In today’s ever-evolving world of college athletics, where eligibility rules seem to change as fast as a no-huddle offense, even football coaches are finding themselves fielding questions about basketball. That was the case for Auburn head coach Alex Golesh, who was asked about a situation unfolding not on the gridiron, but on the hardwood - and not even within his own program.
Speaking from the Senior Bowl on Wednesday, Golesh was asked about Alabama basketball’s Charles Bediako, a player at the center of one of the more unusual eligibility cases in recent memory. Bediako, who had declared for the 2023 NBA Draft and in doing so forfeited his remaining college eligibility, is now back playing for the Crimson Tide after receiving a temporary restraining order from a Tuscaloosa judge. The ruling has allowed him to rejoin the team and suit up for Alabama, where he’s already appeared in two games, averaging 13.5 points and 4.5 rebounds.
It’s a scenario that’s raised more than a few eyebrows across the college sports landscape - and Golesh, while not directly impacted, was asked whether he’d consider a similar move if one of his own players found themselves in the same situation.
“Would you believe me if I said I haven't paid much attention to it?” Golesh responded with a smile.
“It’s crazy. Would add a bigger pool of players, wouldn’t it?
I don’t know. I really don’t.
It would certainly add a bigger pool of kids.”
Golesh didn’t exactly commit to a stance, but his comments pointed to something broader: the shifting sands of eligibility and the creative thinking that coaches are now required to embrace. He made it clear he’s not dismissing the situation - far from it. In fact, his approach was more about staying alert and adaptive in a landscape where the rules are increasingly fluid.
“Every single time there's a situation like that, my antennas go up,” Golesh said. “I think, with every change or every ruling or lack of ruling, you've got an opportunity to either sit and complain about it, which I think we tend to as coaches. I've always looked at it the other way.”
That “other way” is where Golesh’s mindset becomes clear: find the edge, identify the opportunity, and adapt quickly. It’s less about whether the rulebook is fair and more about how to operate within - or around - it.
“It's, where's the loophole in here? Who's available out there that we can go get that fits what we do?
It's certainly fascinating. From the legal side, fascinating.”
In a sport where roster management now involves navigating NIL, the transfer portal, and legal rulings, Golesh’s comments reflect a growing reality for college coaches: adaptability is just as important as X’s and O’s. Whether it’s a football player returning from a draft declaration or a basketball player rejoining the team midseason, the modern coach has to be ready for anything - and it sounds like Golesh is keeping his eyes open for whatever comes next.