Alex Golesh made a massive transition from a G5 program to a Southeastern Conference program, and he now plans to carry that same momentum into the team’s performance. With the Auburn Tigers football set to kick off its first spring game under Golesh, the team completed its first mock practice on March 5, and the coach couldn’t hold back his excitement for the 2026 season.

“I get goosebumps thinking about getting to be on the field with these guys,” Auburn’s head coach Alex Golesh said on Tiger Talk, which is Auburn’s in-house radio program.

With recent NCAA guidelines, the NCAA now allows coaches to be more involved with players’ offseason workouts so they can witness the improvement in real time.

They still cannot give football-related instructions, but can attend workout sessions, hold team meetings, and participate in limited on-field activities like mock practice, as Golesh did with the team. This added time holds major importance for the team, as they are going through massive changes since Hugh Freeze’s firing. The team got 60 new players through the transfer portal, and building chemistry among all is not that easy.

However, Alex Golesh is not stressing over the changes, as he went through the same transition in South Florida. Their entire focus is on learning more about their players’ strengths and weaknesses to work on them in the spring and tackle them ahead of the season.

“As coaches, it’s all new to us,” Golesh said. “The guys that were here, the guys that we brought in, how will they mesh? What’s the identity we’re creating? As a head coach, you have an idea where you want it to be, but it has to happen organically.”

Since taking over the program, the 41-year-old has been reshaping the team. He brought talented players like Byrum Brown into the team while keeping coaches like DC D.J. Durkin to maintain stability in the program. Auburn Tigers football is also planning to invest heavily in NIL and roster funding, setting aside a $30 million budget to ensure its title hopes don’t take a hit.

Now, along with his current team, he is also making sure to secure the future of the program.

Alex Golesh’s major step towards Auburn’s future recruiting class

Alex Golesh is making sure that every step he takes brings Auburn one step closer to a championship run. He is not just focusing on the present but also on the future as he targets future recruiting classes, offering scholarships to the 2030 class. Wide receiver Hugo Bellamy Cesar received the offer from the Tigers after his Monday unofficial visit to the campus.

The 6-foot, 162-pound prospect is planning to join St. Frances Academy in Baltimore, the same school that produces elite talent for Auburn. Their cornerback, Blake Woodby, is one such example.

Auburn also made an immediate impact on him. During his visit, he interacted with QB Byrum Brown and wide receiver Jeremiah Koger, who is another St. Frances graduate.

“All of the coaches were very, very, very welcoming,” he said. “I got to talk with Coach Kodi [Burns], and I got to meet Byrum Brown and J Money [Jeremiah Koger]. J Money was talking to me about how Auburn is a place we want to thrive and be successful.”

Now, let’s wait and see if Alex Golesh can build on this early momentum or not.