Reports surfaced last week that Alex Golesh was prepared to leave South Florida for Arkansas.
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However, the head coach explained to the media following USF’s 52-3 win over Rice that he wanted to wait until after the regular season to make his final decision.
With no contract from Arkansas signed, Golesh made a pivot to another SEC program on Sunday, agreeing to become Hugh Freeze’s replacement at Auburn.
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The Bulls national coaching search has officially begun.
Golesh had a successful season at USF, leading the program to a 9-3 season and 6-2 record in the American Conference. South Florida started the year strong with wins over then-No. 25 Boise State and then-No. 13 Florida.
Joey Knight of the Tampa Bay Times suggested former Florida State and Texas A&M head coach Jimbo Fisher could be a top target for athletic director Rob Higgins if the the program wanted to make a splashy hire.
“Face it, Higgins is all about splashes,” Knight wrote. “In his previous gig with the Tampa Bay Sports Commission, he made one splash after another by helping the area land a smorgasbord of crown-jewel sporting events from Super Bowls to Wrestlemanias to Women’s Final Fours.
“This would qualify as a splash hire, but would it be a prudent one? Well, Fisher, 60, has a national title on his resume, he knows every nook and cranny of Florida, and he seems rejuvenated. He also might come very cheap, considering the buyout bonanza he got from A&M.”
Earlier this fall, Fisher claimed he was preparing to get back into coaching college football. He’s 128-48 all-time at the college level during his stints with the Noles and Aggies.
Fisher knows the state of Florida well, which could aid in recruiting. He might wish to jump for a Power 4 job, but there aren’t many options open for him at the moment.
USF would give Fisher a path to the College Football Playoff if he can earn a conference championship. It’ll be interesting to see if the Bulls can land an interview with the winner of the 2013 BCS national title.
For more on the NCAA, head to Newsweek Sports.
