Auburn didn’t waste any time turning the page after Saturday night’s gut-wrenching 27-20 loss to Alabama. Less than 24 hours later, the Tigers made a decisive move to shape their future, hiring South Florida head coach Alex Golesh to take the reins of the program.
Golesh, who spent three seasons in Tampa, is officially headed to the Plains. And in today’s fast-moving college football landscape-where recruiting, the transfer portal, and fundraising are all on the clock the minute the season ends-Auburn’s already moving at full speed.
The program has a full slate lined up to introduce its new head coach to the Auburn faithful. On Monday, fans will get their first official look at Golesh during a “Welcome to the Plains” event.
The festivities start with a live show at 11 a.m. CT at Tiger Walk, opening to the public at 11:45 a.m., and rolling right into a pep rally five minutes later.
It all leads up to Golesh’s introductory press conference at noon, which will also be streamed live by the university.
Golesh steps into the Auburn spotlight after compiling a 23-15 record at South Florida, a program that was in rough shape when he arrived. Before his tenure, the Bulls had managed just four wins over the previous three seasons. Under Golesh, USF found new life, and that turnaround didn’t go unnoticed.
Before taking the job in Tampa, Golesh made his mark as Tennessee’s offensive coordinator, where he helped engineer one of the most explosive offenses in the country. That offensive pedigree is likely part of what drew Auburn to him-especially as the Tigers look to reestablish themselves as a consistent SEC contender.
Now, the challenge shifts to the next phase: assembling a staff, locking down recruits, and setting the tone for a new era of Auburn football. The work begins immediately, and for Golesh, Monday’s welcome event isn’t just a formality-it’s the first step in building trust with a fanbase hungry for a return to relevance.
Auburn made its move. Now, it’s time to see what Alex Golesh can build on the Plains.