Paul Finebaum Names Historic SEC Program That Is Taking a 'Significant Step' Forward After Rough Stretch

SEC Nation analyst Paul Finebaum looks on prior to the game. | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

The Auburn Tigers are one of the premier programs in the SEC and college football; however, they've endured one of the worst stretches in program history.

Auburn has five straight losing seasons and six straight seasons of six wins or fewer. The team has gone through six head coaches during that stretch. Both full-time and interim. The Tigers are now on their seventh head coach, Alex Golesh.

Alex Golesh Tasked With Ending Losing Streak

Golesh has experience in the SEC. He spent two seasons as the offensive coordinator and tight ends coach of the Tennessee Volunteers under head coach Josh Heupel.

He left to become the head coach of the South Florida Bulls, where he spent the last three seasons. During that run, he went 23-15. His best season came last season, when he went 9-3.

Now, Golesh is tasked with turning around a once-prominent program in the sport. To do that, Golesh is trying to establish a new culture. Golesh revealed the team will be staying in a nearby Marriott instead of their usual apartments and houses throughout the duration of this fall camp.

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

Paul Finebaum Praises Alex Golesh's Unconventional Strategy

On "McElroy and Cubelic in the Morning," SEC Network analyst Paul Finebaum was asked for his thoughts on this new strategy. Finebaum raved, saying he likes what Golesh is trying to accomplish.

"We do feel like we know what's going on at Auburn," Finebaum said. "It's a significant step up from what we've seen in a long time. So, I really, really like the whole concept of it, and I like almost everything I've heard from Alex Golesh so far."

The key for any new coach is establishing their culture. The ones that can do that the quickest and get the players to buy in are the ones who typically have the most success. While this is an unconventional method, the thought process behind it makes a lot of sense. Golesh wants to build a closeness with the team. A good way to do that is by having them spend a ton of time together.

Auburn's New Era Needs Immediate Results

That may be exactly what Auburn needs after years of instability. The Tigers have cycled through coaches, struggled to find consistency and watched the program fall further behind the SEC's elite.

Golesh can't fix everything overnight, but establishing a strong culture gives him a foundation to build on. If the players embrace his approach and the results begin to follow, the Marriott experiment could become an early symbol of the new era at Auburn.

For now, Finebaum clearly likes what he is seeing from Golesh. The next step is turning that optimism into wins.