Kalen DeBoer has a new counterpart in the Iron Bowl rivalry after Auburn moved on from Hugh Freeze and replaced him with former USF head coach Alex Golesh. While DeBoer and Golesh have yet to square off on the field, they’re already engaged in a few battles on the recruiting trail.
Golesh drew first blood, landing a commitment from in-state four-star defensive lineman Donivan Moore in February, one of two Auburn commits in the 2027 class. Alabama has three commits in next year’s class, and the Tide aren’t giving up their pursuit of Moore to become No. 4.
In an interview with Touchdown Alabama, Moore told Justin Smith that defensive line coach Freddie Roach made it clear that he wasn’t backing off after Moore announced his commitment to the Tigers last month.
“That contact has been good,” Moore said. “I talk to coach Freddie. He calls my mom to check up on her and stuff like that. He told me just because I’m committed, he’s not going to stop recruiting me. I respect a man like that.”
Defensive line coach Freddie Roach isn’t letting up in his pursuit of Donivan Moore
Moore is a top 100 player in the 2027 class according to 247Sports Composite Ratings, and the No. 2 player in Alabama. At 6-foot-4, 280 pounds, the Hueytown High School product is the type of elite player in the trenches that DeBoer and general manager Courtney Morgan have prioritized on the recruiting trail in recent years.
Moore spoke with Touchdown Alabama about wanting to improve his body during his final year of high school, and he may need to add a bit of size to play on the interior for Alabama defensive coordinator Kane Wommack early in his career.
Still, it’s clear that flipping him is a priority for DeBoer’s staff, and if they’re able to pull it off, it would send a serious message to Golesh as he tries to get the Auburn program out of the rut it has been stuck in since the end of the Gus Malzahn era in 2020. Alabama has flexed its might with six straight Iron Bowl wins, and to keep that streak going, the Tide need to stay ahead on the recruit trail as well.