Hosting over 200 legends during a critical spring window seemed like a logistical nightmare to some. But for Auburn’s head coach, Alex Golesh, it wasn’t a distraction, but a well-calculated defense mechanism to show his portal-heavy roster exactly what the championship standard looks like.

“We’ve made a huge, huge emphasis on getting our former players,” Golesh said this week. “Jeris McIntyre’s only job here, besides cultivating relationships with high-school coaches in our state and states surrounding us, is to bring back every former player. And that’s from Cam and Takeo, to a walk-on in the ’80s.”

Golesh and his Director of Alumni Relations, Jeris McIntyre, have been working overtime to make sure these greats feel welcome and respected when they return. Golesh wants them to feel like the facility is their second home.

“When those guys walk back into this building, with their families and their buddies, they should feel like they built this place — because they did,” Golesh said. “That’s been an emphasis from day 1 for me.”

The star power on the sidelines was absolutely off the charts. You had the likes of Heisman winner Cam Newton and Takeo Spikes himself. Many of them were speaking to the players, took the mic, and shared their wisdom and knowledge. According to Justin Hokanson of On3, Spikes literally was wandering around the halls and talking to anybody who was in front of him. Even Cam Newton had a weight session with a bunch of the Tigers.

This ‘Alumni Day’ reunion is a big part of Golesh’s master plan for the 2026 season. Since he just took over, the roster is in the middle of a turnover. There are about 60 new players on the team right now, including nearly 40 guys from the transfer portal. When you have that many new faces, the best way to teach them about the “Auburn Way” fast is by bringing the former Tigers. The former Tennessee OC is basically giving his new squad a live-action history lesson.

Alex Golesh doubled down and said when former players ask how they can help, Golesh keeps his answer simple: “Be around… Let our players feel your energy.” He also mentioned greats like Bo Jackson, Ronnie Brown, and Willie Anderson, who still reach out to help. Golesh believes it’s some of the best decisions he made in Auburn’s shirt: “Those dudes brought energy… It’s incredible for our players to meet them.”

However, out of all the lettermen, Cam Newton apparently had the biggest advice for Auburn Tigers athletes and their parents.

Cam Newton’s blunt advice for 2026 to the Auburn Tigers

Since winning the Natty in 2010 with Cam Newton and coming close again in 2013, the Auburn Tigers never sniffed that level of run ever again. In fact, things have gotten worse than ever before. Auburn has failed to clinch a winning season since 2020, despite putting millions into the transfer portal.

At the same time, there is growing frustration around NIL money. Some parents of players are asking for bigger payments before their kids prove themselves on the field. That doesn’t sit well with Cam Newton.

“If they ain’t about winning, they can get out of my face and go back to where they came from. I’m tired of supporting something that’s not winning! Can you deliver that message to the parents? Especially to the parents. Before they ask for money, WE. WANT. WINNERS. That’s our restitution. We give you money, you give us wins, and if you don’t. CTRL. ALT. DELETE,” Cam Newton said.

Newton feels like the culture has become too focused on individual success and money instead of team success. He believes players today are thinking ‘me first’. Similarly, Cam Newton seems a bit frustrated seeing players get paid while the Tigers continue to lose games.