USF Exec Addresses Alex Golesh Rumors amid Arkansas Interest to Replace Sam Pittman

Alex Golesh might be leaving USF, but he has apparently been transparent about the process.

While reports have circulated that Golesh accepted the job to become Arkansas' next head football coach, USF CEO of athletics Rob Higgins posted a message to social media Wednesday indicating there are still ongoing discussions:

The Arkansas position is open after the SEC program fired Sam Pittman in September following a loss to Notre Dame. The defeat dropped its record to 2-3 on the campaign, and things have not improved in his absence.

In fact, the Razorbacks are 2-9 overall and 0-7 on the campaign.

They have fallen well behind many of their SEC rivals and are surely looking to make a hire that can turn things around next season and beyond.

Whether that will be Golesh remains to be seen, but Higgins' post that said "we are ultra prepared for every scenario that could unfold in the coming hours/days" didn't sound like one that was expecting the head coach to return to USF.

This is Golesh's third season as head coach of the Bulls. He went 7-6 with a Boca Raton Bowl win in 2023 and 7-6 with a Hawaii Bowl win last season before an 8-3 start to the 2024 campaign.

South Florida also made national waves early in the 2025 season when it defeated Boise State in its opener and then went on the road to beat the SEC's Florida in its second game. Despite a loss to Miami, it was still in College Football Playoff contention until a narrow three-point loss to Navy on Nov. 15.

The Bulls are 8-3 on the season and have taken strides during Golesh's tenure. It seems like those strides have earned him an opportunity to coach in the SEC.