Todd Golden 'extremely excited' for friend Steven Pearl to take over as Auburn head coach

News broke on Monday that Steven Pearl will replace his father, Bruce Pearl, as the new head coach of the Auburn Tigers men’s basketball team. The shocking move has led to many reactions among the college basketball world.

That includes Florida head coach Todd Golden, who was on Auburn’s staff alongside Steven under his father from 2014-2016. Steven Pearl wasn’t promoted to an on-court assistant until after Golden left, but their relationship goes way back. It’s clear the national championship-winning head coach has respect for the newest head coach in the SEC.

“I’m extremely excited for my great friend Steven Pearl as he begins this opportunity to lead the men’s basketball program at Auburn University,” Golden said in a statement shared to social media. “Steven and I have grown very close over the past twenty years. From being teammates and playing together in Australia and Israel, to coaching together in the early years at Auburn, as well as competing against each other in last year’s NCAA Final Four – I know Steven is prepared and ready to continue the upward trajectory of the Auburn Men’s Basketball program.

“Steven has a great defensive mind and the results of Auburn being a top ten defensive team in three of the last four years speak to that. He is also a fantastic talent evaluator and recruiter.”

Golden called Steven Pearl an “integral part” of Auburn men’s basketball’s meteoric rise to being a premier college basketball program alongside his father. Highlighted by his many roles while with the program — which started as the assistant strength and conditioning coach in 2014 — Golden reiterated that he’s been the one constant on Auburn’s coaching staff throughout his father’s tenure.

In turn, he’s been promoted steadily throughout his career. Now, Steven Pearl will take over his father’s seat with lofty expectations to live up to.

He added that while he’s excited to see his friend take this next step as Auburn’s head coach, Golden will be sure to show his love and support to the former longtime Auburn assistant — “unless the Tigers are playing the Gators!!”

Auburn and Florida will meet just one time during the regular season, which comes on Jan. 24 in Gainesville. Many expected this to be a massive showdown between two of the best teams in the SEC before Bruce Pearl stepped down. It remains to be seen if the matchup inside the Exactech Arena at Stephen C. O’Connell Center will live up to the same hype under his son, Steven.