Auburn Hires Alex Golesh as Head Football Coach

Alex Golesh has been named the new Head Coach of Auburn Tigers football. The hire was announced Sunday by Athletics Director John Cohen via press release and social media. Golesh, previously Head Coach at the University of South Florida (USF), will replace Hugh Freeze, who was dismissed earlier this month.

Golesh signed a six-year contract with Auburn as the program moves to reboot after its fifth straight losing season. The Tigers ended 2025 on a 5–7 mark, falling 27–20 to Alabama in the Iron Bowl.

“Auburn Football is one of the proudest, most tradition-rich programs in all of college football and my family and I could not be more excited to join the Auburn Family,” Golesh said. “This will be a player-driven program, and no one will outwork our staff. Auburn has won, can win and will win championships. Let's get to work.”

John Cohen offered a ringing endorsement of Golesh’s fit for the job:

“He has produced wins and record-setting results throughout his entire career, including over the last three seasons at USF. Alex is known nationally for his player development prowess, ability to shape creative and explosive offenses, and his relentless approach to building winning programs. In our conversations, he showed the determination and edge that this program demands of its Head Coach.”

Golesh, who turns 41 this year, brings a history of turning struggling programs into competitive threats to the Plains. After serving as offensive coordinator and tight ends Coach at Tennessee (2021–22), he was hired by USF in December 2022.

In his first season at USF, Golesh orchestrated a dramatic turnaround — from a 1–11 season prior to his arrival to a 7–6 record and a convincing win in the Boca Raton Bowl. Over three seasons at USF, he collected a 23–15 record, culminating in a 9–3 mark in 2025. Under Golesh, USF’s offense blossomed. In 2025, the Bulls ranked second nationally in total offense, averaging over 500 yards per game, and fourth in scoring, putting up about 43 points per game.

Before USF, Golesh’s offenses ranked among the top 10 nationally in total offense and scoring every season he served as an FBS offensive coordinator.

At Tennessee, his offenses shattered multiple school records in points, total yards, touchdowns, and passing efficiency. In 2021, Tennessee surged from a 108th-rank offense nationally to seventh; by 2022, Tennessee led the nation in total offense.

His background also includes assistant-level roles or coordinator duties at UCF, Illinois, Iowa State, Toledo, Oklahoma State, and Northern Illinois over a 20-plus year Coaching career.

This marks the fourth Head Coach for Auburn in just seven seasons—following the departures of Gus Malzahn and Bryan Harsin, then Freeze.

Auburn is betting that Golesh’s offensive savvy and history of reviving programs will breathe new life into a squad that has struggled to find consistency. His reputation as a builder of explosive offenses could not come at a better time. As one insider put it, Golesh “will give the Tigers a fresh approach after the failure of Hugh Freeze’s tenure.”

Golesh’s task won’t be easy. Auburn will expect swift improvement, but rebuilding a once-proud powerhouse takes time, discipline and buy-in across the program—especially after the back-to-back debacles of Harsin and Freeze.

Golesh’s past shows he has the potential to do great things at Auburn. The question now is ‘will he’?

Auburn fans are encouraged to help welcome new head coach Alex Golesh and family to The Plains on Monday beginning at 11 am CT at Tiger Walk Plaza.
 
Coach Golesh and family will be welcomed to the Plains on Monday, December 1, making their first Tiger Walk down Donahue Drive at 11:45 am CT. There will be a pep rally with the Auburn University Marching Band, cheerleaders and Aubie, givint fans their first chance to hear from Coach Golesh in Tiger Walk Plaza. 
 
For those not able to attend in person, a special WarEagle+ Live show will begin on stage outside the Harbert Family Recruiting Center at Jordan-Hare Stadium at 11 am. A press conference with AD Cohen and Coach Golesh at 12:00 PM CT will also be streamed (for details, see THIS LINK).