Alex Golesh Details Auburn’s New Philosophy on the Rushing Attack

The new Auburn head coach has an emphasis on running the football in 2026. Here's how he plans to deploy it.

Alex Golesh wants a hard-nosed Auburn rush attack to help out his quarterback, Byrum Brown. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Auburn Tigers have largely been expected to lean heavily on their rushing attack since Alex Golesh’s first press conference as the head coach of the Tigers. In fact, Golesh has been quite clear on Auburn’s new philosophy on a number of occasions: ‘run the piss out of the ball,’ as he puts it.

However, fall camp is now upon us, and with it comes a host of answers to long-standing questions, one of which was simple: what will Auburn’s rushing attack actually look like? Golesh had some basic answers on Tuesday.

“In a perfect world, you need three and a half [running backs] ready to go into every game,” he said. “Those guys take a beating... two guys who are ready to rotate drive to drive, then a third guy who is ready to sub in at any moment.”

So, who will those three backs be? 

The seemingly obvious starting two at the beginning of the offseason were Auburn returner Jeremiah Cobb and Baylor transfer Bryson Washington. However, Golesh made some recent comments that Washington was still working to be physically able to compete in the SEC, as he missed quite a bit of spring camp with an ankle injury.

So, if Washington is not ready by the Baylor game–which I do not anticipate happening, but just in case– Omar Mabson, another Auburn returner, may find some big-time starting minutes rotating with Cobb on drives. If Washington is ready, Mabson will likely be the third option.

The Tigers have plenty of other options as well, pending who separates themself at fall camp, including Troy transfer Tae Meadows, USF transfer Nykahi Davenport and former five-star Hugh Freeze recruit Alvin Henderson, who may find himself with the first major minutes of his Auburn career this year.

However, none of this rushing threat works without two key pieces, at least in an Alex Golesh offense: the offensive line and, this year, the quarterback. The offensive line, needless to say, can dictate exactly how effective the rushing attack is this year–after all, regardless of how good a back is, it is quite hard to find positive yards without blocking.

The quarterback position, occupied by Byrum Brown this year, is expected to be a major hallmark of the Tigers’ attack, and perhaps what Golesh meant by half a running back. After all, Brown is a great passer, but his rushing is what truly makes him a threat to the SEC.

The Tigers, much to the delight of their fans, are set to rush the ball incredibly heavily this year with a host of different backs, and if all goes to plan during fall camp, Golesh could boast one of the strongest rushing cores in the country in 2026.

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