Auburn’s Recruiting Push in Alabama Signals a New Era Under Alex Golesh
MONTGOMERY, Alabama - When a coaching staff brings in 39 players from the transfer portal, it’s clear they’re not easing into a rebuild - they’re hitting the gas. That’s exactly what Alex Golesh and his Auburn staff have done. And now, with the portal phase largely wrapped up, they’ve shifted gears and hit the road hard, focusing on the 2027 recruiting class.
Over the last two weeks, Golesh and his assistants have been crisscrossing the Southeast, making in-home visits and stopping by high schools to connect with top prospects and the coaches who know them best. While Auburn’s reach has stretched into talent-rich states like Florida and Georgia, the Tigers made it a point to start close to home - right here in Alabama.
And that’s not just for show. These visits have been about more than just checking boxes. They’re about building relationships and earning trust in a state where high school football isn’t just a sport - it’s a way of life.
Take Hoover High School, for instance. Head coach Chip English hadn’t had much prior interaction with Golesh before last week. But that changed when Golesh spent a full hour at the school, not just talking X’s and O’s, but swapping stories about family, backgrounds, and coaching philosophies.
“I did not know this staff much before,” English said. “Coach Golesh came up last week early and stopped by for about an hour at the high school.
Spent a good amount of time with him talking about his journey from where he was. I'm a big families guy and he talked about his kids and I told him about my story and just had a good time with him, honestly.”
It wasn’t a drive-by handshake. It was a real conversation - the kind that sticks with you.
“Sometimes coaches are coming in and saying hello just to say they did,” English added. “I didn't feel that with him.
I feel like he was genuine and wanted to know the heartbeat of the state - which is good. He understands what's in front of him and he seemed really, really excited.”
That kind of authenticity goes a long way in high school football circles. And it’s clear that Golesh isn’t just trying to recruit players - he’s trying to build something sustainable.
He talked about his current roster, his vision for the program, and the way he wants to do things. It resonated.
But the road trips were just part of the plan. The bigger stage came this week at the Alabama Football Coaches Association (ALFCA) convention in Montgomery - a major event that brings together high school coaches from across the state. Golesh didn’t just show up - he showed out.
He was one of three featured speakers Thursday night, sharing the stage with Alabama’s Kalen DeBoer and Florida’s Jon Sumrall. But what stood out wasn’t just what Golesh said - it was who he brought with him.
The entire Auburn coaching staff made the trip. Every position coach.
Every assistant. A large chunk of the personnel and scouting department.
It was a full-force effort to show Alabama’s high school coaches that Auburn is all-in on recruiting from within the state.
That kind of presence sends a message. Not just that Auburn wants to recruit Alabama - but that they need to. And they’re willing to put in the time, the effort, and the face-to-face connection to make it happen.
Golesh is still in the early stages of his tenure, but moves like this show a clear direction. He’s not just trying to win games - he’s trying to win hearts and minds in a state where relationships matter just as much as results.
As the contact period winds down and the dead period begins, Auburn’s staff can look back on the last two weeks knowing they’ve laid important groundwork. The 2027 class is still a ways off, but the Tigers are already making noise - and making friends - where it counts most.