For a coach who spent three years rebuilding a program from a 1-11 disaster into a contender, the most challenging part wasn’t the games; it was the goodbye. After weeks of rumors with Tulane’s Jon Sumrall’s name, the Auburn Tigers finally got their next man up. But before that, Golesh ensured to bid an emotional goodbye to South Florida.

Auburn’s head coach, Alex Golesh, said on X, “Bulls Nation, I want to thank the University of South Florida for an incredible three years as the head football coach. My deepest gratitude goes to President Law, Jay Stroman, and Will Weatherford for their support and alignment, as well as to former AD Michael Kelly and CEO Rob Higgins for their unwavering belief in our mission.

To our players, thank you for your commitment to building a process-driven program and believing in a vision when it wasn’t the cool thing to do. You are a special group in today’s college football landscape. You chose to give more of yourself than ever to take from the group.”

What makes this moment even more emotional is Golesh’s family ties to South Florida, as his parents relocated to Florida’s East Coast. They purchased a home in Palm Coast a few years ago and plan to retire there. Leaving behind your family, friends, and team isn’t that straightforward.

Especially when you consider his remarkable tenure, Golesh had a 9-3 record this season, with a 23-15 overall mark during his three years at USF.

He guided South Florida to bowl wins in each of his last two seasons, putting them in national contention after their 1-11 record in 2022. USF was not just a job for Golesh, but a meaningful mission of rebuilding a failing program, cementing strong relationships with players and staff, and ensuring his team grew together both on and off the field.

Now, Auburn is expecting the same turnaround from Golesh after ending their regular season with a 5-7, 1-7 SEC record and no bowl appearance. They finalized a six-year deal with him, hoping for a significant change at their offensive front, too. Golesh brings in a pretty strong resume, leading Tennessee to the No. 1 ranking in total offense back in 2022.

Then, during his lone season at UCF in 2020, the Knights averaged 568.1 yards per game and were ranked No. 2 in the country. His offensive mind translated well in South Florida, as they ranked in the top 20 in two of his three seasons. This year, the team ranked No. 2 in offense, averaging 500.6 yards per game and 43.0 points per game.

Even Golesh is pretty excited to make a surge with Auburn. He could follow Lance Leipold, who moved from Buffalo to Kansas in April 2021, and reclaimed the glory days. Similarly, Golesh remains excited.

“Auburn family, we just arrived on the Plains and got a chance to meet with the team. We are excited. I can’t wait to go to work. I can’t wait to make it proud,” Golesh said.

That resume and enthusiasm will help him shape the Tigers’ offense, averaging barely 27.4 points per game. With Golesh’s move, let’s see what South Florida has planned.

USF begins the search for stability after Alex Golesh’s exit

According to Yahoo Sports’ Ross Dellenger, Alex Golesh has signed a $7.4 million per year contract for six years with the Tigers and is poised to make a massive turnaround with them. But where does that leave South Florida? After three successful seasons under him, they are now out there looking for a new leader.

Athletic Director Rob Higgins made it clear that he did everything “within reason” to keep Alex Golesh on the team. But he was already ready for the new chapter.

For now, South Florida will enter the bowl game with defensive line coach Kevin Patrick, as he will serve as an interim HC.

After Golesh’s move, many players may also enter the portal in search of possible options. Higgins might have to hire the next man up to maintain their recruiting class. Early candidates’ names are emerging, including FIU’s Willie Simmons, Marshall’s Charles Huff, and Texas State’s G.J. Kinne.

Let’s wait and see how South Florida bounces back from this major setback and performs next season.