Outpoll | Potential MSU coaching candidate comments on future, possible job opportunities elsewhere

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Potential MSU coaching candidate comments on future, possible job opportunities elsewhere

Potential MSU coaching candidate comments on future, possible job opportunities elsewhere

1 day ago7 min read1 comments

Alright, let's huddle up and talk about this coaching carousel drama that's starting to bubble up, because if you're a Michigan State fan right now, you're probably feeling that familiar mix of dread and desperate hope that comes when your program hits the skids. The Spartans are in a full-blown tailspin after that absolute beatdown by UCLA, a loss so ugly you had to look away, like a bad NBA dunk contest attempt.That makes it three Ls in a row, and in the world of big-time college football, that's the kind of streak that gets the fanbase on Twitter screaming for a coach's head louder than a buzzer-beater in March. So, naturally, with the temperature under Jonathan Smith's seat reaching scorching levels, everyone and their cousin is starting to play the 'what if' game, scribbling down names on a virtual whiteboard for who could potentially take over the reins in East Lansing.And one name that keeps popping up in these group chats and message board threads, the guy getting a lot of love from the Spartan faithful, is Alex Golesh, the man currently running the show down at the University of South Florida. Now, Golesh has been working some serious magic with the Bulls, turning that program into a legitimate contender and putting them right in the thick of the College Football Playoff conversation, which is basically the equivalent of a mid-major pulling off a Cinderella run in the tournament.But with great success comes great speculation, and his name is now getting tossed into the rumor mill for every major job that might—or might not—come open, from Michigan State to Auburn to Florida. So, what does the man himself have to say about all this chatter? Well, earlier this week, he was put on the spot, mic in his face, and asked about his name being linked to these so-called bigger opportunities.And dude, he didn't just give a one-line answer; he went on a four-minute and thirty-six-second soliloquy, a real from-the-heart monologue that you can find all over social media courtesy of Evan Closky. His main point? 'I've never in my career, outside of here, chased a job.Ever. And I don't intend to.' Now, on its face, that sounds like a coach fully committed to his current squad, a guy telling the world he's not looking for the exit ramp. And you have to take that at face value, right? I mean, what is he supposed to say? His team is in the playoff hunt! It's like asking a player if he's thinking about free agency during the championship series; you're always going to get the company line, the 'I'm focused on the task at hand' response.It's Coaching 101. But here's the thing that makes this interesting, the little wrinkle in the narrative: his response didn't feel like your standard, boilerplate, coach-speak nonsense.It felt genuine. It had weight.It wasn't the typical 'I'm happy where I am' deflection we've heard a thousand times before a coach promptly packs their bags for a bigger paycheck. There was a sincerity to it that makes you pause and think, 'Hey, maybe this guy really means it.Maybe he's building something special at USF and he genuinely doesn't see Michigan State or Auburn as a step up, but rather as a different path altogether. ' It's the kind of authenticity that's rare in this business, where loyalty is often just a word used until a better contract offer arrives.So, where does that leave Michigan State? Well, for starters, the job isn't even officially open. Smith is still the head coach, and we're a long, long way from any official search committee being formed.This is all just speculative noise, the kind of background hum that fills the air during a losing season. But it's noise that the athletic department will absolutely be monitoring.Because if—and it's still a big if—the Spartans do decide to make a change and move on from Smith, a coach like Alex Golesh, with his offensive ingenuity and proven ability to resurrect a program, would undoubtedly be near the very top of their wish list. His work at USF is the kind of resume-builder that makes athletic directors drool.He's taken a team from the basement and made them relevant on a national scale, which is exactly the kind of turnaround artistry Michigan State desperately needs. So, while Golesh has publicly tried to shut down the rumors with a heartfelt declaration of loyalty, in the cutthroat, 'what have you done for me lately' world of college football, those words are often just the opening salvo in a much longer, more complicated negotiation. For now, Spartan fans should keep one eye on the rest of this season's results and the other on any further comments from Tampa, because this is a storyline with legs, and it's not going away anytime soon.