AUBURN, Ala. — Auburn head coach Alex Golesh is preparing his team for Saturday’s Aflac Kickoff Game against Baylor in Atlanta, the second meeting in a home-and-home series between the teams.
During his Wednesday press conference, Golesh was asked about comments he made during his inaugural press conference regarding his vision for the running game. He pointed to the running game as the foundation of his offensive philosophy.
“That’s where it all starts, and that’s the foundation of what we do offensively,” Golesh said.
Baylor transfer running back Bryson Washington has continued to make an impression. Golesh said Washington has earned an opportunity to play after showing progress during the past two weeks.
“The second scrimmage, he was showing you some of the stuff he had done at Baylor, kind of looking more like that player,” Golesh said. “He’s had a really solid two weeks. He’s earned the right to play.”
With pre-snap cadence issues reported during several Week 0 games, clean communication is a priority for Saturday's matchup. Golesh acknowledged the team might not look like a finished product. Still, effective pre-snap operations and communication will be imperative to Auburn’s success under the crowd noise at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
When asked about Baylor’s defense, Golesh commended the Bears’ defensive line and the work of defensive coordinator Joe Klanderman. He also discussed the flexibility of Auburn’s offensive line, saying eight different linemen have earned their chance to play Saturday.
“You know, Week 1 is always a challenge,” Golesh said. “What we do offensively presents a unique challenge to people, so it’s always the first couple of drives where you’re looking and you’re like, man, that ain't what I thought it was, and they’ll have wrinkles.”
13 players followed Golesh from South Florida to Auburn after he was hired as the Tigers’ head coach. Golesh pointed to the familiarity between quarterback Byrum Brown and center Cole Best, both South Florida transfers, as an important part of Auburn’s preparation.
“Those two guys trust each other so much, and obviously, in layman’s terms, that’s how it all starts, right? The snap, and the confidence that Byrum has because there’s so much more than the snap,” Golesh said. “It’s the ability to identify fronts, and the more that guy has done it with the quarterback, the more the quarterback can trust him to flip things, change things, move things.”
Auburn has two more full days of practice before opening the season Saturday against Baylor in Atlanta. According to coach Golesh, the Tigers have put themselves in a good spot to win.
