Alex Golesh Breaks Down His First Six Months as Auburn Football’s Head Coach

It is no secret that the Auburn Tigers have been incredibly busy over the last few months, particularly since they have not only brought in a new head coach, but also a litany of new players to replace those who departed after Hugh Freeze was fired. Alex Golesh has been working tirelessly to get his new team off the ground and ready for the season, which is less than 100 days away at this point.

In a recent episode of the Paul Finebaum Show, Golesh took to the stand to talk about his experience and efforts in his first six months as the head coach of the Tigers.

“It’s been a fascinating first six and a half months,” Golesh said. “Came in, put our heads down and got to work. I think it’s helped tremendously that this is my second time doing it, it’s helped tremendously that over half of the staff, [I] brought with [from USF], majority of the other half, I’ve worked with before.”

Players come and go in any college football franchise, but if a team can get the right coaches hammered in, they are often set for years to come. Golesh believes he has found that staff for Auburn, as he joins DJ Durkin, who has been the defensive coordinator for the Tigers over the last few seasons, and adds Joel Gordon, his former offensive coordinator at USF.

Of course, no coaching staff can succeed without a plan, and Golesh, along with his staff, has been working to figure out exactly how his team will look, both now and in the future.

“We had a plan,” he said, “Worked off of that plan, autocorrected on that plan. I think the two years at Tennessee helped, I think purely the recruiting and knowing what you’re walking into, I would tell you that’s probably the biggest thing that prepared me to go in.”

Golesh has recruited well over his first few months at Auburn, particularly in the 2027 class, which currently stands as the 28th-best class in the country after the recent addition of three-star offensive lineman Rance Brown.

“I like where we’re at,” Golesh said. “We’ve got a really, really good football team that’s young in some areas, veteran in some areas, but they’re enthusiastic. When you walk in and the entire program knows you need change, it’s easier to then have change.”

Golesh has preached culture since his first day as the head coach of the Tigers, and his team is beginning to find that level of camaraderie as the summer drags on. He will get his first chance to prove his first six months and beyond were fruitful when Auburn faces Baylor on Sept. 5 to open the 2026 season.

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