Paul Finebaum Names Historic SEC Program That Was Close to Flatlining

The Auburn Tigers are in the midst of one of the worst stretches in the program's history.

The Tigers have had five straight losing seasons, and six straight seasons with six wins or fewer. This comes after being one of the best programs in the history of college football. Auburn has won two national championships and eight conference titles.

Alex Golesh Tasked with Saving Auburn

However, this rough stretch has felt like no matter what string they pull, they can't get it right. The team has gone through six head coaches, both full-time and interim. They are now on their seventh, with South Florida Bulls head coach Alex Golesh taking over.

Golesh went 23-15 in three seasons at South Florida. His best season was last year, when the team went 9-3. Golesh comes to Auburn with a track record in the SEC. He was the offensive coordinator at Tennessee in 2021 and 2022. He helped orchestrate the best offenses in the sport in 2022.

Auburn Tigers head coach Alex Golesh during the first day of football practice. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Paul Finebaum Says Golesh Has Changed Auburn's Vibe

ESPN's Paul Finebaum was discussing Golesh on "The Paul Finebaum Show." The SEC Network analyst said that Golesh has brought back a vibe to the team that hasn't been there in a long time.

"Let's drill down on Golesh, because he has made an impression," Finebaum said. "He clearly wasn't the first choice. Everybody followed the Jon Sumrall situation... I think people are pretty happy with Golesh... the vibe change already in a state where the Auburn football program was close to being flatlined."

Golesh Has Auburn Believing Again

The results on the field ultimately will determine whether Golesh's tenure is successful, but the early signs of a cultural shift are significant. For a program that has spent years searching for answers, simply creating excitement and buy-in is an important first step.

Golesh also has a legitimate foundation to build on. His experience at Tennessee and success at South Florida give him credibility, while his offensive background could help Auburn become much more competitive in the SEC.

Of course, changing the vibe is much easier than changing the record. Auburn still has to prove it can win consistently against the conference's best teams, and the expectations at a program with its history aren't going away.

But after years of feeling stuck in neutral, Auburn finally appears to have some momentum. If Golesh can turn that new energy into wins, the Tigers may finally have the coach capable of ending one of the darkest stretches in program history.

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