USF went 1-11 in 2022 and hired Alex Golesh to right the ship. He did more than that, leading the Bulls to their best season since 2018 (7-6). However, Golesh is out to prove his USF squad is more than a one-year wonder, sharing his confidence at AAC Media Days.
USF Head Coach Alex Golesh Not Concerned by Tough Schedule
When asked about having to play Alabama (Week 2) and Miami (Week 4) this season, Golesh was quick to say, “Bama and Miami have to play South Florida.”
That response shouldn’t come as a surprise, as Golesh exudes confidence whenever he is around a mic. After throttling Syracuse 45-0 in the Bacon Raton Bowl (the largest shutout in NCAA bowl history) last year, the first-year head coach said, “We just went and whooped that a**, didn’t we?”
The Bulls played Bama early last season, losing 17-3. However, USF made the Crimson Tide work for their victory, even if they partially shot themselves in the foot by benching starter Jalen Milroe after a rough outing the week before against Texas.
While referencing that game on Tuesday, Golesh set the tone for his squad’s trip to Tuscaloosa on Sept. 7 this year: “They came to our place. We had every opportunity to go be successful in that game. We couldn’t finish it. Now we get to go redeem ourselves.”
Golesh is a disciple of Josh Heupel, having worked with the offensive guru at UCF (2020, co-OC/TEs) and Tennessee (2021-22, OC/TEs). In 2022, Heupel handed partial play-calling duties to Golesh, and the results were astronomical.
The Vols finished the season ranked No. 1 nationally in scoring (47.33), yards per game (538.1), points per possession (3.24), and yards per play (7.35) during the regular season. Golesh became a Broyles Award finalist, which is handed to the best assistant coach in college football.
Yet, in his first season at USF, he proved his scheme didn’t need future NFL Draft picks to be successful. In 2023, Golesh’s GO-GO-GO offense led the nation in plays per game (82.1) and produced the 17th most total yards per game (451.6).
Additionally, the Bulls set 12 team and 16 individual records, including the program’s first 3,000-yard passer (redshirt freshman Byrum Brown) and 1,000-yard receiver (former walk-on Sean Atkins). Under Golesh’s tutelage, Brown set school records for TD passes (26), completions (276), completion rate (64.6%), and 300-yard passing games (4).
Golesh’s success extends beyond the field. His first full-cycle recruiting class at USF ranked 50th overall on 247Sports’ Composite, the highest of any Group of Five school and the program’s best placement in a decade (No. 42 in 2014).
Last summer, the USF Board of Trustees approved a $340 million plan for an on-campus, 35,000-seat stadium scheduled to open by fall 2026. Then, this spring, the board agreed to spend an additional $6.2 million on new recreation fields to lead the way for the new stadium.
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The Bulls have to feel good about their investment following Golesh’s inaugural season at the helm because the head coach sure does, telling reporters at Media Days, “It’s going to be the Taj Mahal of facilities nationally.”
USF may have the second-toughest strength of schedule in the AAC this season, but with Golesh calling the plays and Brown running them, the Bulls are poised to rise to the challenge and solidify their place as a formidable force in the conference.
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