Auburn's Golesh Touts Dual-Threat QB Brown's Playmaking Power

New Tigers coach sees Byrum Brown as key to reviving Auburn's offense in the SEC.

Apr. 11, 2026 at 9:13am

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A cubist-style painting depicting a college football quarterback's throwing motion and running ability broken down into sharp, overlapping geometric shapes in navy blue, burnt orange, and white, conveying the dynamic playmaking power of Auburn's new signal-caller.Byrum Brown's dual-threat skills could be the key to reviving Auburn's offense in the SEC.Auburn Today

After five straight years of uneven, mostly losing football, Auburn is searching for a hard reset, and the Tigers are betting Alex Golesh is the coach to deliver it. Golesh, who comes to Auburn after a successful tenure at South Florida, has brought with him quarterback Byrum Brown, who served as the engine behind the Bulls' offense. Golesh has made it clear he believes in Brown's growth as a passer and his natural ability as a runner, saying Brown forces defenses to account for multiple threats simultaneously.

Why it matters

Auburn has been searching for a dynamic quarterback who can stress defenses in multiple ways since the days of Cam Newton. Having someone like Brown, who has already proven he can put up big numbers against high-level competition, could be the key to opening up the Tigers' offense and sparking a real turnaround for the program.

The details

Last season at USF, Brown put up massive numbers, throwing for 28 touchdowns and rushing for 1,008 yards and 14 scores on the ground. That offense averaged 43.0 points per game and was one of the most productive units in the country. Golesh believes that version of Brown's football will show up in the SEC, even though competing in the tougher conference will be a different challenge.

  • Last season, Brown posted a PFSN CFB QB impact score of 88.8, the eighth-best mark in the country.
  • In 2025, Brown's USF offense averaged 43.0 points per game and was one of the most productive units in the country.

The players

Alex Golesh

The new head coach of the Auburn Tigers, who comes to the program after a successful tenure at South Florida.

Byrum Brown

The dual-threat quarterback who joined Golesh at Auburn after serving as the engine behind the Bulls' offense at USF.

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What they’re saying

“Byrum has grown so much as a thrower of the football. His natural comfort zone is to create with his feet...over the years he has become one of the best runners with the football.”

— Alex Golesh, Auburn Head Coach

What’s next

As Golesh and Brown look to revive Auburn's offense in the SEC, all eyes will be on how the dual-threat quarterback performs against the conference's top defenses.

The takeaway

This move signals a clear shift in Auburn's offensive approach, with Golesh and Brown bringing a dynamic, high-powered attack that could be the key to the Tigers' long-awaited turnaround. If Brown can translate his success at USF to the SEC, Auburn may finally have the quarterback it has been searching for since the Cam Newton era.