Auburn’s Offseason Exodus: Alex Golesh Faces Early Test as Tigers Lose Key Talent
Alex Golesh hasn’t coached a single snap at Auburn yet. He hasn’t even held a practice. But just weeks into his tenure on the Plains, the new head coach is already facing a storm that’s hard to ignore - one that’s raising real questions about the direction of a program desperate for stability, let alone success.
Golesh was never the obvious choice to lead Auburn football. At 41, with a solid - but not spectacular - run at USF under his belt, his jump to the SEC was always going to be a bold move.
And bold moves in this league don’t come without scrutiny. Especially not at Auburn, where expectations are sky-high and patience is in short supply.
Right now, the Tigers are watching their roster unravel in real time. The last 48 hours have been especially brutal.
First, star wide receiver Cam Coleman - one of the most dynamic pass-catchers in the country - entered the transfer portal. Then came Deuce Knight, a five-star quarterback signee and a player many believed was the future of the program.
Two cornerstone talents, gone in less than two days. That’s not just a hit to the depth chart - it’s a gut punch to the foundation Golesh was supposed to be building.
It’s fair to say this isn’t all on Golesh. Coaching transitions are messy.
NIL dynamics are changing the landscape. But when you're losing players like Coleman and Knight - guys who could transform your offense - the questions start piling up fast.
Where’s the support from the athletic department? Where’s the NIL investment?
If you’re not keeping elite talent like this, who exactly are you keeping?
And it’s not just those two. The list of departures is long and growing: Malcolm Simmons, Horatio Fields, Kayin Lee, Jay Crawford, Robert Woodyard, Malik Blocton.
These aren’t just names - they’re players who were expected to be key contributors in 2026 and beyond. The roster that remains looks more like a mid-tier AAC squad than a team ready to battle Georgia and Alabama every fall.
So what’s the plan?
Maybe Golesh sees a path similar to what Curt Cignetti built at Indiana - a program that reached the College Football Playoff without a single five-star recruit. But that’s a one-in-a-million blueprint, and even if Golesh is a sharp football mind, he’s not Cignetti. Not yet.
And it’s not like the recruiting trail has brought much good news. With nearly the same runway Hugh Freeze had back in 2022, Golesh’s first class came in ranked No. 34 nationally - 14th in the SEC.
That’s not going to cut it in this league. Not when your division rivals are stacking top-five classes every year.
To be clear, some attrition was expected. That’s part of the deal when a new coach takes over.
But this level of talent drain? It’s unprecedented in recent Auburn history.
And if it’s not entirely on Golesh, it still falls on someone - whether that’s the administration, the NIL collective, or the broader infrastructure that’s supposed to support the head coach.
Golesh has said all the right things. He’s embraced the Auburn Creed.
He’s talked about hard work, grit, and building a program the right way. That’s all well and good.
But slogans don’t win games. And they don’t stop elite players from walking out the door.
There’s still time for a turnaround. Maybe Golesh rallies the locker room, finds diamonds in the portal, and puts together a team that surprises everyone next fall.
Auburn has done it before. This program has a history of bouncing back when the odds are stacked.
But right now, it feels like the Tigers are sliding - fast - and the brakes aren’t working.
The next few months will be critical. Golesh needs to stabilize the roster, re-engage the fanbase, and show that there’s a real plan in place. Because if things don’t change - and soon - Auburn risks becoming something it hasn’t been in decades: irrelevant in the SEC.
And that’s a place no one on the Plains ever wants to be.