Sonny Smith was the head coach of the Auburn basketball program from 1978 to 1989 and won 173 games during his tenure on the Plains. He also did something that not even Bruce Pearl was able to do. He led the Tigers to the NCAA Tournament in five straight seasons (1984-1988). His most successful year was 1986 in which Auburn made it to the Elite Eight losing to the eventual national champion Louisville Cardinals. 

Unfortunately, those were the only five times Smith made the tournament and his AU career came to an end after the 1989 season. Pearl led the Tigers to The Dance six times overall (it would’ve been seven if the postseason had not been canceled due to Covid) and was on a four-year streak when he abruptly retired before this season. 

Andy Graham is a co-host of Auburn Blitz and his column appears here weekly.