‘Not much longer’: Bruce Pearl discusses how much longer he’ll continue to coach

AUBURN, Ala. (WHNT) — It’s a thought that will put a pit in the stomach of every Auburn fan: Bruce Pearl retiring.

Pearl joined college basketball insider Jon Rothstein on Inside College Basketball and when the question was raised about how much longer Pearl wants to coach, he didn’t shy away from saying the end may be near.

“Not that much longer,” Pearl said. “I think it’s kind of a balance of life, of time, of work. I love Auburn, I truly do. Auburn’s been unbelievable for us and our family.”

Pearl, 65, is by far the best basketball coach the program has ever had. Since stepping foot on the plains in 2014, he has become the Tigers’ all-time wins leader, gone to the Final Four twice, and won three SEC regular season championships and two SEC tournament championships.

He says that a huge factor in when he hangs up the whistle for the final team will be that he goes out when he feels like he’s still at the top of his coaching game.

“Coaches, we want to be at the top of our game because we owe that to our players and our fans,” Pearl said. “As you get a little bit older, you take it one day at a time.”

Pearl added in the conversation with Rothstein that the Tigers’ second Final Four appearance didn’t light a fire in him to break through the Final Four and get the Tigers into the National Championship.

“If I have a good enough team to get there, then I want to try to get there,” Pearl said. “If I don’t, then I want that team to do the best it’s capable of doing. It’s no greater motivation having gotten close and not won a Division 1 National Championship. I want one really badly, but that’s not the reason why.”

Pearl took home co-AP coach of the year this past season. The Tigers will take part in their first exhibition game on Oct. 15.