This is Alex Golesh's first priority as Auburn football coach

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AUBURN — Alex Golesh has his first six months with Auburn football mapped out. He seemingly had to in order to get the job as its head football coach, which was announced Sunday, Nov. 30.

“Give (athletics director) John (Cohen) credit, and his search committee, they wanted to know the plan,” Golesh said Monday. “Minute by minute, we’ve got mapped out the entire six months as we go forward.”

What’s critical above all else, Golesh said, is his first seven days. In that time, he’ll be hiring a coaching staff. In days’ time, he’ll be announcing his first signing class at Auburn. But neither is the top priority right now. That belongs to Golesh’s roster, which he made his first stop Sunday, meeting with the entire team after landing in Auburn.

“The most important thing, and I can’t say this enough, is the current players that are here, because these are the guys that have the most immediate choice to make right now,” Golesh said. “Either, ‘I am going to stay here and keep with it and build something really, really special,’ or, ‘Man, I don’t know if this is for me.’”

Golesh said everything else comes after that, and as it stands, that’s quite a list. He has yet to officially announce his entire staff, but he has already reportedly added several names from South Florida, including former Tiger Kodi Burns. DJ Durkin‘s status remains in question, as Golesh didn’t provide an update at his introduction.

Within all that is the early signing period, which begins Wednesday, Dec. 3. Auburn’s class ranks 64th nationally, according to 247Sports, and it lost a vital commitment Monday in five-star safety Bralan Womack.

But the importance of Auburn’s current roster will permeate throughout Golesh finalizing his staff and inaugural signing class. The transfer portal is set to open in a month, and Auburn’s roster is considered the 13th-most talented nationally based on 247’s talent composite. Golesh inherited a roster with 46 former blue-chip prospects, three of which were five-star recruits.

“My most important priority is our current players,” Golesh said. “Not to me, but whoever said, ‘I’m coming to Auburn and I’m part of this Auburn Family, and I want to do this the right way.’ Everything else comes after that.”

Adam Cole is the Auburn athletics beat writer for the Montgomery Advertiser. He can be reached via email at acole@gannett.com or on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, @colereporter.To support Adam’s work, please subscribe to the Montgomery Advertiser.

This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: What’s first priority for Auburn football coach Alex Golesh?

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