Auburn’s wild coaching search finally hits the finish line. The Tigers made a bold move by hiring Alex Golesh, the offensive mastermind who turned South Florida from a struggling program into a winner with a 9-3 season in 2025. During his three campaigns at USF. He has guided the Bulls to bowl wins in each of his previous two seasons.

The reason this is more impressive is that before his arrival, South Florida had a miserable 1-11 season in 2022. What makes it more unique is that he doesn’t come from the typical coaching background.

Who is Alex Golesh? Background and coaching journey

Alex Golesh embodies the classic coach story of earning everything without having anything handed to him. Born in Moscow in 1984, he came to the U.S. as a child, bouncing between Brooklyn, Dublin, and Ohio. He essentially grew up chasing football as his way to belong. Golesh didn’t have the big-time playing pedigree, so he went straight into the grind. He began his education at Westerville Central High School in Ohio. He then jumped into Ohio State as a student assistant in 2004.

From there, it was classic ladder-climb: grad assistant stops at Northern Illinois and Oklahoma State. His first real splash came at Toledo as RBs coach and recruiting coordinator, where he helped land back-to-back No. 1 recruiting classes in the MAC. He followed Tim Beckman to Illinois, assuming various roles, including tight ends, recruiting, running backs, and special teams. The turning point was Iowa State under Matt Campbell.

When he arrived, Cyclone tight ends had caught five passes the year before; by 2019, they hauled in 75, with Charlie Kolar turning into an All-American and Mackey semifinalist. Then came the offensive fireworks: co-OC at UCF in 2020, helping lead an offense that ranked near the top nationally, and OC at Tennessee. The Vols shattered school records in points, yards, and efficiency in 2021. South Florida finally gave him the whistle in 2022, and he immediately delivered back-to-back 7–6 seasons.

Alex Golesh’s ethnicity and birth nationality

Just like his parents, Alex is Russian. His aunt was the sponsor for the family, as they left their life behind in Russia, due to the collapsing Soviet regime. With parents, Vladimir, Bella Golesh, and his older brother, Eugene, the family of four came to the USA. They carried a few bags of clothing and $400. None of them spoke a word of English.

“I was young, but I’m sure most people would’ve wondered, ‘We have all of 400 bucks … we’re in New York City … so what are we actually going to do?’ ” Golesh said. Growing up in a cramped Brooklyn apartment above a bodega, Golesh found comfort and connection in ESL classes filled with other Russian kids. Football entered the picture the summer his family moved to Dublin, Ohio. At an overnight camp, he met a coach who let him work as a ballboy, sparking a passion for the game that set his future in motion. From there, Golesh’s story becomes a quintessential tale of immigrant success.

Alex Golesh’s wife and kids

Behind every great coach is a strong support system. For Alex Golesh, that’s his wife, Alexis. She is a dietitian with a master’s in healthcare management. Alexis manages her consulting work in Arkansas while raising their two kids, Corbin and Barrett. Their story started like a classic love tale in college football circles. They met in 2008 when Alex was a graduate assistant at Oklahoma State. When the coaching bug bit and Alex accepted a position in Toledo, Alexis didn’t hesitate to leave a stable job and follow him on the adventure.

That loyalty has continued through moves to Illinois, Iowa State, UCF, Tennessee, and now South Florida. She stayed behind in Knoxville to let the kids finish school before joining Alex and fully embracing the Tampa life.

“I’ve dragged her all over the country,” Alex said. “She’s the most unselfish person I’ve ever met. Because she says, ‘Let’s go. I’ve got your back.’ And we’re rolling. She’s there for me. She’s there for our kids. So, I have moments when I see her and think, ‘Man, I’m so grateful for having a support system like that.”’

Alexis is also a cheerleader for the players, a confidante for staff families, and a vital part of recruiting success. Alex himself credits Alexis for keeping the family grounded and the whole operation moving smoothly.