On the surface right now, the “Alex Golesh Era” at Auburn has started with a jolt. Since his arrival, two-thirds of the Tigers’ blue-chip prospects have left for the transfer portal. For a fan base that’s used to five-star recruiting battles, seeing superstars like Cam Coleman walk out the door feels like a major turning point. But according to some, this kind of panic might be a little premature.

Josh Pate thinks that it’s not all doom and gloom at the Jordan-Hare Stadium. And to prove it, he gives the example of Curt Cignetti’s portal success at Indiana.  , “In the old school, you look down your nose at importing G5 players. We’re Auburn University. This is the loveliest village on the planet. We don’t need G5 players. Well, now Curt Cignetti says, “You don’t need what? What do you say?” Nothing. Nothing, Mr. Cignetti. Carry on.”

That rhetorical question cuts to the core of today’s transfer portal era, and it also explains why Pate brought Cignetti into this conversation at all. See, when Indiana hired him, the Hoosiers were not just struggling; they were in deep waters. In 2022, they made NCAA history by becoming the first Division I program to reach 700 all-time losses. But then Curt Cignetti arrived with his “Google Me, I Win” catchphrase and kept on winning. But the question goes- how did he turn the team into a winning one? He didn’t follow the traditional way for sure.

Cignetti made a concerted effort to recruit former athletes from the Group of Five. Around 13 JMU players followed him to Indiana, with most securing primary roles immediately, and the impact was clear from year one. Star quarterback Fernando Mendoza was also a portal addition. Together, all of them turned the Hoosiers into playoff contenders and today are one game away from winning the national championship. This portal season, Indiana has already landed at least 11 portal additions, featuring WR Nick Marsh, RB Turbo Richard, EDGE Tobi Osunsanmi, and others.

To sum it up, Cignetti assembled his deck from scratch. And the

“We are not going to recruit selfish guys or guys that don’t want to pay the price,” Cignetti had said, expressing his feelings on transfer portal recruiting after Mendoza won the Heisman. That blueprint matters in Auburn.

Yes, the Auburn Tigers have more than thirty players leave them, resulting in a thinned-out roster. But Golesh, much like Cignetti, seems to be trimming aggressively to rebuild according to his own kind. His latest centerpiece seems to be Byrum Brown, the USF quarterback who followed Golesh here. Don’t mistake him for a consolation prize. In 2025, he was the only FBS quarterback to throw 3,000 yards and rush for 1,000 yards. So, he is a proven engine for Golesh’s offense. 

Things may not appear as bright at the end of the tunnel. But if Curt Cignetti’s transfer portal success proves anything, it’s that Golesh might be on the cusp of building a national winning-caliber program.

Alex Golesh on rebuilding Auburn

Hugh Freeze’s firing and a 5-7 record gave a bleak outlook toward Auburn’s appeal, but the Tigers are working their way toward a reboot. While Star players such as Cam Coleman, Eric Singleton Jr., and Deuce Knight (and others) are seeking greener pastures, the head coach is building his roster from the ground up.

“Its been gloves off, fighting to get the right guys, specifically on the offensive and defensive lines,” Golesh said. “I can tell you from my last time being in this conference that is truly where games are won. Quarterbacks are important, skill guys are important. The offensive and defensive line is where you win and lose football games.

“You’ve got to continue to enhance the offensive and defensive lines, that’s pretty easy,” he said. “Those are two spots that, certainly in the SEC but in football in general, that’s where you win and lose football games really, really quickly. So those two spots, we’ve got to go finish.”

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So far, Alex Golesh has landed 22 commits and is counting on more until the portal closes on Jan 16, 2026. On Thursday, the head coach stated that the program is about halfway through its portal quota. In the coming days, we can expect more additions, especially on the offense and defense.