Auburn University has named Alex Golesh its 33rd head football coach after his highly successful three-year tenure at South Florida (2023–25).

Golesh led a rapid turnaround at USF, delivering 23 wins, including a 9-3 season in 2025, after the program had won only four games in the previous three years.

His offenses consistently ranked among the nation’s best, highlighted by top-five national finishes in total offense and scoring, record-setting passing seasons, and the development of standout quarterback Byrum Brown.

Golesh also elevated USF’s recruiting, securing the AAC’s top-ranked signing classes in 2024 and 2025, and became the first coach in school history to reach bowl eligibility in each of his first three seasons, winning bowl games in 2023 and 2024.

Previously, he engineered major offensive turnarounds at Tennessee, UCF, and Iowa State, producing national award winners and multiple NFL players.

Golesh is known as one of college football’s premier offensive minds, Golesh has held roles on both sides of the ball, coached 14 bowl teams, and earned multiple national “rising coach” recognitions.

Golesh was born in Moscow and raised in Ohio, he joins Auburn with his wife, Alexis, and their children, Corbin and Barrett.