NCAAB

Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl retires and is replaced by Steven Pearl

There were whispers in the industry that Pearl would retire. However, this decision is still stunning. With 706 career victories, the former Southern Indiana, Milwaukee, Tennessee and Auburn head coach was one of the best active coaches, and will be nearly impossible for the Tigers to replace.

Obviously though, Auburn has no choice but to try. Seemingly due to the influence of its former head coach, the Tigers will turn to his son, Steven Pearl. The duty is on an interim-basis, but surely there’s ample support for Pearl to run the program long term. This season will be his opportunity to make a case, as Auburn is projected as a top 25 team — again.

It took Pearl a few years to get things rolling on the Plains, but beginning in 2018, the Tigers became one of the best teams in the SEC. That run culminated in two Final Four berths (2019 and 2025), and was arguably the best stretch in program history.

Pearl’s decision to retire early is somewhat curious, but he likely has something in mind. Politics could be a predictable next step, as the former head coach has never been shy from voicing his opinion on such matters. Regardless, he’ll still likely be around the Auburn program — one that will miss him greatly — often.