Amid whirlwind, player meetings 'the ultimate priority' for Auburn's Alex Golesh

AUBURN, Ala. – Of all the items on Alex Golesh’s to-do list, meeting with Auburn’s current student-athletes tops the schedule.

“That’s been the ultimate priority,” Golesh said Monday, one week after his formal introduction as Auburn’s 33^rd head football coach.

In those meetings, one thing has stood out.

“Every single guy that I’ve met with says, ‘I love Auburn,’” Golesh said. “I’ve never been at a place where 100 percent of the guys say that.”

That’s regardless of their playing time or coaching relationships.

“They all love it, and they all talk about the same things: how the people here have taken them in, every single one of them talks about what gameday is like here, every single one of them talks about how the student body treats them.”

Then Golesh follows up with another question.

“Man, can you imagine what it’s going to be when we actually win?’” he asks them. “’If it’s that good now, holy smokes, what about when we win?’ They all kind of look at you like, ‘You can do that for us?’ I can’t because I am not very fast, but you can.’”

Golesh then acknowledges the decision student-athletes face after coaching changes.

“I understand you didn't choose me,” he tells them. “They chose Auburn. They chose a previous staff. But the truth is, I chose them. I’m here because I wanted to be here. And I’m here because I want to be a huge part of why we flip this thing to what people here expect it to be. I’m energized by the fact that every single one of them loves this place.”

Golesh appreciates the players’ endorsement of DJ Durkin, who remains the Tigers’ defensive coordinator.

“Organized, thorough, detailed, incredible motivator,” Golesh said. “Above all of that just a really good human being that cares about the young guys in the program.

“One of the best football minds in the country. I truly believe that's one of the best, not just defensive coordinators of the country, but one of the best football coaches. He’s done it at a high level for a really long time for a reason because he is one of the best to do it.

“For me to be able to partner with someone like that is special. I'm excited to be a part of this program with him leading the defensive charge.”

To oversee Auburn’s offense, Golesh is bringing his coordinator and quarterbacks coach from South Florida, Joel Gordon.

“We go back to our Iowa State time,” Golesh said. “Joel's one of the smartest people I've ever been around. Joel's a much better coach than I am. He is a high-level developer of the quarterback, an elite-level play caller and brilliant in every imaginable way. On top of all that, he is an incredible human, incredible coach who develops relationships on a very real level with guys.”

To fill the rest of Auburn’s staff, Golesh aims high.

“We want elite at every single spot,” Golesh said. “That goes from beyond the field to the support staff, to personnel, scouting, training room, nutrition, strength and conditioning. Every single aspect of the program. We have the resources to hire the best people in the country and that’s exactly what we’ve tried to do.”

On his third day at Auburn, Golesh welcomed 18 new players on National Signing Day with seven coming from Alabama.

“We’re going to go get the very best football players that fit what we do, that fit our culture, that can enhance our culture,” he said. “We’re going to recruit at the highest level you possibly can. The ultimate expectation would be that within this 250-mile radius we’re going to do everything we can to keep these kids home.”

Prioritizing high school recruitment, Auburn plans to address any roster shortcomings via the transfer portal.

“You want to recruit high school, develop high school and supplement with the portal,” Golesh said. “That would be the perfect formula.”

For years, first at Tennessee and then at South Florida, Golesh has heard from 2010 national champion Kodi Burns how special Auburn is. At first, he chalked it up to a colleague who was proud of his alma mater. After his first week on campus, Golesh is reconsidering that sentiment.

“’I am starting to understand why it’s different,’” Golesh told Burns. “I haven’t been a part of a gameday, but even the Tiger Walk for my press conference to the welcome that I felt, I can see what he means.

“I get goosebumps thinking about, man, I get to coach at Jordan-Hare Stadium, I get to do that. But when we get to that point, I think it’ll set in why this place really is different. And I think that unless you’ve been here, you don’t know, and I can’t wait to continue to learn about why.”

Jeff Shearer is a Senior Writer at AuburnTigers.com. Follow him on X: @jeff_shearer