Alex Golesh insists up-tempo style helps DC DJ Durkin, defense prepare for quick SEC offenses
By Ethan Stone
Published:
Alex Golesh and the Auburn Tigers are set to boast one of the quickest offenses in the country entering the 2026 season.
While speaking at SEC Media Days on Tuesday, Golesh mentioned that Auburn’s goal is not to play quick for the sake of breaking record or leading the country. The goal is to be efficient while playing quick, which makes life really difficult for opposing defenses.
Auburn is far from the only team utilizing this strategy. Tennessee, where Golesh once served as offensive coordinator, has a similar attack, as does LSU (with Lane Kiffin now in Baton Rouge), Mississippi State and Ole Miss, to name a few. Every team mentioned in that last sentence will play Auburn this season, too.
Golesh mentioned that Auburn’s up-tempo offense actually works well as a preparation tool for defensive coordinator DJ Durkin. Since Durkin’s defense is facing that offense in practice, it’s easier for the Tigers to get ready for tempo while also having the ability to slow things down against an offense with less tempo.
A Ferrari can drive fast and slow. With a Volkswagen Beetle, you don’t have the same luxury.
Golesh went further into detail with his full answer. Here’s what he had to say:
“Half of our schedule you’re playing teams that are — at least going into the season — that are playing with a high level of tempo,” Golesh said. “…So for our defensive staff, it’s what you want to get ready. It’s way easier to get ready for a tempo offense and then be able to slow it down where you have a little bit more time to get lined up, identify things, communicate, than the other way around where you’re playing against a slow-down offense and when it’s time to play an up-tempo offense, now you got to change the way you practice or how a scout team or multiple scout teams have got to operate.”
“For our defense to be able to go play against our offense every single spring practice, every single fall camp practice, and then the ability to wind it back when you have to I think is way easier than the inverse of that. And so it’s been really good for our defense. Again, it’s going to be six games at least as of right now going no where that’s the prep that we need defensively. And so for Durkin, that defensive staff, it’s the best thing that you could possibly have is being able to see that in practice every single day and having answers.”
Can Alex Golesh and the Tigers make some noise in Year 1? Here’s a look at the latest odds to crack the College Football Playoff, per Kalshi:
Ethan Stone is a Tennessee graduate and loves all things college football and college basketball. Firm believer in fouling while up 3.
