Overview
- Auburn officially announced five key additions: defensive coordinator D.J. Durkin retained, Joel Gordon as offensive coordinator and QBs coach, Tyler Hudanick as offensive line coach, Brad Wilson as defensive assistant, and Andrew Warsaw as general manager.
- Golesh said roughly 75% of players were off campus and the staff was in flux, explaining the decision to pass on an APR-driven bowl opportunity after a 5-7 season.
- He said he discussed the opt-out with athletics director John Cohen and framed the move as prioritizing roster management, recruiting and preparation for 2026.
- Multiple players have announced or are reported to intend to enter the transfer portal when it opens Jan. 2–16, including WR Perry Thompson and, per the Montgomery Advertiser, QB Jackson Arnold.
- Golesh described his hiring approach as seeking "elite" people across the program and signaled the staff is not yet finalized as Auburn balances retention with targeted portal additions.