Alex Golesh ?

[Jim Johnson]

Just now, FatDaddyBull said:

Did Tennessee play some secret game today that made us wait to announce this horrible hire? Fire Kelly. Tomorrow. 

Kelly made us wait because he was not Kelly's first or second (or third? or fourth?) choice. 

Kelly didn't actually make us wait.  This is just the first coach to agree to come to USF.

[10yrbull]

Is this a joke?  Lot of HCs out there. We already have a good offensive mind. No matter the sport, defense wins championships, so hire a defensive minded HC.  I would rather have Diaz or anyone else. Trickett has offense rolling. If we did this because of Deion that is pathetic and Kelly needs to go. 

[Triple B]

5 minutes ago, Brad said:

Alex Golesh made an immediate impact as Tennessee’s offensive coordinator and tight ends coach, establishing the Volunteers’ record-setting offense as one of the nation’s best. Entering his 19th season at the collegiate level and second on Rocky Top, Golesh has enjoyed success at every stop of his career that dates back to his undergraduate days at Ohio State. 

THE GOLESH FILE

 

PERSONAL INFORMATION

 Birthdate: June 24, 1984
Hometown: Dublin, Ohio
Education: Ohio State, 2006 (bachelor’s in education)
Wife: Alexis
Children: Corbin, Barrett

 

COACHING HISTORY

2004-05: Ohio State, Student Assistant
2006-07: Northern Illinois, Graduate Assistant
2008: Oklahoma State, Graduate Assistant
2009-11: Toledo, Tight Ends/Recruiting Coordinator
2012-13: Illinois, Tight Ends/Recruiting Coordinator
2014: Illinois, Running Backs/Tight Ends/Recruiting Coordinator
2015: Illinois, Tight Ends/Special Teams Coordinator
2016-19: Iowa State, Tight Ends/Recruiting Coordinator
2020: UCF, Co-Offensive Coordinator/Tight Ends
2021-present: Tennessee, Offensive Coordinator/Tight Ends

BOWL GAME APPEARANCES (12)

2021 Music City Bowl - Tennessee 
2020 Boca Raton Bowl - UCF
2019 Camping World Bowl – Iowa State
2018 Alamo Bowl – Iowa State
2017 Liberty Bowl – Iowa State
2014 Heart of Dallas Bowl – Illinois
2011 Military Bowl – Toledo
2010 Little Caesars Pizza Bowl – Toledo
2008 Holiday Bowl – Oklahoma State
2006 Poinsettia Bowl – Northern Illinois
2006 Fiesta Bowl – Ohio State
2004 Alamo Bowl – Ohio State

NFL DRAFT PICKS COACHED

WR Velus Jones Jr., Chicago Bears, 2022
OL Cade Mays, Carolina Panthers, 2022 
TE Charlie Kolar, Baltimore Ravens, 2022 
WR Jacob Harris, Los Angeles Rams, 2021 
WR Tre Nixon, New England Patriots, 2021

In one of the most remarkable transformations in the sport, Golesh implemented a tempo-based offense that reinvigorated the program and allowed skill positions to flourish. In 2021, no team in the country ran more plays per minute than Tennessee at 2.99, a sharp contrast from the 1.61 a year prior to his arrival.

In the last two years combined as a playcaller, including his year at UCF, Golesh’s offense is averaging a nation-best 3.06 plays per minute and 1.53 points per minute, which is third in the FBS during that span. Both of his years as an offensive coordinator have seen Golesh’s offenses finish in the FBS top 10 in scoring offense and total offense.

As part of Josh Heupel’s first UT staff, Golesh and the Vols won seven games – four better than a season prior to their arrival – and beat six teams by at least 24 points while earning a berth to the Music City Bowl.

Perhaps no offense in the nation owned a greater identity than Tennessee, who shattered eight team single-season records in Golesh’s first season, including points (511), total offensive yards (6,174), touchdowns (67), point after touchdowns made (67), total first downs (316), rushing first downs (164), fewest interceptions thrown (3) and passing efficiency (167.10).

Golesh and the Vols improved a scoring offense that skyrocketed 99 spots, going from 108^th in the country in 2020 to seventh in 2021 and averaging 39.3 points per game, which finished second in modern school history. Tennessee increased its total offense by 128.7 yards per game, putting up 474.9, a mark that ranked ninth in the FBS. The Vols tallied 6.5 yards per play, the program’s best since 1993.

