Steven Pearl -- his son, and an associate head coach who has been with Auburn since Bruce Pearl took the helm in 2014 -- will take the reins as the Tigers look to make another NCAA tournament run. How does his retirement impact the Tigers' NCAA tournament outlook? But Steven Pearl has to keep Pettiford on the team and then make sure the incoming transfers move forward as well. Steven Pearl will be expected to build on his father's legacy and keep Auburn in the conversation near the top of the conference. Even with Bruce Pearl, this team wasn't going to be the favorite in the league or a favorite to go to back-to-back Final Fours.