Alex Golesh is in the midst of his first spring practice as Auburn’s head coach. After the Tigers’ 2025 season ended with just one SEC win, the fanbase and former players are hoping the program will bounce back strongly in 2026.
Why Takeo Spikes Changed His Mind About Alex Golesh at Auburn
Former Auburn and NFL linebacker Takeo Spikes had the opportunity to sit down with Golesh this week. As a former player, alum, letterman, and one of the greatest to ever wear the uniform, he shared his first impression after meeting with Golesh.
“I went in thinking, okay, ‘I just hope he doesn’t regurgitate what all the other past head coaches have done,’” Spikes said. “And that was, ‘Hey, we want to bridge the gap. We want the legends around. We want to change this.'”
“But after I walked away and just sitting down with him… it totally changed my perception of him. Not that it was bad at first, but it really brought me into the process.”
PFSN’s College Football Playoff Meter currently gives Auburn just a 1.8% chance to make the playoff in 2026, but Golesh is actively working to raise that outlook. He has brought over several key pieces from his previous USF roster, including quarterback Byrum Brown, wide receivers Chas Nimrod and Jeremiah Koger, and running back Nykahi Davenport.
Early reports from spring camp at Auburn already point to an interesting shift from the previous regime, with players like linebacker Xavier Atkins mentioning a new mindset centered around “demanding greatness.”
Golesh’s intense and structured approach signals a cultural reset for the program following a disappointing 2025 season.
That energy and direction aligned closely with what Spikes took away from their meeting.
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“Some key takeaways that I walked away understanding: No. 1, he made it clear, and it was unsolicited,” Spikes said (27:48). “He wants to embrace the history of the success that Auburn has had in the past… I said, ‘Coach, we kind of heard this before.’ And he was like, ‘No.’ He was like, ‘The reality of it is this place would not have been as prestigious as it is if it wasn’t for you guys, yourself, me…’”
“He was very intentional when it comes to building the culture or rebuilding the culture. He was like, ‘Look, every year we are in, you have to build a team every year… It’s a year-to-year process.’ I thought he did a wonderful job explaining that, and then just explaining the method of how he’s going to do it… I was very impressed.”
While Hugh Freeze was a strong recruiter, Golesh is focusing on dominating in-state recruiting, and he has already secured a visit from the No. 1 Alabama prospect in the 2028 class, Kingston Preyear.
Following the trip, Preyear told the Auburn Tigers on SI that he liked Golesh’s approach to “developing his players and staff” on and off the field. The Tigers also currently hold a commitment from the No. 1 player in Alabama for the 2027 class, Donivan Moore.
