Overview

• Steven Pearl was formally introduced Wednesday as Auburn’s head coach after Bruce Pearl’s retirement earlier in the week.
• He said the staff remains intact with Ira Bowman elevated to associate head coach and Matt Gatens moving into an on-court assistant role.
• The roster features 10 newcomers, with guard Tahaad Pettiford positioned as the sole returner and expected leader after a strong summer.
• Pearl emphasized a transfer-heavy recruiting strategy, citing past portal successes such as All-Americans Walker Kessler and Johni Broome.
• He said Auburn’s NIL backing has been boosted into the SEC’s upper tier and outlined a smaller, faster team built to push tempo and force turnovers.