Auburn coach Bruce Pearl has surgery, is expected on sideline for 1st game

Published Nov. 4, 2014 10:09 p.m. ET

foxsports

Auburn coach Bruce Pearl has undergone back surgery but isn't expected to miss any time on the sidelines.

Auburn says Dr. Colby Maher of the Andrews Institute in Pensacola, Florida, operated on Pearl on Tuesday morning

The school says Pearl is expected to be on the sidelines for the Tigers' exhibition game against West Alabama on Friday.

The 54-year-old coach is preparing to start his first season at Auburn. The Tigers open Nov. 14 against Wisconsin-Milwaukee, where Pearl coached from 2001-05.