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The Auburn football program is undergoing massive change. A new coaching staff will be tasked with replacing key pieces on the Tigers’ roster.
Nearly 30 players have entered the transfer portal this offseason. A concerning report followed the mass exodus igniting discussion on message boards.
There is stuff coming out now that I didn’t want to say out of respect. Now that it’s out I can think some will understand what I was saying. Haters will never agree but it’s starting to come to light.
— Jake “JBOY” Crain (@JakeCrain_) December 30, 2025
The transfer portal will open on January 2nd. Many Auburn players have already made their intentions to leave the school known.
The latest domino to fall was star receiver Cam Coleman. He became the 28th Tiger to announce his exit.
Those departures come with the program transitioning from Hugh Freeze to Alex Golesh. The new staff is working to reform the team’s image.
Auburn football will look much different in 2026.
The Hugh Freeze era did not last long on the Plains. The coach went 15-19 before being fired midway through Year 3.
His tenure was reportedly filled with both drama and dysfunction. Golesh was hired to clean up the mess.
His first step in taking over was to evaluate the current roster. He’s said to have reassessed the team’s NIL outlook. That includes readjusting the payment structures of players the previous staff viewed highly.
Contributors with large contracts and lacking production are receiving pay cuts. It’s sped up the exodus as Golesh and Co. look to reshape the roster.
The new coach will offer a stark contrast in terms of leadership style. It’s believed he’ll run a tighter ship than his predecessor.
That narrative was fueled by recent rumors circulating Auburn football message boards, which paint a chaotic picture of a program in complete disarray.
Former players are reacting.
Can’t believe everything you read but MY GOD… if even half of it is true then I like the direction of cleaning house 10000x more
— Chandler Wooten (@ItsMeWootang) December 30, 2025
Former Auburn linebacker Chandler Wooten caught wind of the reports online. He seems to support the new staff’s push to clean house.
Offensive lineman Chad Slade weighed in on the transfer portal decisions, too. He does not believe certain players should be holding the new coach hostage with lists of demands.
10 drops and 2 turnovers in the Iron Bowl and the Wide Receiver room has the audacity to ask for more money🚩🚩🚩🚩
— Chad Slade (@ChadSlade62) December 30, 2025
On Sunday, a message was posted to an Auburn Sports board. While the thread has since been removed, the rumors were not denied by the site’s insiders.
The note made a number of accusations, which to this point, are still conjecture. It said that Cam Coleman and Eric Singleton were singled out by interim head coach DJ Durkin for being poor teammates.
It also claimed that Kayin Lee refused to board the plane to College Station unless a $40k demand was met ahead of a game vs. Texas A&M.
The message went onto suggest four-star QB Deuce Knight intended to transfer despite holding a seven-figure Auburn offer.
The rumors, while not confirmed, have caught the attention of former players. Many don’t seem all that surprised given their reactions.
The new Auburn football staff will look to change the narrative in the months to come before kicking off the 2026 season.