The season is a challenging and frustrating one for Auburn kicker Alex McPherson.
A persistent gastrointestinal illness, later identified as ulcerative colitis, limited him to only one appearance all year. The condition led to severe weight fluctuations, with his weight dropping to just 110 pounds at one point.
After undergoing surgery in December, McPherson has returned to kicking and is aiming to regain the form he showed earlier in his time with the Tigers.”I’m really excited to be back on the practice field and doing what I love,” McPherson told reporters on Wednesday. “It’s been awesome being with the team again for spring practice. All the effort and time we put in trying to navigate everything is finally starting to pay off.”
McPherson said he’s currently feeling “about 90%,” which is a major improvement from where he was during the season. In his only game appearance against Kentucky in late October, he felt good going into the week, but started losing weight again.
He played that game at just 135 pounds and estimated he was only operating at about 65% of his full strength.
“I’m grateful I had the chance to play,” McPherson said, “but in hindsight, I probably wasn’t ready.”
On December 20, he underwent surgery to remove his entire large intestine. Doctors told him he could still play football while using an ostomy bag, which he now has.
“The surgery was life-changing. Without it, I wouldn’t be here or playing football again,” McPherson said. “It was absolutely the right call for me and my family, and I’m thankful I went through with it.”
With McPherson back on the roster, Auburn enters the 2025 season with strong competition at the kicker position. Returning kickers Towns McGough and Ian Vachon are joined by Connor Gibbs, a transfer from Southern Miss.
“The competition has really pushed all of us to improve,” McPherson said. “It’s helped me get back into a competitive mindset and progress faster than I likely would have otherwise. It’s been a big boost.”