Player development highlights under Golesh included quarterback Hendon Hooker shattering school single-season records for completion percentage (68.0) and passing efficiency (181.41) and the Vols producing their first 1,000-yard receiver since 2012. Cedric Tillman finished the year with 1,081 receiving yards – fourth in school history – to go along with 64 catches and 12 touchdowns. All-SEC wide receiver Velus Jones Jr. became the 2021 SEC Co-Special Teams Player of the Year, logging 62 receptions for 807 yards and seven scores before being selected in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears. Both Tillman and Jones Jr. finished in the UT single-season top 10 annals for catches.

Golesh’s tight end unit became a key cog of the offense in 2021. Led by Jacob Warren and Princeton Fant, Tennessee's tight ends combined for 37 catches for 406 yards and four touchdowns. A year prior to Golesh’s arrival, UT tight ends combined for 18 catches for 176 yards and two scores. The 37 receptions and 406 receiving yards were the most by Vol tight ends since 2016, while the four scores were the most by a UT tight end unit since it produced six in 2012. Warren and Fant became physical blockers, leaders on the team and elected to return for the 2022 season.

Golesh arrived in Knoxville after serving one season on Heupel’s staff in the same role at UCF in 2020. Despite the challenges presented by the unique COVID-19 shortened season, the Knights shined offensively in Golesh’s lone year, ranking second in the FBS in total offense (568.1), fourth in passing offense (357.4), seventh in total passing yards (3,574) and eighth nationally in scoring offense (42.2).

UCF earned a berth in the Boca Raton Bowl and multiple players earned postseason award recognition in Golesh’s lone season in Orlando. Marlon Williams was tabbed a third-team All-American by Pro Football Focus and a semifinalist for the Biletnikoff Award after averaging 129.9 receiving yards per game, good for fifth in the FBS. He also tallied 10 receiving touchdowns, which ranked seventh nationally.

Quarterback Dillon Gabriel was a second-team All-AAC selection and a three-time AAC Offensive Player of the Week recipient. Gabriel ranked second in the FBS in total offense per game at 373.9, while leading the nation in passing yards per contest at 357.0.

Golesh also mentored a pair of NFL Draft picks at UCF. Wide receiver Jacob Harris, a former walk-on, blossomed into a top-level pass catcher for the Knights by his senior season. He finished the year with 30 catches for 539 yards and eight touchdowns. Harris was selected as a tight end in the fourth round of the 2021 NFL Draft by the Los Angeles Rams. Meanwhile, wide receiver Tre Nixon was taken in the 2021 seventh round by the New England Patriots.

Golesh joined Heupel’s UCF staff after four successful seasons as the tight ends coach and recruiting coordinator at Iowa State from 2016-19. Behind Golesh's efforts, Iowa State's recruiting climbed sharply, recording four of the best classes in school history. The four Cyclone recruiting classes under his watch all ranked in the nation's top 50, including a pair of top-40 classes. The 2019 Iowa State recruiting class was the best in school history according to 247Sports, ranking No. 39 nationally and compiling a program-best .8550 composite rating.

Golesh was selected to the prestigious American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) 35 Under 35 class of 2019. The program is aimed at identifying and developing premier, future leaders in the football coaching profession.

Golesh mentored all-conference performers at tight end in 2017, 2018 and 2019, as the Cyclones recorded a pair of 8-5 seasons and back-to-back bowl berths in 2017 and 2018. In 2018, Iowa State broke its school record for conference victories in a season (six), tying for third in the Big 12 for the best conference finish 40 years. In 2019, the Cyclones ended 7-6 after an appearance in the Camping World Bowl in Orlando, for their third consecutive bowl invitation.

In the season before Golesh came to Ames, Iowa State tight ends caught a combined five passes. In 2019, Cyclone tight ends caught 75 passes under his direction and played a pivotal role in the team’s success. Sophomore tight end starter Charlie Kolar caught 51 passes for 697 yards (most yards all-time by a Cyclone tight end in a season) and seven touchdowns, helping him earn second-team All-America honors from Pro Football Focus and first-team All-Big 12 recognition, as well as first-team Academic All-America notice. He also was a semifinalist for the Mackey Award as one of the nation’s top tight ends. Teammate Chase Allen earned second-team All-Big 12 honors as Golesh’s unit completed the rare feat of sweeping both All-Big 12 tight end awards. The tight production helped Iowa State rank 11th nationally and second in the Big 12 in passing offense at 311.3 yards per game.

