Bruce Pearl steps down and Steven Pearl steps up
On the first official day of college basketball practice, the Tigers announced a seismic move with their head coach. A new(ish) era is here.
AUBURN — Monday was the first day of men’s basketball practice for Auburn, and it was the first under a new head coach.
Bruce Pearl has stepped down as Auburn’s head coach after 11 seasons on the Plains, and associate head coach Steven Pearl — his son — has been named his successor on a 5-year deal. He will have an official intro press conference Wednesday.
Auburn officially announced the elder Pearl’s retirement with a 14-minute video on Monday afternoon.
“I've been a part of college basketball for almost 50 years... I told myself that when I got to the point where I could not give it my all, where I wasn't necessarily 100%, where I couldn't be the relentless competitor you expected to me, that it was going to be time,” Pearl said.
In the announcement video, Pearl says he is not running for U.S. Senate, as it has been rumored for the last several months. He will remain at Auburn as a special assistant to athletic director John Cohen.
“Many of you know I thought and prayed about maybe running for United States senate, maybe to be the next great senator from the state of Alabama,” Pearl said in the video. “That would have required leaving Auburn… The university has given me an opportunity to stay here and be Auburn's senator. I need to focus now on being a great husband, being a great father, being the best grandfather I can possibly be.
“At the same time, as an ambassador at Auburn, I'm gonna do everything I can to keep being Auburn be the very best version of what it can possibly be... trying to lead, trying to be an Auburn man and let this continue to be the best Everything School anywhere in the country.”
Here’s more of what we’ve heard about Bruce Pearl’s retirement and Steven Pearl’s elevation to the head coaching job: