Another Alabama senator named ‘coach’? There’s some talk about it.
With Sen. Tommy Tuberville announcing a run for governor on Tuesday, there’s already discussion about who will replace him. And one of the names being floated is Auburn men’s basketball coach Bruce Pearl, an outspoken Israel supporter and opponent of antisemitism.
One person familiar with the situation said they heard Pearl plans to run — he’s chairman of the U.S. Israel Education Association, and he was on Capitol Hill just last week. His X feed, meanwhile, isn’t what one would typically expect of a head college coach: One of his most recent posts calls for dismantling Iran’s nuclear program.
Despite his clear interest in some political issues, others are skeptical Pearl would ever get into the race and see him as a longshot, given his success on the court.
After all, there’s a $6 million reason why he might decide to stay at Auburn, where Pearl led his team to the Final Four this spring. He was also honored earlier this year as the Associated Press co-coach of the year.
“The compensation is a little bit different,” Tuberville told Semafor before his Tuesday announcement. “I wouldn’t let him do it because he did such a good job at Auburn. We need him there.”
Tuberville said he did not believe Pearl would go through it. Pearl could not be reached for comment for this story despite several attempts.
