The winds of change are blowing through Auburn, and they’re carrying a new name: Alex Golesh. The former USF head coach is stepping into a high-pressure situation on the Plains, taking over a program that’s been stuck in neutral for far too long. While the coaching staff is getting a makeover, the core issue that plagued Auburn under Hugh Freeze still looms large - the quarterback position.
Let’s not sugarcoat it: Auburn hasn’t gotten it right under center in years. Freeze brought in talent - both from the high school ranks and the transfer portal - but couldn’t translate that into consistent offensive production. And at the heart of that struggle was the inability to find a quarterback who could elevate the offense.
Instead of targeting a proven playmaker from the portal last offseason, Freeze doubled down on Payton Thorne, giving him a second year to lead the offense. The results were underwhelming.
Thorne, while serviceable at times, never quite moved the needle. Freeze also brought in Jackson Arnold, a former top prospect who had just come off a tough season that saw him spend significant time on the bench.
Neither option proved to be the answer.
Enter Golesh - a coach with a track record of maximizing quarterback talent, and someone Auburn fans are hoping can finally turn the page at the game's most important position.
If there’s one thing Golesh has shown throughout his career, it’s an ability to develop quarterbacks into high-level playmakers. At UCF, he played a key role in Dillon Gabriel’s rise.
Then at Tennessee, he helped Hendon Hooker blossom into a legitimate Heisman contender in 2022 before a late-season injury derailed the Volunteers’ title hopes. Most recently at USF, he oversaw the emergence of Byrum Brown, one of the most dynamic quarterbacks in the Group of Five.
That kind of résumé doesn’t just suggest potential - it demands attention.
Now, with Auburn’s resources and recruiting reach, Golesh has a real opportunity to build something special. Whether that means keeping freshman QB Deuce Knight in the fold, bringing Byrum Brown with him as an immediate boost, or finding another portal gem, the path forward is clear: Auburn has to get the quarterback position right. Period.
Since 2017, the Tigers have finished in the top half of the SEC in passing just once. That’s not just a stat - it’s a red flag for a program that expects to contend in college football’s toughest conference. Golesh’s offensive system, which thrives on tempo, creativity, and quarterback efficiency, could be the perfect antidote to years of underwhelming production.
But system alone won’t fix things. Auburn needs a field general who can run the show - someone who can make smart reads, stretch the field, and keep defenses honest. And Golesh, with his proven eye for quarterback talent, might be the guy to finally deliver that.
Bottom line: Auburn’s ceiling under Golesh will be defined by who lines up behind center. If he hits on the right quarterback - something Freeze never managed to do - the Tigers could be back in the SEC mix sooner than expected.
The blueprint is there. Now it’s time to see if Golesh can execute it.