The Auburn Tigers' coaching search this offseason had its fair share of twists, and for a brief moment, it looked like Jon Sumrall was the guy. The Tulane head coach had emerged as a serious candidate, and there was real momentum building around the idea of him taking over on the Plains. But just before the Iron Bowl, Sumrall made a surprising pivot-turning his attention to the Florida Gators instead.
That left Auburn with a decision to make, and they didn’t waste time. The day after a gut-wrenching 27-20 loss to Alabama at Jordan-Hare Stadium, the Tigers moved swiftly to bring in Alex Golesh from USF.
Now, let’s be clear: Golesh doesn’t come with a College Football Playoff résumé. But Auburn also avoided hiring a coach whose current team is being viewed-fairly or not-as the weakest of the 64 squads to ever make the CFP since its launch in 2014.
That’s not just idle chatter. ESPN’s Bill Connelly, one of the sport’s top analytical voices, pointed out that Tulane’s two losses this season-an early 45-10 blowout at the hands of Ole Miss and a 48-26 defeat to UTSA-raise legitimate questions about the Green Wave’s ceiling. And that ceiling matters when you're talking about competing on the biggest stage in college football.
"Jon Sumrall's final Tulane team is adaptable and resilient and certainly clears a physicality bar that not every awesome Group of 5 team might,” Connelly wrote. “But the Green Wave's two losses... were a sign that when things go awry, the ceiling is much, much lower than what we might expect from a playoff team."
In other words, when Tulane gets knocked off script, things unravel fast. That’s not exactly what you want to see from a coach you’re considering handing the keys to in the SEC.
But here’s where it gets even more interesting: the story that Sumrall turned down Auburn? Not entirely accurate. It turns out the real sticking point wasn’t about fit or money-it was about control.
Sumrall, a defensive-minded coach, reportedly wanted full autonomy over the program, including staffing decisions. That became a non-starter.
Auburn’s administration had already made it clear that defensive coordinator DJ Durkin was staying, regardless of who came in as head coach. That dynamic didn’t sit well with Sumrall, who wanted to build things his way.
Golesh, on the other hand, is an offensive-minded coach who had no issue working with Durkin. That willingness to collaborate likely helped seal the deal. And it could end up being a defining factor in how this new era unfolds.
There’s also the Marcus Davis factor. Davis had recruited well, landing elite talent like Cam Coleman and Eric Singleton Jr., but the production on the field didn’t match the promise.
The wide receiver room was underperforming, and that needed to change. With Golesh’s offensive background, there’s hope that Auburn can finally unlock the potential of its skill players.
Had Sumrall taken over, Auburn might’ve seen more of the same on offense-with a less proven defensive approach than what Durkin brings to the table. Instead, the Tigers opted for a fresh offensive mind who’s willing to work with what’s already functioning on defense.
So while Sumrall may have looked like the frontrunner for a moment, Auburn’s decision to hire Golesh could end up being the move that brings some much-needed balance-and maybe even innovation-to a program that’s been searching for both.