Alex Golesh reveals if current roster impacted decision to take Auburn job

When USF coach Alex Golesh was being courted by Auburn, he had a front row seat to see the team’s talent in action. The Iron Bowl had yet to be played.

While it wasn’t the most important thing in his evaluation of whether to take the Auburn job, Golesh admitted that being comfortable with the talent level on the roster was part of the equation. But he laid out exactly where that fit for him.

“The current roster is certainly something that you look at,” Golesh said. “I think as you evaluate it, it’s important to have a foundation but I think it’s the third (thing) of what was important, at least to me and our staff and my family.”

So what was most important for Alex Golesh? Well, it’s a term you’ll hear from several coaches this coaching carousel cycle.

“I think the biggest factors that go into choosing a job is No. 1: alignment,” Golesh said. “That’s where it starts. And I’m not avoiding the question, but alignment meaning is who you’re going to work with, going to lock arm and arm with you, going to have the same vision you do? Is it aligned from the top, where the commitment that’s being talked about is elite?”

From boosters, to athletics director, to school president or chancellor, is everyone on the same page? That’s not always been the case at Auburn in the past, but the Tigers seem to be moving in lock step now.

At the very least, they were able to convince Alex Golesh of that. He noted it repeatedly in discussing the job.

“That was factor No. 1 in terms of making sure the situation we walk into was aligned and there was a real commitment to winning,” Golesh said. “And not just kind of winning, but an elite commitment to being the best in the country.”

The second thing goes a bit hand in hand with the first. Alex Golesh opened up.

“No. 2 is is there support? Is there real, authentic support?” he said. “And what I saw Saturday night at the end of that, on the TV, was the greatest atmosphere in college football. When you combine that, you can win at a high, high level.”

So Auburn is off to the races with Alex Golesh. It certainly hopes that will be the case offensively, where Golesh has developed an excellent track record.

But it also hopes the whole program is pulling in unison toward winning at a championship clip. If not, what’s the point? Alex Golesh is convinced he’s got that, if nothing else.

“There wasn’t anybody like this place in terms of alignment and commitment,” he said.