Alex Golesh praises Auburn defensive backs coaches at SEC spring meetings

Following a busy spring practice period, the Auburn football secondary has emerged as one of the most intriguing position groups on the roster. Head coach Alex Golesh is banking on a blend of fresh faces and veteran leadership to stabilize a unit that faced significant turnover after the 2025 campaign.

New Leadership in the Defensive Backfield

To spearhead this overhaul, Golesh added defensive backs coaches Tim Banks and DeMarcus Van Dyke to his staff. At the recent SEC spring meetings, Golesh praised the pair as seasoned veterans he trusts implicitly to elevate the Tigers' defensive performance.

"Yeah, I think those guys are vets," Golesh told 205focus.com. "Like having Timmy Banks back there, a guy that’s not just a vet, he’s somebody that I truly trust. He’s somebody that was just coordinating defense in this league the last five years. Then DVD with the corners, he knows me. He knows what we want to do. Those guys have done a really, really good job."

Building Trust Through Shared History

The coaching appointments lean on established chemistry. Banks, who spent the last five seasons at Tennessee, previously worked alongside Golesh during their tenures at Illinois (2012-2015) and Tennessee (2021-2022). Meanwhile, Van Dyke makes the move to the Plains after serving as the cornerbacks coach for Golesh at South Florida during the 2024 and 2025 seasons.

Rebuilding the Secondary

The mission for these coaches is to improve upon a 2025 season where the secondary allowed over 2,600 passing yards, 1,300 yards after the catch, and 15 touchdowns, according to Pro Football Focus. With starters Kayin Lee and Jay Crawford moving on to SEC rivals, Auburn’s depth is now composed of a strategic mix of returners and transfer portal acquisitions.

While Rayshawn Pleasant and Blake Woodby return as the primary cornerbacks, the team has bolstered the room with five transfers: Gavin Jenkins (USF), Andre Jordan Jr. (UCLA), Shamar Arnoux (Florida State), Scrap Richardson (Notre Dame), and Kamari Todd (Chattanooga). Van Dyke emphasizes a rotation-heavy approach, noting that in the modern game, he plans to keep four to five corners ready to compete.

Experience Meets Youth

On the back end, sophomore AnQuon Fegans leads a safety group that includes Kaleb Harris, Sylvester Smith, Eric Winters, and Champ Anthony. Banks, who guided Tennessee to a top-10 defensive ranking in 2024, believes his experience within the SEC will facilitate a smooth transition for the Tigers.

"I know this league. This will be my sixth year in the league," Banks noted during the spring. "Just understanding what the rivalries are like, the different arenas and different places, and definitely some of the guys I have recruited. Some of these guys I recruited, and we wanted at the other place. We didn’t get them, but having a chance to work with them now is going to be great."

Auburn is slated to kick off fall camp in the first week of August.