Alex Golesh has watched his roster disintegrate faster than you can say “transfer portal.” Over two dozen players have entered the portal. Two of them were star wide receiver Cam Coleman and freshman quarterback Deuce Knight. Golesh and his staff were trying to convince some players to reconsider, but the harsh reality of modern college football NIL economics hit Auburn like a freight train. 

Auburn insider Cole Kingston talked about the grim situation when discussing the Tigers’ retention efforts. “There are a few guys they’re working on. I’m not sure yet if they’re going to be able to do it,” Kingston explained. “Cam Coleman, he’s going to make some money somewhere. Deuce Knight, he’s going to make some money somewhere. So you know it’s going to be tough to compete and bring that back while you’re also trying to build your roster. You got to remember that part of it.” 

How do you convince elite players to stay when you’re also trying to rebuild an entire roster through the portal? And every dollar spent on retention is a dollar you can’t spend on roster construction. These are the questions that Alex Golesh has to navigate his way through.

Cam Coleman is the crown jewel of Auburn’s potential departures. The former No. 5 overall recruit in the 2024 ESPN 300 hauled in 56 receptions for 708 yards and five touchdowns during the 2025 season despite playing in one of the nation’s worst offenses. Coleman was the rare bright spot in an Auburn passing attack that ranked 99th nationally. 

He instantly became one of the top-ranked players in the transfer portal rankings when news broke of his decision to leave. Given that elite wide receivers are commanding NIL deals in the $1 million to $2 million range in today’s market, Auburn would need to pony up significant resources to keep Coleman. 

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Deuce Knight’s situation is equally complicated, albeit for different reasons. The five-star quarterback was the No. 28 overall player and No. 5 quarterback in the 2025 recruiting class. He came to Auburn with close to seven figures in NIL value. Knight appeared in just two games during the 2025 season, but his one start against Mercer showed flashes of why he was so highly recruited. He became the first Auburn quarterback since Cam Newton in 2010 to rush for four touchdowns in a single game.

Now the question is, should Golesh spend millions to retain two quality players? The practical answer is no. Golesh has to build an entire roster to fit his coaching style, and investing millions into just two players won’t cut it for Auburn, not in Golesh’s first year, at least.  Losing both Coleman and Knight would be a devastating blow to perception and recruiting momentum. But keeping them might be an even bigger mistake if it hamstrings Golesh’s ability to build a complete roster. 

The Deuce Knight solution

The answer to Auburn’s NIL dilemma walked through the door on Saturday when South Florida quarterback Byrum Brown scheduled his first transfer portal visit to the Plains. Brown, who spent the last three years running Alex Golesh’s offense at USF, is the reason Auburn can afford to let Deuce Knight walk without panicking.

He’s a proven commodity who already knows the system. He doesn’t require months of development and comes without the $600,000-plus price tag that Knight commands. In 2025, Brown posted impressive numbers. He led all FBS quarterbacks with 42 total touchdowns while averaging 347.2 yards of total offense per game. 

He completed 66.3% of his passes for 3,158 yards and 28 touchdowns against just seven interceptions, while also rushing for 1,008 yards and 14 more scores. He becomes just the 12th FBS player ever to throw for 3,000 yards and rush for 1,000 in the same season.

Under Golesh at USF, the Bulls went 9-4 and upset then-No. 25 Boise State and then-No. 13 Florida. They climbed as high as No. 18 in the AP poll. Brown is a senior with one year of eligibility left who can step in Day 1 and run Golesh’s offense at an elite level because he’s literally been doing it for three years.​This is why Auburn can stomach losing Knight without completely derailing Golesh’s rebuild.