Alex Golesh's Victory Day celebration with the Auburn EAGLES program this past Sunday put the Tigers' head coach on even more maps. Golesh brought the celebration over from USF, but it obviously caught more traction on the Plains.
50 participants with varying disabilities from the Auburn EAGLES program and Lee County Special Olympics took Pat Dye Field for a scrimmage alongside Golesh's team at Jordan-Hare Stadium.
The goodwill built from it around the college football world has been heartwarming.
Certainly, it resonated in Columbus, Ohio, where Golesh's alma mater, Ohio State, is.
The Columbus Dispatch's Dan Aulbach picked up coverage of Victory Day, specifically Golesh shouting out his high school alma mater, Dublin Scioto, where he was a three-year linebacker. Golesh was asked about his high school by an EAGLES student and rising star sports journalist, Kaili Blauwkamp, and Golesh noted the Irish's recent 42-36 win over Briggs.
Aulbach, of course, made sure to note that Golesh was an OSU alum. Golesh's Scarlet and Gray ties are being spread in the Buckeye State right before Week 1.
Is there anything to this? Is there smoke to the Golesh fire at his adopted home state's flagship program? The Buckeyes won a title two years ago and have Ryan Day operating the smoothest recruiting machine in the game.
Surely they wouldn't have Golesh on their radar, right?
Well, down the road...maybe there is something to it. Assuming Golesh does a bang-up job at AU.
Alex Golesh has perfect opportunity to become hottest HC candidate
At Auburn, Golesh can change the narrative. Everyone thinks the Tigers are a lost cause after five years of losing under Bryan Harsin and Hugh Freeze. It really was the worst possible time to go on a historic losing streak, with NIL newly in effect. That losing was financially exhausting, in addition to how emotionally exhausting it's been.
Things could change quickly in this era, though. Just look at how Curt Cignetti changed Indiana's fortunes within two years of being hired. Cignetti's first year with the Hoosiers ended in a CFP appearance. His second year ended in a national championship.
That was at a school that had never won before, too. There's a precedent of turning the ship around quickly in college football now that every offseason is free agency for every single player.
Golesh can easily become the next can't-miss coaching candidate. Ohio State would be a natural next step up the ladder.
If it's even a step up the ladder.
Auburn will do everything to keep Alex Golesh if things work out
If Indiana has $13.2 million annually for Cignetti, Auburn could find even more if Golesh works out. While the allure of coaching at his alma mater will always be present, like Marcus Freeman at Notre Dame, Golesh could build something that's too good to leave for his alma mater.
Is coaching for a school that Les Wexner is heavily invested in really a step up from winning in the SEC and the state of Alabama, anyway?
Let's hope Golesh doesn't think so if/when he becomes as desired a head coaching candidate as everyone expects him to be, based on his attitude and leadership alone.
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