Goodman: The Auburn blunder that will echo for a long time

Auburn FootballAUBURN, ALABAMA - SEPTEMBER 19: Head coach Alex Golesh of the Auburn Tigers talks with Head Coach Jon Sumrall of the Florida Gators before a game at Jordan Hare stadium on September 19, 2026 in Auburn, Alabama. (Photo by Butch Dill/Getty Images)Getty ImagesBy Joseph Goodman | jgoodman@al.comThis is an opinion column.It appears like Auburn indeed force fed itself the leftovers this coaching cycle.Now, you gotta wonder after Florida’s 44-39 curb stomping of the Tigers on Saturday night at Jordan-Hare. Did Auburn’s athletics director and its board of trustees make a regrettable hiring mistake by passing over Jon Sumrall for Alex Golesh? Would Auburn be better off this season if it had just hired Alabama native Sumrall and let him fill out his own staff?The answer isn’t a state secret. Yes, Auburn screwed this up, and Sumrall let the Tigers know it with an SEC debut that no doubt left Steve Spurrier with a wry grin on his sly face.Even Florida coaching legend Urban Meyer should be envious of Sumrall’s quick start.Like one of Spur-dog’s great UF teams of old, Sumrall’s Gators went almost the entire game without having to punt. Even then, Sumrall only conceded a possession when the game was out of hand in the fourth quarter and after a delay of game penalty.Wasn’t Auburn’s defense supposed to be a strength?It was like Sumrall, a defensive coach by trade, made a point of disproving that myth in Florida’s first victory at Jordan-Hare since 1999.It could have all been different.After firing hall of fame golfer Hugh Freeze, Auburn originally zeroed in on Sumrall. It was going to be the perfect fit. Even pessimists like me were hopeful.But Sumrall wanted to do things his way and Auburn’s boosters really liked interim coach DJ Durkin, the old defensive coordinator.Leery of old Auburn shenanigans, Sumrall turned his interest to the Gators. Missing Sumrall now feels like an Auburn blunder that will echo for a long time.Sumrall made a statement here on the Plains in his first league victory as an SEC coach. He’s one of the country’s top young hires. As for Golesh, he’s still figuring things out.Maybe he needs a new defensive coordinator.But, seriously, a lot of good keeping Durkin did for the Tigers against Florida’s new offense. The Tigers’ defense couldn’t get a stop until it was too late.Florida has underachieved for years with one mediocre coach after another. No more. Sumrall is building a contender. He had playmakers all over the field combined with sharp play-calling by Gators offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner.The only thing that really kept Auburn in the game were holding penalties by Florida’s offensive line.The Gators rolled up nearly 500 yards of offense despite committing 16 penalties on the road.Remember when Golesh gave everyone goosebumps during his introductory news conference? He said Auburn was going to “run the piss” out of the ball. Well, not really.Or at least not yet.All three of Florida’s running backs were better than Auburn’s go-to ball carrier, Jeremiah Cobb.Florida rushed for 243 yards compared to 102 for Auburn.“I understand the assignment,” Golesh said. “It wasn’t good enough.”It’s not that Golesh is terrible. He might end up being fine, or even a good coach. But he’s clearly behind Sumrall in their first seasons as head coaches in the SEC. That stings.That feels a lot like Auburn being Auburn.It wasn’t all bad, though. Auburn had its moments against a good team, and the Tigers never quit.But the first three offensive drives were, in the words of Golesh, “abysmal.” After that, Auburn’s home-field advantage was gone.“What separates good, average, great and bad?” Golesh said. “The true execution? It’s all attention to detail.”Golesh is still searching. Sumrall already has it figured out.MAILBAG SOUND OFFGot a question for Joe? Want to get something off your chest? Send Joe an email about what’s on your mind. Let your voice be heard. Ask him anything for the reader mailbag.Joseph is the lead sports columnist for AL.com and author of the highly controversial book "We Want Bama." SEC provocateur and expert in the field game management, Joseph's columns have been voted the best in...