Among the plethora of priorities a new head coach faces when taking over a football program, keeping the current recruiting class intact is near the top.
With the announcement of Auburn hiring Alex Golesh as its new head coach on Sunday, it didn't take long for some of the Tigers' top commitments in the 2026 class to speak out.
Bralan Womack, a 5-star safety from Flowood, Miss., didn't seem to be a big fan of the hire, posting on Twitter.
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— Bralan Womack (@B_Mack02) November 30, 2025
4-star wide receiver Jase Mathews, also from Mississippi, doesn't seem familiar with Golesh, but says he is still locked in to the Tigers, but there's a chance he could be swayed elsewhere.
“To be honest I don’t know too much,” he said. “I look forward to getting to know him and find out how things are going to be... Definitely a 90 percent chance (I sign with Auburn). Ole Miss and A&M have been pushing. I give Ole Miss seven percent and A&M about three.”
The good news for Golesh is that it seems most recruits are supportive of the hire.
“I love it,” Shadarius Toodle, a 4-star linebacker, said. “I can’t wait to come in and work.”
On the other side, 3-star linebacker Adam Balogoun-Ali doesn't seem as happy with the hire.
“Definitely not expected,” he told Rivals’ Haydn Hollin. “Didn’t even know he was an option.
“It has a chance at impacting my decision. “I’m going to make an announcement about my recruitment soon.”
With Early Signing Day just three days away, Golesh and his new staff will have to spend a lot of time on the phone trying to convince these commits of their vision and plans, just as he did with Auburn athletic director John Cohen and the rest of the hiring committee, who gave him the job.