Alex Golesh and former Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze couldn’t be more different. Beyond the age gap and contrasting backgrounds Golesh hailing from Russia, Freeze from Mississippi there’s one telling detail sitting behind the new Tigers head coach’s desk: a framed print bearing only the initials “Fe.”
What does it stand for? In Golesh’s own words to USA TODAY Sports’ Blake Toppmeyer, it means “F*** everybody.”
That chip-on-the-shoulder mentality, forged during his time at Tennessee, is something Golesh is bringing with him to Auburn. It’s a noticeable shift from the tenures of Freeze and his predecessor Bryan Harsin though one could argue Harsin’s rocky 21-month stint on the Plains was defined more by disconnection than defiance, from his strained relationships with high school coaches to his failure to win over the fan base.
Still, after five consecutive losing seasons marked by gut-punch losses to lesser opponents and lopsided defeats to rivals, Auburn may be exactly the place that needs this kind of attitude. It’s the same win-at-all-costs mindset that has fueled the success of coaches like Kirby Smart, Steve Sarkisian, and Lane Kiffin in building elite programs. Neither Freeze nor Harsin could get the job done, and perhaps it takes a harder-edged, results-driven coach to restore Auburn to its rightful place in the college football pecking order.
That mentality will be put to the test quickly. Alabama has won six straight in the rivalry, and Georgia has taken eight consecutive meetings against the Tigers. A fearless, unbothered approach certainly couldn’t hurt when facing either of those programs or anyone else on the schedule.
If Golesh’s framed motto translates from the office wall to the football field this fall, Auburn fans may finally have something to get excited about again.
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