Why Alex Golesh trusts the players he brought in from South Florida at Auburn
Alex Golesh says the 13 players from South Florida can reassure their Auburn teammates about the intent behind his physically and mentally tough offseason preparation.
Olivia Bennett 
Auburn football head coach Alex Golesh made his return to the SEC last fall, bringing a wealth of experience and a specific vision for the Tigers' future. After spending three seasons as Tennessee's offensive coordinator, Golesh cut his teeth as a head coach at South Florida, where he successfully overhauled a program and secured a Boca Raton Bowl win in his debut 2023 season.
Building a Foundation
The USF program reached new heights in 2025 under Golesh, finishing 9-3 and ranking third nationally in total yards per game. Quarterback Byrum Brown was the engine of that success, accounting for 3,158 passing yards and 1,008 rushing yards. Brown is one of 13 players who followed Golesh to Auburn, a group the coach believes is vital to establishing his culture on the Plains.
During the SEC spring meetings, Golesh noted that 11 of the transfers are offensive players who have a strong grasp of his schemes, terminology, and expectations. Two defensive players also made the move, providing leadership and a familiar voice within that unit.
A Trust-Based Culture
In addition to Brown, the Auburn roster now includes USF imports Locklan Hewlett, Christian Neptune, Kory Pettigrew, Jeremiah Koger, Keshaun Singleton, Chas Nimrod, Cole Best, Cole Skinner, Jonathan Echols, Nykahi Davenport, Gavin Jenkins, and Fred Gaskin. Golesh sees these players as an extension of his coaching staff, especially during the rigors of the offseason.
Golesh acknowledged that the team’s recent winter and spring programs were physically and mentally taxing. He relies on his former USF players to reassure the rest of the locker room that there is a purpose behind the intensity.
"Naturally, they’re going to go in the locker room and be like, what is this AG? what the expletive are they doing to us?" Golesh said. "But those guys came here because there’s a level of trust, a level of continuity, they can say there’s intent to why it’s like this... When it’s your peers saying it’s okay, just trust him, I think those guys culturally will help me get this done."
The Tigers continue their preparation, with fall camp officially slated to begin on Aug. 4.
