USF’s Golesh says physical toughness should lead to success for Bulls

TAMPA, Fla. — Everything you need to know about USF’s head coach is happening on the field.

There’s fun. There’s inclusion. There’s pure joy. And of course, there’s football. 

Coach Alex Golesh claims Victory Day is his favorite day of the year. And it’s easy to see why. No one was keeping score, but before USF kicked off the regular season, Golesh posted his first W. Everybody won at Victory Day, an annual event when the USF Bulls football team gives back to the community by hosting Special Olympics Florida athletes for an evening of football drills, agility challenges and scoring touchdowns.

“I get an opportunity to meet so many cool families that are from right here in Tampa — that look forward to this night every year,” Golesh said. “There’s nothing cooler.”

Golesh, entering his third season with the Bulls, has spent his time at USF building and molding this program. It’s taken on the identity of its leadership, which includes its redheaded head coach.

“You want to be a physically tough football team. That’s always been who I am, whether as a position coach, an offensive coordinator, certainly as a head coach,” Golesh said. “You want a physically tough team. You should be able to turn the game on and say, ‘Man, like, those dudes are all over the place.’ ” 

Tough and successful, that’s the goal. The Bulls are coming off a 7-6 season, one that they capped off with an exciting, 41-39 five-overtime win against San Diego State in the Hawai’i Bowl.

There are exciting times off the field, too, as the school’s on-campus stadium is finally under construction.

Golesh can see the progress from his office, and he said he’s hoping to see the progress of his team on the football field this season. And that fans take notice.

“You’re fighting to have a hope, then a belief, then now, a true expectation of winning,” Golesh said. “I want them to walk out and say, ‘Man, that is a really, really physical team that plays together and that won’t quit.’ I think if they walk out and say that, I think we’ve done our job.”

That’s Victory Day, every day.