Kolar as a freshman was a second-team All-Big 12 pick during the 2018 campaign, while Allen was a second-team All-Big 12 selection in 2017. Kolar went on to be selected in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL Draft by the Baltimore Ravens, representing Iowa State’s first tight end draftee in 20 years.  

Golesh previously was the tight ends coach at Illinois from 2013-15 and worked with the Illini running backs and tight ends in 2014. He was Illinois’ recruiting coordinator from 2012-14, the special teams coordinator in 2015 and worked with the specialists all four years.

Golesh was on staff at Toledo for three years from 2009-11, serving as both tight ends coach and recruiting coordinator. Golesh aided the Toledo program in securing the No. 1 recruiting class in the Mid-American Conference in consecutive years. The 2010 Rocket class was No. 1 in the league according to Rivals.com, while both Rivals and Scout.com rated the 2011 class No. 1. Toledo recorded back-to-back bowl appearances in his final two seasons.

Prior to going to Toledo, Golesh spent three seasons as a graduate assistant coach -- two at Northern Illinois (2006-07) and one at Oklahoma State. Golesh worked with the outside linebackers at Oklahoma State in 2008, helping the Cowboys to a 9-4 record and a berth in the Holiday Bowl. At Northern Illinois, Golesh worked for one season with the secondary and one with the offensive line, helping the Huskies make the 2006 Poinsettia Bowl.

Golesh got his start in the coaching business as a student assistant coach while attending Ohio State as an undergraduate. He spent two and a half years aiding the Buckeyes' defensive coaches and working with the defensive line. During his time at Ohio State, the Buckeyes claimed the 2005 Big Ten championship and went on to earn a victory in the Fiesta Bowl over Notre Dame. Golesh also spent one year as a defensive line coach in a first-year football program at newly opened Westerville Central (Ohio) High School in 2003.

Golesh was born in Moscow, Russia, but grew up in Brooklyn, New York, and Dublin, Ohio, where he was a three-year letterwinner in football at Dublin Scioto High School. He earned a bachelor's degree in education from Ohio State in 2006.

Golesh and his wife Alexis, have one daughter, Corbin, and one son, Barrett.  

This would have been a more well accepted pick if we hadn't just gone through the CJS era .... A goodly bunch are still kind of traumatized.

[yakacack]

I just can’t give my money to this anymore. Almost 15 years now but just can’t do it. 4 seats in 118 will be up for grabs. Hope I grow to hate my decision because it works but can’t justify it. 

[Rex Havoc]

1 minute ago, Bulls On Parade said:

I see nothing that shows he is a top recruiter was not a top 25 atleast..

College football's Top 10 recruiters in 2021 class

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Ehh being a top recruiter has a lot to do with the school you’re recruiting for. I could probably be a top recruiter at Alabama, Michigan, Ohio state etc. We just have to out recruit the teams in our crap conference 

[michibull]

7 minutes ago, Brad said:

In one of the most remarkable transformations in the sport, Golesh implemented a tempo-based offense that reinvigorated the program and allowed skill positions to flourish. In 2021, no team in the country ran more plays per minute than Tennessee at 2.99, a sharp contrast from the 1.61 a year prior to his arrival.

Ok, good. So instead of fixing the defense which gives up 40 pts per game, VPMK figure we amp up our offense to score 42 pts per game. In all seriousness tho, I am going to give this guy my support, he is now in charge of my beloved Bulls football program. BUT, I am not happy with VPMK, and that’s all I’m gonna say about it. 

[Brad]

2 minutes ago, Jim Johnson said:

Kelly didn't actually make us wait.  This is just the first coach to agree to come to USF.

[Who'sYourData?]

9 minutes ago, thekidnapper said:

Yes, some of this is ridiculous. But would you rather have a pilot doing his first flight or one that was done it a few times? It works for every profession on Earth. Experience can be reassuring.

Experienced people get old and sruck in their ways.  They get full of themselves.  Last person I hired was young and hungry and in a year is better than most of his more experienced colleagues.  

[Jim Johnson]

 

[TheUpperHand]

Edited December 4, 2022 by TheUpperHand