Golesh Details Importance of Malzahn’s Presence at Auburn Practices

The Auburn Tigers have had a former longtime head coach popping into practices as of late

The former Auburn head coach has been present during a recent practices | Jake Crandall via Imagn Content Services, LLC

Few head coaches of the Auburn Tigers are as well-thought-of as Gus Malzahn, who led the Tigers from 2013 to 2020. In those years, Malzahn led the Tigers to an appearance in the BCS National Championship Game and multiple SEC Championships. No succeeding coach has been able to come anywhere close to this success. 

Now, he has retired from coaching football and has begun to make appearances at Auburn practices, and Alex Golesh recently took to the press to explain how much respect he has for the former Auburn leader.

Auburn HC Alex Golesh on having former HC Gus Malzahn at practice.

“He loves this place”

➡️ https://t.co/4PB1p17qcm pic.twitter.com/GD4Pin9ufK

— Patrick Bingham (@PatrickABingham) April 14, 2026

“For me, [he’s] a guy who’s done it at a high, high level,” Golesh said. “I’m excited…I got no ego in this thing, man. If there’s somebody who’s been there, done that, had success, I am all ears. I just asked him for his notes from the scrimmage.”

Golesh, who was hired away from USF back in December, would have been considered a rival of Malzahn’s for part of his career. Malzahn was the head coach at UCF when Golesh took the reins. While the two never faced off, UCF departed for the Big 12 during Golesh’s first year, pausing the annual football game, these two schools are fierce rivals all the same. Golesh said, despite these opposite allegiances, he has only had respect for Malzahn. 

“I really met him when he was at UCF, and I was at USF,” Golesh said. “You inevitably run into each other in recruiting and in clinics and all that. USF, UCF, you’re supposed to hate each other… I’ve always respected [Malzahn].”

Golesh told the press that Malzahn is moving back to Auburn, and he is ecstatic to have someone who believes in the Tigers and has as much experience with the program as Malzahn does.

“To have a wealth of knowledge like that, and for him to be willing to give up his time,” he said, “I’m telling you, he loves this place. However, it all shook out, like, he is so grateful for what this place meant to him and still does…Gus has forgotten more football than I know.”

Golesh added that he has reached out to just about every Auburn coach before him for their perspectives, but it is clear that Malzahn’s presence has been unmatched in this unit’s early practices.

In the years since Malzahn was fired in 2020, the Tigers have not had a winning football season and are now on their third coach since. However, Malzahn’s presence at practice could prove to be a catalyst that Golesh can use to propel this unit to its highest heights in six years.

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