USF football head coach Alex Golesh: The man behind the process

*Coach Alex Golesh reminisced on watching USF football during his own college days. Now, he’s leading the team. USF ATHLETICS PHOTO*

Football coach Alex Golesh said USF has been on his mind since his own days as a college student when the program was top five in the country.

“I distinctly remember sitting there watching it and thinking ‘What is S Florida and what are they doing in the top five in the country?’” Golesh said. “And you flip a game on and you’re like ‘Wow, this is electric, these dudes play really hard.’”

Golesh, a 2005 Ohio State graduate, said that is the vision he now holds for the future of the program as head football coach.

After a season enamored with success and recruiting the AAC’s highest-ranked class, Golesh continues to strive for more.

“My vision and the standard that we’re setting is that we’re going to continue to grow, continue to build… I’ve never put a ceiling on it [the future of the program],” Golesh said.

‘Close games are for losers’

USF football played then-No. 10 Alabama in September 2023.

For much of the game, USF held the score within a 3-point difference, exciting fans and causing talk of a “near win” among the student body. Alabama was originally favored to win the game by more than 30 points.

Golesh said he thinks every “era” of college football has a “statement-type game.” However, he refuses to think the USF v. ‘Bama game was “it,” as he believes “better” and more opportunities are coming.

This past season’s “electric” games and enthusiasm have changed the student culture surrounding USF athletics, Golesh said.

“This fanbase, the students, were so hungry to be prideful about this football program that I think we’ve given them something to grab onto,” Golesh said.

On the ‘Bama game, Golesh said his opinion of the outcome is different to the public perception.

“I think publicly the perception is ‘Man, they played them tight,’” Golesh said. “I know I infamously got quoted after the game of ‘Close games are for losers,’ and I believe that… I think what we got out of that game was a packed stadium, a true spirit, a fight.”

Future buzz

Now, the attention is already turning to next season.

“We’re seven months away from playing, these are the dark days of college football, nobody knows what you’re doing…There’s proof of concept, here’s where we are, now we have to continue, we have to keep pushing,” said Golesh.

This expectation that Golesh holds for working hard is known by his team, including freshman quarterback Byrum Brown.

“Through him being that role model for us, we are following in his footsteps, implementing that throughout the whole team,” Brown said.

Golesh said Brown is a special player, but his influence on the team doesn’t stop there.

“He leads by example, he leads through action,” Golesh said. “What Byrum does is he sets a tone for physicality, mental toughness, physical toughness for the entire team… he sets the tone for what we are, who we are.”

Brown’s return is exciting, validating and “speaking volumes to our culture,” Golesh said.

“Our job as coaches is to help young people be the best version of themselves,” Golesh said. “I love seeing guys grow and get comfortable and confident in who they are.”

Golesh’s impact on players lies not just on the field, but also personally.

For Brown, he sees the impact Golesh has had on his role within the team.

“He has impacted me greatly,” Brown said. “He has challenged me to become a better leader.”

Expanding home turf

Construction will soon start for the on-campus stadium, with a groundbreaking ceremony expected this October. Golesh said he sees college football as an integral part of the “college experience,” with the addition of an on-campus stadium to USF is “monumental.”

With many USF alumni nearby, Golesh said he anticipates the addition of a stadium to bring former students back to campus – some for their first time as an alum.

Golesh said it will create something pulling alumni to return to campus.

“Now, we’re giving them a reason,” Golesh said. “Every landmark of every major university is the football stadium.”

‘Come to the Bay, Stay in the Bay’

Golesh is taking the catchphrase he coined this year “Come to the Bay, stay in the Bay” to heart.

“We’ve tried to sell ‘the bay’… we’re proud to be in Tampa, proud to be the college football team of Tampa Bay,” Golesh said. “The ’stay in the bay’ part of it is looking to make a push for the bay area [high schoolers] to stay here.”

And the effectiveness has been felt across the board.

“It feels like USF is that school to go to for athletics,” Brown said.

In just a year, Golesh’s leadership has given the team, the students and the community at USF so much to be proud of.

“You can feel it, you can sense it,” Golesh said. “Now we’re reaping the rewards of setting a foundation.”

The moment of 2024’s season kick-off may be months away, but the anticipation is high.

“When I first got here we talked about bringing pride back to the [USF] logo, and you see now out in the community so much more green and gold, because people are wearing it proudly,” Golesh said.