When a new head coach steps onto the Plains, the first handshake isn't just with recruits—it's with the people who help keep the program running. For Auburn's Alex Golesh, that includes one of the most influential figures in Tigers history.

Jimmy Rane, the founder of Great Southern Wood Preserving and the man behind YellaWood, is as synonymous with Auburn football as the War Eagle itself. Speaking ahead of his annual Jimmy Rane Charity Golf Tournament on May 14 in Montgomery, the longtime donor and Board of Trustees member gave his first public impressions of the Tigers' latest head coach.

"I've met him. Seems like a really nice fellow," Rane said. "He's very passionate, very committed, and I certainly wish him nothing but the best. I think he's really going to do a good job, I hope. But I guess we'll have to wait and see how the product looks on the field."

Rane's measured optimism comes with a dose of reality for the modern college football landscape. As a trustee, he acknowledged the seismic shift happening in the sport. "I've been in the education business," Rane said. "Now, with revenue-sharing and name, image and likeness ruling college athletics, we're in the professional sports business, and it's taking some adjustment."

Despite the challenges, Rane made it clear he's all in on Golesh's tenure. "I believe our leaders did a good job in trying to find the right coach, and I'm going to give him every opportunity to be successful," he added.

For Auburn fans, that kind of backing from a donor of Rane's stature is more than just a vote of confidence—it's a signal that the program's power brokers are ready to support the new era. Now, all eyes turn to the field, where Golesh will have to turn that support into wins.