Al Golden (American football)

Alfred James Golden (born July 4, 1969) is the head football coach at the University of Miami, a position he has held since December 2010. Prior to joining the University of Miami, he served for five years as defensive coordinator at Virginia and five years as the head coach at Temple. He is also a former tight end for the New England Patriots of the NFL.

College
Golden was a three-year (1989–91) letterwinner and tight end for Penn State, where he received the 1991 Ridge Riley Award, given annually to a player who displays excellence in scholarship, sportsmanship, friendship and leadership. As a junior in 1990, Golden played a key role in Penn State's nationally-televised 24–21 upset of #1-ranked Notre Dame at South Bend. His touchdown reception late in the fourth quarter tied the score at 21 as Penn State rallied from a 21–7 deficit. Golden was named captain of the Nittany Lions his senior year and helped lead them to a 42–17 win over University of Tennessee in the 1992 Fiesta Bowl, an 11–2 record, and a #3 ranking in the final 1991 AP Poll.

Professional
Golden spent the 1992 season in the National Football League with the New England Patriots.

Coaching career
Golden began his coaching career in 1993 as offensive coordinator at Red Bank Catholic High School in Red Bank, New Jersey. He then served as a graduate assistant under George Welsh at University of Virginia from 1994 to 1996, where he worked primarily with the linebackers and special teams. He helped develop All-ACC linebackers James Farrior and Jamie Sharper, both of whom were chosen in the 1997 NFL Draft. He then coached linebackers at Boston College from 1997 to 1999 under Tom O'Brien. While at Boston College, Golden coached All-Big East linebackers Frank Chamberlin and Erik Storz. The Eagles finished the 1999 regular season with an 8–3 record and a top-25 national ranking, while making their first postseason bowl appearance since 1994.

Named defensive coordinator by Virginia head coach Al Groh in 2001, Golden became the youngest defensive coordinator in Division I-A. He had spent the previous season at his alma mater, Penn State University, serving as linebackers coach and recruiting coordinator under Joe Paterno. From 2001 to 2004, the Cavaliers' defense improved under his tutelage, ranking 108th in total defense in his first year to ranking 18th in total defense in 2004. In the same time period, Virginia's scoring defense went from 74th in the nation (27.6 ppg) to 17th (17.7 ppg) utilizing Golden's 3–4 defense.

Temple
Golden was named head football coach at Temple University in December 2005, as the second-youngest head coach in NCAA football at that time, behind Northwestern's Pat Fitzgerald. Temple had a record of 3–31 during the three years before Golden was hired, and had just been thrown out of the Big East Conference for non-competitiveness. In Golden's first three years at the helm, Temple recorded 1–11 in 2006, 4–8 in 2007 and then 5–7 mark in 2008. The 2008 record was the best for the program since a 7–4 mark in 1990.

The Owls finished the 2009 regular season at 9–3, their first winning season since 1990. It was also their best record since 1979, the last time they appeared in a postseason game, before facing the UCLA Bruins in the EagleBank Bowl on December 29, 2009. After leading for three quarters, the Owls fell to the Bruins 30–21.

Golden was interviewed for the vacant head coach position at UCLA in December 2007. However, he withdrew his name from consideration on December 26, 2007, choosing to stay with the up-and-coming Temple program. Following the 2009 season, he was also a candidate for the head coaching position at the University of Cincinnati vacated by Brian Kelly, who departed for Notre Dame. He later asked that his name be withdrawn from consideration from that position. That same offseason, he was also a candidate for the job at Tennessee vacated by Lane Kiffin, who went to Southern California. In May 2010, Golden signed a contract extension with Temple through 2014. He led the Owls to an 8–4 record in 2010.

Miami
On December 12, 2010, ESPN reported that Golden was offered and accepted the head coaching job at the University of Miami.

In press conference remarks upon his hiring on December 13, 2010, Golden emphasized the importance of the University of Miami football legacy. "It's the most recognizable brand in college football," he said. "I go back to the former players that are here, the five national championships, 20 national award winners, countless All-Americans, incredible tradition. It's a dream job." Golden signed a five-year contract at an undisclosed salary on December 14, 2010. However, due to NCAA rules, Golden did not coach the football team in Miami's bowl game against Notre Dame but instead focused on recruiting players for 2011.

2011 season
Golden posted a 6–6 record in his first year at Miami. It was only the third time since 1979 that the program had failed to register a winning record. Despite being bowl-eligible, Miami announced on November 20 that it was withdrawing from bowl consideration due to an ongoing investigation into the program's ties to convicted Ponzi schemeer Nevin Shapiro.

2012 season
The Hurricanes registered a 7-5 record in 2012 and were in contention for a Coastal Division title for much of the year. However, with the NCAA investigation still not resolved, on November 19 Miami announced it was withdrawing from bowl consideration for a second consecutive season. Reportedly, school officials remembered how Ohio State opted to play in a bowl in the 2011 season with an NCAA investigation still underway only to be banned from bowl consideration the following year.

Personal
A native of Colts Neck, New Jersey, Golden graduated from Red Bank Catholic High School, Red Bank, New Jersey, and earned his undergraduate degree in pre-law from Pennsylvania State University in 1991 before receiving his master’s in sports psychology from the University of Virginia in December, 1996. A 2004 inductee of the Jersey Shore Sports Hall of Fame, he is married to Kelly Elizabeth Hanna of Lock Haven, Pennsylvania, and has a son, A.J., and two daughters, Addison and Grace.

Unlike most younger coaches, Golden wears a dress shirt, slacks and a tie on the sidelines.

Head coaching record
‡ Ineligible for ACC title, bowl game and Coaches' Poll