Auburn Struck Late Magic with Alex Golesh Hire

AUBURN, Ala. — In what feels like a jolt to the college football world (and a kick in the teeth to plenty of head-scratchers), Alex Golesh is the new head coach of Auburn Tigers — and y’all better sit up and take notice. Athletic director John Cohen pulled the trigger Sunday, less than two hours after the Tigers’ gut-wrenching loss in the Iron Bowl to their hated rivals.

In a season where many figured interim coach D.J. Durkin might get the nod, Cohen instead cut through the noise and got the man he really wanted.

From Tampa turnaround artist to Plains’ man

Golesh arrives on The Plains after three seasons with the South Florida Bulls (USF), where he resurrected a program that was flat-on-its-back. When he took over, the Bulls had won just four games over the previous three seasons; under Golesh they compiled a 23-15 record. The 2025 campaign alone ended 9-3, with USF’s offense exploding for more than 500 total yards per game and averaging 43.0 points — second nationally in total offense (501.7 yards) and among the top 5 in scoring.

That kind of production demanded attention. Quarterback Byrum Brown became the 12th FBS player ever to throw for 3,000 yards and rush for 1,000 in a season — a rare “dual-threat” explosion that matched Golesh’s tempo-heavy, downfield-ready scheme.

Before his USF run, Golesh cut his teeth in the SEC as offensive coordinator and tight ends coach with the Tennessee Volunteers from 2021-22. And boy, did that offense cook: after ranking 108th nationally before his arrival, Tennessee soared to No. 7 in total offense in 2021 — then to No. 1 in 2022. The Vols led the nation in scoring (47.3 ppg), total offense (538.1 ypg), yards per play (7.35), and points per possession. That 2022 squad was the only one in the country to average over 300 passing AND 200 rushing yards per game.

He coached future NFL talent, set school records, earned a spot as a finalist for the Broyles Award, and picked up the 247Sports Offensive Coordinator of the Year honor.

Why this hurts — and helps — Auburn right now

Auburn fans have suffered through offense that sputtered like a ’69 Plymouth with a clogged carburetor for too long. The last six seasons saw the Tigers’ offense languish in the bottom half of the SEC. Golesh comes in promising a shot of nitrous. Cohen didn’t just hire a “next in line” or a stopgap — he hired a ball-coach.

I know, I know — you’re looking sideways at me because you saw the Iron Bowl, and you know I bleed crimson. Hell, if a Bama-born scribe is nodding at this Auburn move, that should tell you something. The man has vision; the man has results; and the man now has a whole SEC season to prove he can convert numbers into wins in the toughest conference there is.

But let’s be fair: there are some warning flags. Golesh went just 1–7 against American Athletic Conference (AAC) teams with winning records during his USF tenure. That’s not exactly a killer stat when building confidence for SEC competition. Supporters argue he inherited a flaming-hot mess at USF — and still turned it into a nationally respected program in three years. I reckon that’s fair.