For Byrum Brown, following Golesh to Auburn was ultimately a 'no-brainer'

Alex Golesh’s move from USF to Auburn last November immediately begged the question: Would record-setting quarterback Byrum Brown follow the coach that guided his rise to stardom?

It took over a month to get an answer.

At his introduction as the Bulls new head coach eight days after Golesh accepted the Auburn job, Brian Hartline said communication had been “great” with Brown and would continue throughout that week.

That Saturday, Brown posed for pictures with USF’s CEO of Athletics Rob Higgins and former college president Rhea Law at his commencement ceremony, only two days after Higgins announced Brown would help coach, not play, during USF’s Cure Bowl matchup. When he walked the graduation stage, Brown was announced stadium-style — “Our quarterback, No. 17, Byrum Brown” — which set off raucous applause.

He announced he would enter the transfer portal days later, and after two weeks committed to Auburn.

Brown, back in Tampa on Tuesday as the Tigers’ presumptive starting quarterback for SEC football media days, said that reuniting with Golesh ultimately emerged as the clearly correct move.

“Why not follow a guy that has believed in me since I was 18 ... who instilled a tremendous amount of confidence in me when I came back (from a 2024 leg injury), and then to go along with that, a phenomenal, phenomenal offensive staff that’s also believed in me since I was 18,” he said. “It kind of became a no-brainer at the end of the day.

“Obviously I had to talk it over, but why not follow him?”

Golesh, as effusive of a Brown supporter as ever, said Brown “represents everything that’s right about Auburn football” and remembered sweating Brown’s decision in the weeks before securing his commitment.

“You talk about a couple days where you sit there and you cringe like, ‘Man, everybody in the country is going after this kid,’” Golesh said. “It gives me a level of confidence going into the season that we’re led by that guy.”

It hasn’t taken long for Brown to similarly endear himself to his new team. Senior kicker Alex McPherson called him “a great example of a good teammate,” and standout safety Champ Anthony raved about Brown, too.

“He’s the most quarterback quarterback I’ve ever been around,” Anthony said. “He’s walking, talking, everything like a quarterback. It feels great to just have. I don’t even look at the offensive side of the ball. I don’t have to. I know Byrum will have them straight.”

Brown, celebrated at USF and Auburn, even if it’s only the honeymoon stage for the latter, wasn’t always this highly touted. Before thriving in Tampa, he was a three-star prospect with no power conference offers buried on USF’s depth chart. His move to Auburn is Brown’s latest step in his remarkable ascension, one that is sure to come with heightened scrutiny.

But Brown, who has recently spent time with Auburn legend Cam Newton and posted numbers last season comparable to Jayden Daniels’ Heisman-winning 2023 season, said he just wants “to be Byrum Brown.”

“That’s all I can be,” he said.

Golesh said Brown has proven he is one of the best quarterbacks in college football and echoed his sentiment. “What’s gotta happen for Byrum is he’s just gotta continue to be him every single day,” he said.

It’s a strategy that has so far served both quarterback and coach well, one that for Brown made too much sense to abandon in his final year of collegiate eligibility, regardless of his feelings about his former school. When he entered the transfer portal in December, Brown wrote on social media that his “decision weighed heavily” because of his belief “in the direction USF is heading.”

Brown kept his comments on Tuesday focused on producing another successful season, but he remembered the path he’s taken so far fondly.

“A lot of gratitude,” Brown said. “Feel blessed to be able to start my journey here. Honestly, it’s surreal to be back.”

Times staff writer Abby DiSalvo contributed to this report.

• • •

Sign up for our Sports Today newsletter to get daily updates on the Bucs, Rays, Lightning and college football across Florida.

Every weekday, tune into our Sports Day Tampa Bay podcast to hear reporter Rick Stroud break down the biggest stories in Tampa Bay sports.

Never miss out on the latest with your favorite Tampa Bay sports teams. Follow our coverage on X and Facebook.