Just 30 days in, and Alex Golesh’s Auburn Tigers are already bleeding talent to the portal. Just 30 days in, Alex Golesh’s Auburn Tigers are already bleeding talent to the portal, with two dozen-plus players gone and alarm bells ringing. Yet some see this as a power-up moment. A chance for Golesh to go “zero to hero” and rebuild a team that could flip the SEC script.

“They had all those guys on the team this year,” analyst Chris Marler sprinkled some motivation for Golesh on the December 30th episode of That SEC Podcast. “They went f****** 5-7. So, it’s hard for me to look at this and be like, ‘Oh my god, the sky is falling.’”

The transfer portal chaos seemed like an unexpected test for Golesh. After all, life seemed to be good as Auburn handed him a six-year contract worth $44.25 million. Back at the South Florida Bulls, he was earning $15.3 million. But he was not ready for this aftereffect. 

As reported by The Next Round analyst Taylor Korn, 29 players from Auburn have announced their intention to enter the transfer portal, a situation similar to that of the Iowa State Cyclones, who lost 42 players after Matt Campbell’s departure.

The latest blow in the Tigers’ camp came from their quarterback, Deuce Knight. He becomes the third Auburn quarterback expected to transfer. Knight is joining Jackson Arnold and Ashton Daniels.

As per Marler’s readings, the transfer portal heartbreak won’t matter much to Golesh. He is a hardworking man and would start from scratch to build Auburn into an SEC power all over again.

After all, we have witnessed how the Tigers struggled in 2025. Hugh Freeze’s squad’s 16-10 road stumble at Texas A&M Aggies wrapped up in all-too-familiar fashion, a brutal sack. Arnold took the snap in shotgun and instantly got swallowed by the Aggies’ front. 

That was A&M’s fifth sack of the game and the 14th in just two tight SEC road losses, underscoring an offensive line that consistently collapsed under pressure. The Tigers came in with sky-high expectations for their passing game, boasting Cam Coleman, Eric Singleton, and a star-studded receiving crew.

They soon received a harsh reality check. Arnold limped through SEC road play, averaging a mere 3.1 yards per attempt.

“They are going to be better coached,” said the analyst. “They’re going to be hungrier, they are going to be not just schematically, but just from like a production standpoint, a discipline standpoint, Auburn’s going to be a better football team.”

This calls for a debate between Freeze and Golesh. The numbers tell the story: 1-5 in SEC play in Year 3, four or more league losses each season, a 15-19 overall record, and a 6-16 conference record. Freeze left Auburn in uncharted territory-the worst three-year start for a coach since Ralph Jordan in the early ‘50s. 

Unlike Jordan, who bounced back in his third year, Freeze never found traction, becoming the first Auburn coach since 1950 to survive three seasons without a winning record in the SEC.

Cut to Golesh, the former Bulls head coach, who went 23-15 over three seasons at South Florida. He also steered the Bulls to a 9-3 record, their best season since 2017. But his flexing of authority has already come at a steep price. 

Alex Golesh is already holding the reins tightly in Auburn 

Auburn quarterback Daniels shared his intention to hit the transfer portal. 

“This is a post that I never wanted to or thought that I would make, but I am trusting God’s plans for me,” the quarterback wrote in an Instagram post. 

Daniels came to Auburn through Freeze’s portal plan, which was designed to add depth and competition to the team. Golesh’s arrival wiped that familiarity away, making the room wide open.

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“Both sides have to make a decision, and both sides have to grow a relationship really quickly,” noted the head coach.

It likely left Daniels’ spot on the depth chart in limbo. Then, Coleman, one of college football’s most electric young wide receivers, has thrown his hat into the transfer portal, too. This might have come across as a significant blow to Golesh.

Auburn posted a screenshot of recruiting insider Tom Loy’s take on Coleman’s next move.

“Sources have informed me that Auburn feels great about him (Coleman) staying and isn’t concerned about him leaving for another program. Huge,” wrote the analyst.

It’s now time for Golesh to tap into a damage control mode. Looks like a hot option is already looming in the corner. Auburn is predicted to land USF signal-caller Byrum Brown. He shrugged off injuries in 2025. He threw 3,158 yards, 28 touchdowns, and seven interceptions, while adding 1,008 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns on the ground in just 12 games.

So, bringing in his veteran quarterback will be the first step of Alex Golesh’s ‘Mission Rebuild Auburn Tigers.’