TAMPA, Fla. — Maybe it’s the touchdowns.

Or the moment they try on the equipment.

It’s gotta be the smiles, right?

What You Need To Know

  •  Golesh comes to USF from the University of Tennessee where he was the offensive coordinator and led the Vols No. 1 ranked offense.

  •  His work ethic was formed by his Russian immigrant parents. Golesh moved to the United States when he was seven.

  •  USF kicks off the season against Western Kentucky.

Perhaps it’s all of that and then some. But whatever it is, this is USF head coach Alex Golesh’s favorite night of the year.

Coach Golesh brought Victory Day to USF, an event featuring Special Olympians running through a variety of drills. At times, it was hard to tell who was having more fun, the USF Bulls or the Special Olympians.

“It’s a way to reflect for a night and really take a step back and just count your blessings and really appreciate what we do have here,” Golesh said.

If you need to know anything about USFs newest head coach, know this, Victory Day sums him up to a T. So before the Bulls even kickoff their season, Golesh has already posted his first W.

“I think it just all goes with just giving more of yourself than taking from anybody,” he said. “It gives them a way of reflecting for just a second.”

So what exactly are Bulls fans getting with the former University of Tennessee offensive coordinator? One of the hardest working coaches in the business.

That work ethic can directly be traced to his parents, Russian immigrants who moved the family to the United States when Golesh was only seven years old. He watched how hard his parents worked to make the American Dream a reality for their children. And now their youngest is living out his dream at USF.

“I wanted to teach and coach,” Golesh said. “I wanted to make a difference in young people’s lives. I wanted to give back. I wanted to help young guys just like I got helped when I was young. I thought there was nothing more rewarding than being a teacher and being a coach.”

Coach Golesh isn’t known for backing down, which is a good thing because he inherited a program mired in losing. The Bulls posted just four wins in the past three years. They haven’t produced a winning season since 2017. Coach Golesh plans to change that.

“Honestly, recognizing that it’s happened and paying attention to history,” he said. “But absolutely finding ways to make sure it doesn’t repeat itself.”