Auburn's Georgia Upset Didn't Hide the Problems Alex Golesh Still Wants Fixed

The Auburn Tigers are coming off one of their biggest wins in recent memory after knocking off No. 1 Georgia in Athens, but Alex Golesh isn't letting his team get too comfortable.

Golesh met with reporters Monday to discuss the victory and preview Saturday's matchup against LSU.

Here are my three biggest takeaways from his press conference.

Golesh was pleased with how Auburn responded after falling behind 14-0, but he made it clear that the Tigers still have plenty to clean up.

Auburn committed 11 penalties and dropped five passes against Georgia.

And despite forcing three turnovers, the offense managed just three points off those opportunities.

"I don't want to let the win then cover up everything that's going on. That's where the inconsistencies will come from," Golesh said.

I think that's an important message.

Auburn deserved to celebrate Saturday's victory, but the Tigers can't afford to believe they've suddenly fixed everything.

Especially with LSU coming to town.

One of the most encouraging things about Auburn's performance against Georgia was how the offense adjusted following the bye week.

Golesh explained that the coaching staff spent time identifying Auburn's weaknesses and finding ways to create advantages.

That included using Byrum Brown more in the running game and improving the blocking from Auburn's receivers and tight ends.

"I thought we did a good job of matching it up," Golesh said.

And perhaps more importantly, Golesh acknowledged that Auburn's previous execution problems weren't entirely on the players.

"We're not executing because we obviously don't understand something. Let's go back and detail it out and teach it from day one."

That's something I found particularly interesting.

Auburn's offense still has plenty of room for improvement, but the adjustments against Georgia were encouraging.

Now the challenge is building on them.

Auburn's defense entered the Georgia game with legitimate concerns about its ability to stop the run.

But the Tigers held Georgia to 113 rushing yards and forced three turnovers.

Golesh praised Elijah Melendez, Bryce Deas, and De'Marcus Riddick for their physicality and execution.

He also discussed the development of Auburn's younger defensive players, who are still learning how to prepare and perform consistently.

"They're still learning. And just as much as they're still learning how to play, they're learning how to win," Golesh said.

And I think Saturday showed how much progress that group has made.

Auburn's defense isn't a finished product, but the performance against Georgia was a significant step forward.

Now we'll see whether the Tigers can carry that momentum into another difficult matchup against LSU.