If the football coaching job at Notre Dame does come open, there’s nothing at the moment linking Miami boss Al Golden to it as Brian Kelly’s possible successor.
There’s the column disclaimer.
But count me among the not surprised should Golden, who has spent two seasons with the Hurricanes, be mentioned as a candidate to lead the Irish if Kelly leaves them for NFL employment in charge of the Philadelphia Eagles.
What is surprising to me is that Golden is still with the ‘Canes in the first place.
What is surprising to me is that he hasn’t gotten out — to Wisconsin, most recently — when the gettin’ out would have been good.
And how wonderful would the gettin’ out opportunity look for Golden were he to show up on a post-Kelly list at Notre Dame?
There’s precious little loyalty in these coach-school relationships. The employee lies as a matter of course when rumor of a move begins to take root. Kelly, for example, denied having any interest in stepping away from the Irish just last week before the national title game Notre Dame lost to Alabama in Sun Life Stadium, but almost immediately was interviewing with the Eagles after the contest.
It’s a slimy business in which being disingenuous is standard tactic.
There’s nothing wrong with being opportunistic, but wouldn’t some up-front honesty be refreshing?
It works both ways.
Golden didn’t have all the information on the Nevin Shapiro booster scandal when Miami hoodwink-hired him, but has done admirably holding things together at The U. in the aftermath of the mess with which he had nothing to do. The won-lost record is mediocre (13-11 overall, 8-8 in the middling Atlantic Coast Conference), but the team has remained a team, with an impressive graduation rate, in difficult times.
The worst of the penalties stemming from the scandal – probably a significant loss of scholarships – is still to come when the NCAA makes its determination regarding Miami, which already has endured a self-imposed bowl ban.
Would he have signed up for the gig had he known then everything he knows now?
“You make decisions based on circumstances,” Golden told me once. “You can’t go back. That’s not how things work.”
It sounded a lot like a “no.”
Soon, the circumstances might be that the Notre Dame job is open.
If it is – and if the Irish express an interest in speaking to Golden – nobody should blame him were he to explore the possibility of going to South Bend, Ind., where symbols from dome to helmets are the color described by his own surname.
Miami isn’t a steppingstone position, but neither is it as elite an assignment as it was once upon a glorious time. And compared to Notre Dame, it’s no contest.
Golden, whose contract was extended late in 2011, couldn’t be blamed for choosing to abandon UM in favor of Notre Dame, which will pay whatever money is required pay (in salary and/or buyout) to get the coach it wants if it does need to replace Kelly.
Why not consider Golden, who has stabilized Miami’s program in a devastating storm?
Why not consider Golden, if the likes of Northwestern’s Pat Fitzgerald and Louisville’s Charlie Strong – good coaches already mentioned in connection to a Notre Dame scenario – were the primary competition?
Kelly, in three years at Notre Dame, has the Irish positioned for long-term success. There’s a top-rated recruiting class on its way in to complement the holdovers from a team that was unbeaten during the past regular season.
Golden’s accomplishments at Miami have been much more modest. And there was a 41-3 loss to Notre Dame this season.
But he’s a decent man and a good coach.
“Leaving is not an option,” Kelly said last week.
Wrong.
Leaving is always an option, and on short or no notice.
If it becomes an option for Golden, Miami should wish him all the best.
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