Steven Pearl: Promoted to Associate Head Coach

[toddc 13,194]

Steven Pearl promoted to Auburn associate head coach

Pearl has been an assistant on his father's staff since 2017

Nathan King36 mins

 

Entering his seventh season coaching under his father on the Plains and 10th on Auburn's staff overall, Steven Pearl has received a significant promotion ahead of the Tigers' 2023-24 campaign.

Pearl has now been elevated to associate head coach at Auburn, source closes to the program have informed Auburn Undercover. The program officially announced the news later in the day Tuesday.

“Steven has been an integral part of the success that we’ve had at Auburn from the beginning,” Bruce Pearl said. “Many people may forget that he started as an assistant strength coach and worked his way up through our program. He has been able to recruit and coach at a very high level. His ability to communicate and teach our system to our players is second to none. He is truly one of the best assistant coaches in the country and has earned this promotion.”

After playing 101 games under his father at Tennessee, Steven joined Auburn’s staff when Bruce was hired, first contributing in a support role, as director of operations and an assistant strength coach. He received his first career assistant coaching job prior to the 2017-18 season — when Auburn won its first SEC championship in 19 years and made the NCAA tournament for the first time in 15 years. Steven's been a part of three SEC championships and seven NCAA tournament wins, including the program's first-ever Final Four appearance in 2019.

“I am so incredibly grateful for this opportunity and the trust so many people here at Auburn have put in me,” Steven said. “To BP, our administration, the board, our amazing coaching staff, our student-athletes, supporters of our program and the Auburn family at large — thank you for this honor. I recognize how privileged I am to be able to come to work every day for the Auburn men’s basketball program, and I do not take that for granted."

In 2021-22, Steven notched the first head-coaching win of his career. Bruce served a two-game suspension as part of the NCAA's penalties toward the program. Now-former assistant Wes Flanigan coached the first of the two games — a win over Nebraska at a neutral site in Atlanta — and Steven finished things off with a 70-44 home win over UNA. According to Auburn media relations, it marked the fourth time in Division-I college basketball that a son has taken over coaching duties in a game for his father during a season (Bob and Pat Knight at Indiana for 11 games; Eddie and Sean Sutton at Oklahoma State for nine games; and Charlie and Jay Spoonhour at UNLV for 10 games).

Auburn had to replace an assistant coach this offseason for the first time in five years, after Flanigan left to join Chris Beard's staff at Ole Miss. Former Texas Tech, Arkansas and Florida State assistant Corey Williams was hired as his replacement, and Auburn enters 2023-24 with Steven Pearl, Williams and Ira Bowman as its assistant coaches. Chad Prewett, Mike Burgomaster and Marquis Daniels are reprising their roles as director of operations, recruiting coordinator and director of player development, respectively.

"The end goal is to one day win a national championship here at Auburn," Pearl said on the Auburn Undercover Podcast earlier this year. "If that means one day I'm able to take over, that'd be great. Until then, we're here day in and day out, trying to reward Auburn, the board of trustees, the administration and the fans for their passion and their loyalty."

Auburn begins its 2023-24 campaign Nov. 7 against Baylor in a neutral-site matchup in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

[Rednilla 5,397]

You know, I don't know anything about how much of the coaching/recruiting/etc. is Steven being a chip off the old block vs. getting the opportunity just because his dad is the head coach (and looking good only because his dad is so good at what he does), but I'd sure like to believe it's the first one. If it is the first one, then I don't know whether remaining under/eventually taking over for his dad would prepare him better for being a head coach, or if he'd be better served going to a smaller program and working his way up the coaching ranks himself. 

But how nice would it be for Bruce to win at least one NC, and then in 5-10 years retire, leaving the team to Steven, who continues the successful program his father built for another 15-20 years?

[gravejd 3,271]

Coaching handoffs never seem to go well. I’d prefer Steven get some HC experience elsewhere before taking over. 
 

But very happy for him to get this raise and title. I have no doubt he has been an important piece in building up our basketball program. Thank you for your efforts coach!

[Rednilla 5,397]

19 minutes ago, gravejd said:

Coaching handoffs never seem to go well.

That is very true, but it's going to be difficult for anyone to take over for Bruce because there's only one Bruce. Even if Steven were to leave for HC experience elsewhere, I'm not sure he'd be able to take over immediately following his dad and expect not to see a dip of some sort. I guess maybe the best thing for Steven's chances of being the head coach here would be to get HC experience elsewhere, let someone else be hired when Bruce retires, and then if/when that coach doesn't work out then we evaluate Steven and see if he'd be a good fit at that juncture.

But that's getting way ahead of ourselves. I'm hoping Bruce is in his position for another decade.