Auburn’s WR room just lost its spring standout to a rules violation. Auburn’s offseason took another turn after Arizona’s transfer safety Jack Luttrell medically retired from the football team. With Alex Golesh already facing instability, they have now removed their redshirt freshman WR from the roster. Looks like the roster nightmare is not yet over for the team.

As per sportswriter Bryan Matthews’ X post, Auburn has removed wide receiver Duke Smith from its roster. A team spokesperson confirmed the news. The source also confirms that this move was made because Smith violated team rules. This came at a very crucial time, as Smith was seen as a player who could make an immediate impact.

He came into the team in 2025 from Selma, Alabama. Smith, along with his brother Erick Smith, was one of the four returning wide receivers from last season. And during spring practice, Smith showed his skills and impressed the team, too. This is exactly why his presence was very crucial for the team.

But Auburn is very particular regarding its rules violations. Duke Smith is not the only one who was removed from the team because of it. Back in 2017, wide receiver Kyle Davis was taken out by then-head coach Gus Malzahn. Then, most recently, there’s running back Damari Alston, who was also dismissed because of not meeting “expectations and standards.”

Smith barely saw the field. According to Pro Football Focus, he saw seven snaps all season and faced even steeper competition in 2026. But getting snaps in the 2026 season was also very tough for him. Auburn added five transfer wide receivers from South Florida.

This has already created a lot of competition between the rooms. Plus, returning players like Bryce Cain and Sam Turner were also in the mix, while DeShawn Spencer, Brian Williams Jr., and Brady Marchese also entered the packed room.

Auburn hasn’t disclosed specifics, but Smith is gone and may land in the transfer portal come January. But that’s not the only major problem that sits on Alex Golesh’s shoulders.

Auburn faces a major warning ahead of the 2026 season

Auburn fans feel hopeful about the future because Alex Golesh came into the team. Since 2021, Auburn has changed coaches three times, so fans are wondering if they have finally found the right person to lead the program. However, if Auburn wants to become a championship contender again, it must solve one big problem.

That problem is beating its biggest rivals, Alabama and Georgia.

Louisiana Sports writer Hunt Palmer points out that Auburn has struggled against both teams for many years. Even though Alabama is no longer coached by Nick Saban and Georgia is not as dominant as it once was, Auburn still has trouble winning those games.

The numbers show how difficult it has been. Auburn has beaten Georgia only once in the last 13 years and Alabama only twice in the last 12 years. Since Auburn’s famous “Prayer at Jordan-Hare” and “Kick Six” victories in 2013, Alabama and Georgia have combined to win 22 of their 25 games against the Tigers.

Auburn faces an even tougher challenge in 2026 because it has to play both Alabama and Georgia on their home fields, where they are usually very hard to beat.

The Tigers have not won at Alabama’s Bryant-Denny Stadium since 2010, when Cam Newton led Auburn to a comeback victory. They have also not beaten Georgia in Athens since 2005. That means Auburn has gone more than 15 years without winning at Alabama and more than 20 years without winning at Georgia.

This makes Alex Golesh’s first season even more difficult. Let’s wait and see if Alex Golesh is able to break this drought or not.