Razorbacks expected to hire USF's Alex Golesh as next coach

Arkansas finally puts months long search to halt, hires coach with championship level roots

South Florida Bulls head coach Alex Golesh against the South Carolina State Bulldogs during the first quarter at Raymond James Stadium. | Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The Arkansas Razorbacks football program has turned to a rising offensive mind to lead its next era.

Arkansas is set to hire South Florida Bulls coach Alex Golesh to build upon a foundation left by fired sixth-year coach Sam Pittman.

Golesh is set to take over a Razorbacks program that had grown stagnant in recent years after appearing to be on an upward trajectory through the first three games of the 2022 season.

His hiring signifies a change in the program's culture that's seen a high amount of turnover not only with its on the field product but inside the locker room.

At 40 years-old, Golesh becomes Arkansas’ youngest first-time power conference coach since Houston Nutt and first offensively ecentric hire since Bobby Petrino following the 2007 season.

His career includes roles coaches such as Jim Tressel, Mike Gundy, Tim Beckman and Josh Heupel, with whom he helped engineer Tennessee’s resurgence through a tempo-driven system that ranked among the nation’s most efficient attacks.

During his first season at the helm of South Florida in 2023, Golesh took a program that finished 1–11 the year before and improved it to 7–6, one of the strongest turnarounds in the American Conference History.

Speaking during his rise at USF, Golesh described his coaching foundation as “building sustainable habits rather than temporary sparks." That philosophy aligns with Arkansas athletics director Hunter Yurachek’s repeated emphasis on program stability.

Why Arkansas landed on Golesh

The Razorbacks’ search was expected to lean toward established Power Five names, but broadened to successful Group of Five conference coaches. The coaching landscape has shifted rapidly in previous years thinks to NIL, transfer portal and other happenings.

ESPN analyst Greg McElroy praised Golesh’s potential earlier recently, noting that “his system demands discipline but creates accessibility for young quarterbacks to grow quickly. For a program seeking stability behind center, that trait held value to Arkansas as a promising move goinf forward.

Arkansas' offense has been productive this season as a top 15 unit, but undisciplined play such as penalties and turnovers hampered what could've been a stepping stone year for the program.

Golesh’s history suggests immediate attention to structure, tempo, and simplifying reads to open the field horizontally. His Tennessee offenses produced some of the nation’s highest yards-per-attempt numbers, while his USF unit jumped from No. 123 nationally to No. 24 in total offense in just one season.

Roster and recruiting implications

Golesh built recruiting momentum quickly at South Florida, securing one of the program’s highest-rated classes by leaning on relationships in Florida high schools and emphasizing early play opportunities.

Arkansas’ roster is a mix of young skill-position talent and transfer-era fluidity, which should appeal to Golesh’s preference for versatility. Should he opt to keep current assistants onboard, offensvie line coach Eric Mateos would certainly be an option given several of his commits remain on board throughout the coaching transition.

Mateos' unit has continued to improve over the past two seasons, giving up less sacks and pressures against SEC competition.

The fit in Fayetteville

Golesh’s demeanor has often been described as methodical, detail-driven, and rooted in teaching, which can be a culture changing method inside the Arkansas football facility.

His experience constructing offenses around transferable concepts may allow for a quicker cultural transition. His track record in elevating quarterbacks is particularly relevant for an Arkansas team that struggled to find long-term rhythm behind center.