Todd Golden shares excitement to face former boss Bruce Pearl in SEC play

Todd Golden knows what it’s like to coach in the SEC after coaching at Auburn from 2014-17. Now, the new Florida coach is leading his own program in the league — and his former boss awaits him on the schedule.

Golden was part of Bruce Pearl’s first staff at Auburn in 2014, and he’ll face his former boss Dec. 28. It doesn’t sound like the former San Francisco coach is dealing with many nerves, though.

“I’m kind of looking forward to competing against him, to be honest,” Golden said at SEC Media Days. “I think it’s going to be really fun. We’re both really, really big-time competitors. We love each other off the floor. But once we get in between the lines, it’s going to be a great competition.”

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Golden worked by Pearl’s side from 2014-17 before becoming a first-time head coach at San Francisco, where he took the Dons to their first NCAA Tournament since 1998 a year ago. He’s now replacing Mike White at Florida, and he’s taking lessons from Pearl with him to Gainesville.

“He is one of the hardest workers I’ve ever been around,” Golden said of Pearl. “I was fortunate enough to be with him when he first got the job at Auburn. Transparently, we had a lot of work to do in regards to recruiting and building up the program. Just seeing his work ethic and how he led the group was really inspiring. I’ve always really respected how hard he is able to get his players to play for him and for the program. Those are a couple of things that I definitely have taken from him.”

The two go back beyond their time together in Auburn, though. Golden played for Pearl in 2009 during the Maccabiah Games in Israel, then joined him as an assistant coach on The Plains five years later.

Their bond runs deep — and that made it special when Golden delivered the good news about the Florida job.

“He has been a big champion of mine over my career,” Golden said. “Even as a player when I played for him in 2009 in Israel. We go way back. About 2005 is when I first met Bruce. Steven and I, his son, played together on a team that played in Australia. He is a mentor of mine.

“I think for him, it was almost probably like a proud dad moment, you know, to see someone who had worked for him and kind of helped him build the foundation of Auburn, get an opportunity to run a program like Florida. I know he was proud of me, and he let me know that.”