TAMPA, Fla. — USF head coach Alex Golesh started his coaching career as a student assistant at Ohio St. in 2004.
Two decades ago, the prospect of a 12-team college football playoff, transfer portal chaos, and players getting paid via NIL would've drawn more than a few laughs.
The reality is college football is a completely different sport than it was two decades ago.
I was fortunate to catch up with coach Golesh- who hasn't slowed down much since the Bulls Hawaii Bowl win- to chat about the continuing evolution of USF's program and college football as a whole.
"It’s like, anything good in life, in moderation, is good, right?" Golesh joked. "I think where we’ve gotten to is now, for us, the coaches you’re seeing have success are the coaches that are able to adjust."
He continued, "The programs you’re seeing have success are the programs that are willing to invest greatly. [Regarding all the changes to the game] I think if I would’ve looked at that 'graduate assistant Alex Golesh' I would’ve laughed at you."
No system has proven to be perfect, but the NCAA transfer portal has created two "free agency" periods during the college football season. In some cases, players switch schools between the end of the regular season and the beginning of bowl season.
Golesh said that during his first preseason, he and his coaching staff had to teach the players how to conduct themselves properly as part of a successful, division one team.
Now, as he starts his third season at the helm, Golesh hopes he's not going to be the one explaining what the standard is for his program.
"This is the spring you’re hoping that it truly becomes player-driven," Golesh explained. "That they demand that the way you work, the way you go through your daily process, the way you treat your teammates- that the accountability comes to each other rather than just to myself."
Golesh's friend and former USF men's basketball coach Amir Abdur-Rahim passed away in October. Coach Amir was a regular at Bulls football practices, and he addressed the entire team with inspirational speeches on more than one occasion.
Even though he won't physically be around, Golesh said Coach Amir has been and always will be, giving him bits of advice.
"I hear 'Relax' quite a bit [haha]," Golesh laughed. "I think if there’s anything I learned from him, it’s that you’re never too busy to stop and just smile to somebody or shake an extra hand. I get so wrapped up sometimes in 'This is the next step. This is the next step. This is the next step.' So, every time when things get a little crazy I hear 'Relax, man. Just relax. You’re gonna be just fine.'"
The Bulls start spring practice on March 25th. The annual Spring Game will be on Saturday, April 26th, at Corbett Stadium. Kick-off is scheduled for 6 p.m.
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