Auburn is preparing for its annual A-Day football game, which will take place on April 15. The event will be the first gameday experience at Jordan-Hare Stadium for 60 newcomers to the Tigers’ roster.
The A-Day scrimmage offers an important opportunity for both players and coaches to adjust to a live-game atmosphere before the upcoming season. Head coach Alex Golesh said Auburn’s first stadium scrimmage last week was a memorable moment. “It’s awesome for our kids to play in an environment that is different,” Golesh said. “Our players, it will be big for them in an environment where people are around. For half this team, including the coaches, it’s the first time in the stadium in front of people.”
Golesh encouraged fans to attend Saturday’s free scrimmage, saying their presence would help simulate what the team can expect during fall games. “It will [be] the last time they get to do it before you do it in real life in Atlanta in a couple months,” Golesh said. “For us to take a step, we need that. We need some crowd noise, we need distraction, we need things going, for us to get a full live rep at it.”
The format of A-Day features Auburn’s offense facing off against its defense over four quarters with unique scoring rules: offenses earn points not only through touchdowns but also by achieving first downs and big plays; defenses can score via turnovers or defensive stops.
Golesh highlighted both competition and preparation as key goals of the day: “We need another day of offense versus defense,” he said. “Everybody needs it, the coaches need it as well. We’ll play it like a real game. It’ll be uber competitive. We’ve got to find an award for the winner.”
With favorable weather expected and postgame activities planned—including an autograph session—Golesh expressed hope that fans would fill Jordan-Hare Stadium: “It’ll be a fun day,” he said. “It’s football in the spring in Auburn, Alabama. What else do you want? I’d be super grateful to pack this thing out. We’ll give them a show, we’ll make it fun.”
