had to lead with a three-deep there,” said Auburn head coach Alex Golesh, “and those guys have worked at it.”
The three players Golesh is referring to are wide receivers Christian Neptune, DeShawn Spencer and Bryce Cain. With Neptune now limited in practice due to injury, it gives more opportunities to Spencer and Cain, two Alabama natives from the Mobile area.
Cain featured as a returner at times for Auburn last season and is one of the fastest players on the team. His best work last season came as a kickoff returner, returning one attempt 31 yards against South Alabama.
Cain becomes one of the top names to watch at punt returner, but Spencer is another intriguing option.
The true freshman out of Saraland High School was a dominant all-purpose player in high school, tallying 2,837 career receiving yards and 34 receiving touchdowns and 1,229 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns, according to MaxPreps.
Spencer is also someone Golesh gave a shout out to when talking about Auburn’s receiver corps, as the true freshman could be in line to play right away.
“Natural football player, really smart, tough,” Golesh said of Spencer. “Obviously comes from a great program, been coached extremely well. So it’s not surprising, but I guess I just didn’t really know how it would translate this quickly.”
Neptune, while currently injured, is the only other player in the competition with experience returning punts in college. He wasn’t South Florida’s primary punt returner last season, but ran back six punts over three games in 2025.
All three of the names Golesh mentioned for the punt returner job have fit a similar athletic profile and the competition could go on well into preseason camp. As Auburn looks to improve on special teams under Bronowski, finding someone who can impact the game as a returner would go a long way toward that effort.
Alex Golesh gives updates on Auburn’s offensive line competition:
https://www.al.com/auburnfootball/2026/04/alex-golesh-gives-updates-on-auburns-offensive-line-competition.html
Who will return punts and kicks for Auburn in 2026?:
https://www.al.com/auburnfootball/2026/04/who-will-return-punts-and-kicks-for-auburn-in-2026.html
******************************
By Peter Rauterkus
al.com
When speaking to a group of reporters in early February, Auburn head coach Alex Golesh said if there’s one position group he’s praying about, it’s the offensive line.
Those words came shortly after Auburn finished overhauling the unit, signing 14 new players and only retaining three from the 2025 roster. While a handful came with Power Four experience, that’s still a lot of new faces in a unit that is one of the most important on the field.
“There’s praying about it, and then there’s going to work,” Golesh said at the time. “Man, are we excited to get on the grass with those guys that we can start to not just evaluate, but develop that group.”
Auburn is now eight practices into spring ball, meaning that evaluation and development period is well underway. With a number of spots on the offensive line up for grabs, the first eight practices have started to provide an idea of how the group could look in the fall.
Those competitions are still far from over, though, as two weeks of spring ball still remain ahead of a long summer and preseason camp in August. Injuries have also limited some of Auburn’s top transfers up front this spring, making the competition hard to judge so far.
Stanton Ramil’s absence is the biggest this spring, as the Michigan State transfer is the favorite to be Auburn’s starting left tackle. Auburn’s other big tackle signee, though, was the first name Golesh mentioned when talking about the offensive line on Friday.
“I think Jo Simmons has been a really, really ‘Steady Eddie,’” Golesh said. “I don’t know if I’d say ‘surprise.’ We brought him here with the expectation that he’d start. He’s been on both sides of it in terms of left and right.”
Simmons was the starting left tackle for a James Madison team that it to the College Football Playoff last season. He could play at either tackle spot and seems to be one of two players who has all but secured a starting spot already.
The other is Cole Best, who was Golesh’s starting center at South Florida. He’ll likely take on the same role at Auburn and is already the leader of the Tigers’ offensive line.
The two guard spots may be the most up for grabs on the offensive line. Miami transfer Deryc Plazz earned a mention from Golesh and has taken reps with the first team this spring.
Golesh complimented how Plazz has settled into the offense after the pace seemed to get to him at first.
“That’s what you see the first year in what we do,” Golesh said. “Guys, the first couple of days are like, ‘What in the world is going on?’ And then they settle in, and it becomes kind of natural for them.”
The other development to watch is whether or not someone can challenge Ramil for the other tackle spot while the Michigan State transfer recovers from injury. Redshirt freshman Tai Buster has become a name to watch, but true freshman Wilson Zierer is also making an impression this spring.
“He’s gotten reps with the ones and doesn’t look like a freshman,” Golesh said of Zierer. “Has freshman moments but doesn’t look like a freshman and is high, high-level smart, which has given him the ability to compete.”
Whether or not Buster or Zierer will be realistic challengers for Ramil in the fall remains to be seen, but having as many capable players as possible right now is the goal for Golesh and the staff.
When you’re talking about arguably the most important position group on the field, apart from the quarterback, depth is a necessity.
“We’re going to continue to mix it up and go into the summer with hopefully eight guys we feel good about,” Golesh said. “Add Stanton in there, and hopefully get as close to a two-deep leaving spring as we can.”
************************
Who will return punts and kicks for Auburn in 2026?
By Peter Rauterkus
al.com
Under new special teams coordinator Jacob Bronowski, Auburn is hoping to make special teams an advantage again. With kicker Alex McPherson, kickoff specialist Connor Gibbs and punter Hudson Kaak returning, there’s reason to believe that can happen in 2026.
What doesn’t get talked about as much is the return game, an area in which Auburn had some highs and lows in 2026. Whether it was Rayshawn Pleasant returning a kickoff for a touchdown in Week 1 vs. Baylor or Malcolm Simmons fielding a punt on the goal line against Oklahoma, returns were often entertaining, just not always in the way Auburn wanted them to be.
Pleasant is back for his second season on the Plains and is expected to run back kickoffs again, but the Tigers are looking for a new punt returner.
“That’s one spot that going into spring, we knew we had to lead with a three-deep there,” said Auburn head coach Alex Golesh, “and those guys have worked at it.”
The three players Golesh is referring to are wide receivers Christian Neptune, DeShawn Spencer and Bryce Cain. With Neptune now limited in practice due to injury, it gives more opportunities to Spencer and Cain, two Alabama natives from the Mobile area.
Cain featured as a returner at times for Auburn last season and is one of the fastest players on the team. His best work last season came as a kickoff returner, returning one attempt 31 yards against South Alabama.
Cain becomes one of the top names to watch at punt returner, but Spencer is another intriguing option.
The true freshman out of Saraland High School was a dominant all-purpose player in high school, tallying 2,837 career receiving yards and 34 receiving touchdowns and 1,229 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns, according to MaxPreps.
Spencer is also someone Golesh gave a shout out to when talking about Auburn’s receiver corps, as the true freshman could be in line to play right away.
“Natural football player, really smart, tough,” Golesh said of Spencer. “Obviously comes from a great program, been coached extremely well. So it’s not surprising, but I guess I just didn’t really know how it would translate this quickly.”
Neptune, while currently injured, is the only other player in the competition with experience returning punts in college. He wasn’t South Florida’s primary punt returner last season, but ran back six punts over three games in 2025.
All three of the names Golesh mentioned for the punt returner job have fit a similar athletic profile and the competition could go on well into preseason camp. As Auburn looks to improve on special teams under Bronowski, finding someone who can impact the game as a returner would go a long way toward that effort.
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