Auburn HC Alex Golesh Jumps Over 40 Spots in Latest Coaching Rankings

When Alex Golesh took over the job as the head coach of the Auburn Tigers, he was met with quite a few Auburn fans who were not exactly sure who he was. For a long time, Auburn fans believed that Hugh Freeze’s former position would go to Jon Sumrall, who accepted a position at Florida, and as such, Golesh was not on many people’s radar when he was first announced on the Plains.

That has quickly changed in the time since, though; Golesh has quickly become a beloved figure on the Plains, as he has certainly said all the right things and has also built a recruiting class that could even rival a Freeze class when it is all said and done. The best part? He is doing it all just one offseason removed from his position as the head coach of the USF Bulls.

In a recent article, The Sporting News’ Bill Bender ranked all 138 FBS coaches, and Alex Golesh found himself up to No. 50, after previously being ranked as No. 92 during his final season at USF. 42 spots is certainly a massive jump for Golesh, who was one of just four coaches to move up 40 spots or more.

So, what is so special about Golesh? For one, he quickly showed that he is looking to make an immediate impact out of the gate, as opposed to a slow, methodical rebuild, which Auburn fans certainly appreciate. He has been clear that this year is to be a foundation, which would imply a slow rebuild, but he has also quickly brought in several key players that could make an impact on the Plains now and in the coming years.

Chief among these top-level players is Byrum Brown, who needs little introduction at this point. Brown passed for over 3,000 yards and rushed for an additional 1,000 in his most recent season at USF, which not only speaks well to Golesh’s ability to develop quarterbacks but also to Brown’s chance to be an immediate difference-maker in the Tigers’ offense.

With that said, Brown has just one year of eligibility left, so he is not set to make a long-term impact on the program, at least as far as winning games are concerned. However, Golesh has already brought in a reliable, young backup in Tristian Ti’a, an Oregon State transfer who dazzled in Auburn’s spring game earlier this season.

Quarterback play has haunted the Tigers pretty much ever since Bo Nix transferred to Oregon back in 2021, and Golesh is clearly looking to put an end to that with a top-level, experienced starter and a game-ready backup who is poised to lead the Tigers in the coming years.

Defensively, Golesh has DJ Durkin’s mighty defense to lean on, which is returning some of the best players in the country, particularly in the linebacker room. Golesh has also reloaded the Tigers’ edge rushing room, which lost significant talent to the NFL Draft, with top pieces like Da’Shawn Womack, a former five-star edge rusher who transferred in just a few months ago.

All that is left for Golesh to prove, at this point, is the ability to win games, something neither of his predecessors were able to do.

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