Breaking Down Alex Golesh as the Potential Next Virginia Tech Head Coach

Could the USF coach be coming to Blacksburg?

Sep 6, 2025; Gainesville, Florida, USA; South Florida Bulls head coach Alex Golesh smiles before a game against the Florida Gators at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images | Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images

With Brent Pry out at Virginia Tech, the search for the next head coach in Blacksburg is now underway. A name that has been thrown around is South Florida's Alex Golesh, a rising, young offensive mind who is turning heads this year after the Bulls' impressive start to the season. Golesh does not have a long track record as a head coach, but his reputation so far at South Florida makes him a candidate worth taking a closer look at.

Background and Resume

Sep 6, 2025; Gainesville, Florida, USA; South Florida Bulls head coach Alex Golesh against the Florida Gators during the second half at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images | Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

Golesh's rise to becoming a college football head coach was far from normal. Born in Moscow, Russia, he immigrated to the United States with his family, spending his early years in Brooklyn before moving to Dublin, Ohio.

Golesh's early coaching days include his time as a college student working as a student assistant at his alma mater, Ohio State. Following his time with the Buckeyes, Golesh spent time as a graduate assistant with Northern Illinois and Oklahoma State.

He got his first coaching job in 2009 at Toledo, working as the running backs coach and recruiting coordinator. He was later shifted to be the tight ends coach there.

In 2012, he moved on from Toledo and began coaching at Illinois. He spent three years there working as the tight end coach, running backs coach, and recruiting coordinator. In his final year there in 2015, he was promoted to special teams coordinator. He moved on in 2016, where he served as the tight ends coach and recruiting coordinator at Iowa State.

He got his first job as an offensive coordinator in 2020 at the University of Central Florida. He left after one season for the University of Tennessee. In the two years that he was there in 2021 and 2022, the Volunteers had one of the best offenses led by quarterback Hendon Hooker. In 2022, Tennessee averaged 46.1 points per game, leading all of college football.

That takes us to the present day, where Golesh has served as the head coach of South Florida since 2023. In his time with the Bulls, he has an overall record of 16-13 and is undefeated in both bowl games he has coached in.

Pluses

Sep 13, 2025; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; South Florida Bulls head coach Alex Golesh lreacts to a play with quarterback Byrum Brown (17) against the Miami Hurricanes in the third quarter at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

• Proven Program Builder: Golesh took a USF team that was coming off three consecutive one-win seasons and was able to take them to a bowl game in his first year. The turnaround was one of the biggest single-season improvements in all of college football. Beyond the on-field product, Golesh was able to establish a new identity and culture. He was able to rally players and restore confidence in a struggling program in such a short amount of time.
• Recruiting Strength: He is no stranger to recruitment. He spent many of his earlier coaching years as the recruitment coordinator, so he is more than comfortable in the ever-evolving world of recruitment and NIL.
• Player Development: His track record for developing offensive players speaks for itself. He had the number one offense in the country in 2022 and was able to develop players like Hendon Hooker, Cedric Tillman, Jalin Hyatt, and Dylan Sampson.

Minuses

• Limited Power Four Experience: While Golesh has shown success at the Group of Five level, his experience in Power Five is limited to his time as offensive coordinator at Tennessee. Transitioning from the American Athletic Conference to the ACC is a significant jump in competition.
• Defensive Background: Golesh’s expertise is entirely on the offensive side of the ball. If he were to become the Hokies’ next head coach, he would need to hire a strong defensive staff to offset his inexperience coaching defense.
• Pressure to Win Quickly: Virginia Tech fans are becoming restless to see a winning product on the field again. If Golesh is hired, he would need to repeat the fast success he had at USF in Blacksburg. For a young head coach, who is still proving himself at the Power Four, this pressure could be a significant challenge. The expectations at USF were much lower, and could afford patience, unlike at Virginia Tech.

How realistic of a candidate is he?

Golesh is an intriguing option for Virginia Tech. While his success at USF and his offensive reputation make him an appealing candidate, he is still a young coach with limited Power Four experience. Virginia Tech might prioritize more proven head coaches and longer track records in major conferences. But if they want to take a long shot on someone with a high upside, Golesh would be a perfect candidate in Blacksburg.