On today’s episode of Longshore and McKnight, John and Barry kicked it off with pre-season coaches polls!
Texas captured the No. 1 spot for the first time in program history, narrowly edging out Ohio State. Alabama slotted in at No. 8, raising questions from John about whether a 9-4 team with a new quarterback deserved a top-10 ranking. Auburn, unranked but receiving 50 votes, hovered just outside the poll, trailing Baylor, the Tigers’ Week 1 opponent. John and Barry couldn’t underscore enough how little faith they put in the poll’s validity, arguing that most ballots are filled out by assistants or SIDs, not the head coaches themselves.
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Moving on to new talent, Auburn’s true freshman wide receiver Omar Madsen continues to gain steam in fall camp, earning first-team reps and praise from Hugh Freeze. The coaching staff has reportedly tailored its teaching style to individual psychological profiles, reflecting a broader shift in how programs manage today’s NIL-era athletes. That adjustment loomed large after Freeze expressed a desire to shield starting quarterback Holden Geriner from pressure in practice to preserve his confidence.
Meanwhile, Auburn golf standout Jackson Koivun remained an amateur despite three top-11 PGA finishes, leaving major prize money on the table. His decision, in an NIL-driven landscape, signaled both his commitment to Auburn and the evolving economics of college athletics.
