Former Tennessee Vols assistant coach labeled as a 'name to know' for next coaching carousel

Former Tennessee Vols offensive coordinator Alex Golesh was named this week by On3 as a "name to know" for the next college football coaching carousel. 

Golesh, who served as Tennessee's offensive coordinator/tight ends coach from 2021 to 2022, took over as the head coach at USF ahead of the 2023 season. 

The Bulls went 7-6 in Golesh's first season after going 1-11 the previous year. 

From On3: Alex Golesh, USF: After completing the second-best turnaround in college football last season and leading USF to its first bowl appearance since 2018, Golesh is a name to watch. The Bulls return quarterback Byrum Brown, who thrived in Golesh’s system and became the program’s first 3,000-yard passer. Now expected to compete for an American Athletic Conference title, Golesh finished with the league’s No. 2 recruiting class in the 2024 cycle

USF has a chance to reach the College Football Playoff in 2024 via an automatic bid. Golesh was part of a turnaround at Tennessee that saw the Vols go from 7-6 in 2021 to 11-2 in 2022, so it certainly would be a surprise if the former Vols assistant coach works some magic in Tampa this fall. 

If USF reaches the playoff in 2024, Golesh will likely be an in-demand name in coaching searches. He has a good thing going at USF and he seems happy there (who wouldn't want to live and work in Tampa?), but if a major Power-4 job comes calling, it could be tough for Golesh to turn it down.