The college basketball fever is about to sweep the nation next month. And few programs will face more scrutiny than Auburn. All eyes are on Steven Pearl, who steps into one of the toughest roles imaginable: succeeding his father, four-time SEC Coach of the Year, Bruce Pearl. Filling those shoes won’t be easy, and questions about what comes next for Auburn are already swirling. Still, Steven seems calm and ready, determined to move forward on his own terms, while keeping the legacy his father built alive.

Steven Pearl recently sat for an interview with Jon Rothstein for the Inside College Basketball Now podcast. “I’m a little more data-driven, analytically based, as far as how I make decisions. And BP is one of those guys who’s old school… So I think I’m a little more new school in that aspect of things,” said the new Auburn HC. While he sets himself apart from his father, Steven does realize that there is another difference that he will have to work harder towards.

“One of the things that I have to try and work on as a head coach is that my players are going to react to my body language and how I’m conducting myself on the floor. Whereas BP, being a Hall of Fame coach, right, he can be as elevated as he wants. And it’s really not going to throw them off because that’s what they’ve come to know him as… They haven’t seen me do any of these things. So, I got to try and be a little more even-keeled when it comes to how I’m coaching on the sidelines,” he said.

Steven has been part of the Auburn basketball staff since 2014, slowly working his way up. He’s gone from a strength and conditioning assistant to assistant coach to, more recently, the associate head coach. But following the departure of Bruce Pearl, Steven stepped up to the mantle in September. And whether someone likes it or not, his father’s legendary shadow will always follow him. Even as a first-time HC, he will be tasked with keeping that torch lit.

After all, Bruce Pearl has led teams to the NCAA Tournament 14 times during his head coaching career, reaching the Final Four twice. Over his time as a Division I head coach at Milwaukee (2001–2005), Tennessee (2005–2011), and Auburn (2014–2025), he has compiled a record of 477 wins and 244 losses. He took Milwaukee to the tournament twice and guided Tennessee to the NCAA Tournament in each of his six seasons there. At Auburn, Pearl’s squads have qualified for the tournament six times in the past eight years, including a run to the Final Four in 2019.

Last season, he guided the Tigers to a 32-6 record and a Final Four appearance after entering the tournament as the No.1 seed. Not to forget that the elder Pearl is Auburn’s all-time leader in wins as a head coach with 246. Yet, as we said, the younger Pearl is all determined.

Steven Pearl is focused on staying positive while making sure his players know when their effort, especially on defense, isn’t meeting expectations. He stresses the importance of letting him guide them through those moments. Steven also pointed out that his style, both in preparation and during games, is different from his father’s. Unlike Bruce Pearl’s famously fiery approach, Steven believes his players respond better to a calmer, more measured presence on the sidelines.

That approach, however, didn’t work out as planned in the exhibition against Oklahoma State. Despite not being in the AP preseason top 25, Oklahoma State beat 20th-ranked Auburn in overtime, 97–95. While it was an exhibition game, fingers were still pointed, as cries of nepotism emerged, which Steven himself agreed with.

As he puts it, “I fully understand the fact that my situation is so unique and so much different than everyone else’s. I get that, and I understand that may rub people the wrong way. But I get that the main reason why I had this job is because of who my dad is. But we also have an unbelievable staff that has been together for a long time, and that I know is deserving of this opportunity. And it’s way less about me and more about them.”

According to Steven, the decision for head coach had been in the works for nearly three years. Bruce Pearl had informed Athletics Director John Cohen of his plans to step down several years ago. This gave the program ample time to decide between an internal successor and an external hire. Ultimately, Auburn chose to keep it in the family. With Steven now at the helm, all eyes will be on how he steers the team in the upcoming season.

But what’s next for his father is clear as day.

Bruce Pearl reveals his next chapter after retiring from coaching Auburn

After stepping down from his position as Auburn’s head coach, Bruce Pearl is charting a new path in his career. Following an impressive 11-year run with the Tigers, the 65-year-old is moving from the sidelines to the studio. Pearl is joining TNT Sports as an analyst for the upcoming college basketball season. He’ll contribute to the network’s coverage of the Big East and Big 12 conferences.

In addition to his regular studio duties, Pearl will also join TNT’s NCAA Division I Basketball Tournament broadcast team this spring, working alongside host Adam Lefkoe and analysts Jalen Rose and Jamal Mashburn. However, this won’t be his first time behind the mic. Pearl previously spent time with ESPN following his departure from Tennessee in 2011.

Now, as he commits fully to the media role, he walks away from Auburn with a stellar 244-123 overall record. The major question remains whether Steven will be able to replicate that with his new style. With a poor showing at the exhibition game and a drop in ranking in the pre-season polls, it’s not going as smoothly. But maybe Steven will be able to steer the ship correctly once the season starts.