Josh Pate Reveals Crucial Factor For New SEC Coach To Find Success

The college football coaching carousel this past cycle was one of the most active in recent memory. A total of 17 jobs across major conferences opened, including six in the Southeastern Conference.

One of those openings came at the Auburn Tigers, which elected to part ways with head coach Hugh Freeze during the season. Freeze compiled a 15-19 record over three seasons, including three consecutive losing campaigns.

He was dismissed after nine games in his final season, finishing with a 4-5 record following a 3-0 start. The program moved quickly to name a successor, hiring Alex Golesh.

Golesh arrives from the South Florida Bulls, where he posted a 23-15 record across three seasons. His tenure included a 9-3 finish this past year, highlighting his ability to build competitive offenses. Josh Pate discussed the hire on "Josh Pate’s College Football Show," emphasizing what Auburn needs to regain national relevance.

Auburn Tigers football head coach Alex Golesh speaks during a press conference. | Jake Crandall/ Advertiser / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

"What Alex Golesh at Auburn needs is one of those Florida State 2023 moments, but they need to achieve it in a way different fashion," Pate said. "They don't need to go portal banaza, throw a winner together, and have it all implode in on them. They don't need to do that. But what they need to do is announce their re-emergence like Florida State did."

Pate’s reference to the Florida State Seminoles underscores the importance of a defining season that signals a program’s return to prominence. However, he cautioned against relying too heavily on short-term roster construction through the transfer portal.

Golesh inherits a roster undergoing significant turnover. The program saw 37 players enter the transfer portal, including multiple key contributors. Auburn also lost its top three quarterbacks from last season, Jackson Arnold, Ashton Daniels and Deuce Knight, along with leading receivers Eric Singleton Jr. and Cam Coleman.

To address those departures, Auburn added 39 players through the portal, signaling a significant roster rebuild. Among the additions is quarterback Byrum Brown, who followed Golesh from South Florida.

Brown brings extensive production, having thrown for 7,690 yards with 61 touchdowns and 19 interceptions in his career. He has also contributed 2,265 rushing yards and 31 touchdowns, showcasing his dual-threat ability. His most recent season included 3,158 passing yards, 28 touchdowns and seven interceptions, along with 1,008 rushing yards and 14 scores.

That level of production provides Auburn with a foundation on offense as it transitions under a new coaching staff. The key question will be how quickly the new system takes hold.

If Golesh can replicate his offensive success and stabilize the roster, Auburn has the potential to reestablish itself as a competitive force in the SEC. The upcoming season will serve as an early indicator of that progress.