HotFootballTake Opinion: I Didn't Want Alex Golesh. But I'm In and He Has My Unbridled Support. Here's Why.

I'll be honest—when the news dropped that Auburn had hired Alex Golesh, I wasn't thrilled. It felt like a reach. Another "next big thing" from a Group of Five school. Another offensive guy with no ties to Auburn, no SEC head coaching experience, and no big-name pedigree. After the Hugh Freeze implosion, I wanted certainty. I wanted someone who made sense on paper and on instinct. Golesh? At first, he didn’t check those boxes.

But the more I dig in… the more I’m starting to believe Auburn might’ve actually gotten this one right.

From Moscow to the SEC: Who This Guy Really Is

Golesh was born in Moscow during the collapse of the Soviet Union. His family moved to the U.S. when he was seven. His dad drove trucks. His mom worked in nursing homes. Golesh never played college football, never coasted off a last name, never had a booster pushing him forward.

He started as a GA at Ohio State, paid his dues at Illinois and Iowa State, then broke out as Josh Heupel’s right hand at Tennessee. When Heupel took the Vols job in 2021, he handed Golesh the keys to the offense. The results were immediate and staggering.

In one year, Tennessee jumped from 108th to 7th nationally in scoring. In year two, they were first in both scoring and total offense. Golesh was a Broyles Award finalist, and his work made Hendon Hooker a household name. That offense was terrifying.

And then he left to take over a USF program that had won four games in three years. That’s football hospice. But Golesh didn’t blink.

USF’s Resurrection and the Data That Changed My Mind

USF went from a 1-11 embarrassment to a 7-6 bowl winner in Golesh’s first season. In 2025, they finished 9-3 with wins over Boise State and Florida in The Swamp. They had the #2 offense in the country in yards, and the #4 scoring offense. His quarterback, Byrum Brown, joined Lamar Jackson and Johnny Manziel as one of the only FBS players to pass for 3,000 yards and rush for 1,000 in the same season.

Let me repeat that: South Florida had a Lamar-level quarterback under Golesh. That's not an accident. That’s a system that works.

This wasn’t a guy calling plays off vibes. This was structure. Process. Execution. That’s what Auburn has lacked for nearly a decade. It’s been flash with no plan. Now we’re getting a guy who wins with a stopwatch and a spreadsheet.

And he’s not just a scheme guy. He’s a program builder. He recruited elite classes at USF. He flipped their culture. He embarrassed Tom Herman after FAU pulled an onside kick up 42 the year before—and that handshake moment? Where Golesh refused to look Herman in the eye? Petty? Sure. But SEC-level petty. I like that edge.

But Let Me Be Clear About One Thing…

There’s one thing I hated. During this season’s USF–Navy game, a Bulls defender sacked Blake Horvath—the Navy QB—and then stood over him and saluted. That rubbed me the wrong way. You don’t taunt the service academies like that. You don’t mock guys who will go defend this country after the game ends. Celebrate the sack, sure. Just don’t be disrespectful.

That moment genuinely pissed me off. And I hope Golesh addresses it now that he’s in charge at Auburn. I don’t want to see our players doing that kind of thing. It’s not just bad optics—it’s not who we are. Auburn can play with fire without losing class. That’s non-negotiable for me.

What This Means for Auburn (And Why I’m Leaning In)

Here’s the bottom line: for the first time in a long time, Auburn made a decision based on data, not drama.

Golesh inherits a talented roster, and if he can keep guys like Malcolm Simmons, Cam Coleman, Deuce Knight and Jeremiah Cobb, this thing can take off quickly. He’s signing a six-year deal worth over $7 million per year—proof Auburn is serious. If he brings in the right OC and retains DJ Durkin on defense, Auburn could be dangerous next season.

He’s not a savior. He’s not a celebrity. But he’s smart, and smart is what we’ve needed for a long time. Golesh has built real programs, developed real quarterbacks, and put up real numbers. That’s more than most Auburn hires could say in year one.

I didn’t want him. But now? I’m glad we have him.

Just clean up the taunting. Win the pressers and the games. And show us what a real, modern offense looks like again.

Because if Golesh is who the numbers say he is?

We just hired the best coach no one saw coming.