Al Golden (football)
Encyclopedia
Alfred James Golden 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
.
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 Lion
s 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
.
in the National Football League
with the New England Patriots
.
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 linebacker
s 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 linebacker
s 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.
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.
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.
, 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.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
coach
Head coach
A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches...
at the University of Miami
Miami Hurricanes football
The Miami Hurricanes football program competes in the Atlantic Coast Conference of the NCAA's Division I Football Bowl Subdivision for the University of Miami. The program began in 1926 and has won five AP national championships...
, a position he has held since December 2010. Prior to joining the University of Miami, he served for five years as defensive coordinator
Defensive coordinator
A defensive coordinator typically refers to a coach on a gridiron football team who is in charge of the defense. Generally, along with his offensive counterpart, he represents the second level of command structure after the head coach...
at Virginia
Virginia Cavaliers football
Virginia Cavaliers football is a college football program that competes in the NCAA Division I-FBS and the Coastal Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference...
and five years as the head coach at Temple
Temple Owls football
The Temple Owls football team participates in the NCAA's Division I Football Bowl Subdivision as a member of the East Division of the Mid-American Conference...
. He is also a former tight end for the New England Patriots
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
of the NFL
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
.
College
Golden was a three-year (1989–91) letterwinner at tight endTight end
The tight end is a position in American football on the offense. The tight end is often seen as a hybrid position with the characteristics and roles of both an offensive lineman and a wide receiver. Like offensive linemen, they are usually lined up on the offensive line and are large enough to be...
for Penn State
Pennsylvania State University
The Pennsylvania State University, commonly referred to as Penn State or PSU, is a public research university with campuses and facilities throughout the state of Pennsylvania, United States. Founded in 1855, the university has a threefold mission of teaching, research, and public service...
, 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
University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States...
at South Bend
South Bend, Indiana
The city of South Bend is the county seat of St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States, on the St. Joseph River near its southernmost bend, from which it derives its name. As of the 2010 Census, the city had a total of 101,168 residents; its Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 316,663...
. His touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
reception late in the fourth quarter tied the score at 21 as Penn State rallied from a 21–7 deficit. Golden was named captain
Captain (sports)
In team sports, a captain is a title given to a member of the team. The title is frequently honorary, but in some cases the captain may have significant responsibility for strategy and teamwork while the game is in progress on the field...
of the Nittany Lion
Nittany Lion
This article is about the Penn State mascot. For the Penn State fight song see "The Nittany Lion ".The Nittany Lion is the mascot of the Pennsylvania State University in University Park, Pennsylvania, USA and its athletic teams. It refers to the mountain lions that once roamed near the school, and...
s his senior year and helped lead them to a 42–17 win over University of Tennessee
University of Tennessee
The University of Tennessee is a public land-grant university headquartered at Knoxville, Tennessee, United States...
in the 1992 Fiesta Bowl
Fiesta Bowl
The Fiesta Bowl, now sponsored by Frito-Lay and named with their Tostitos brand, is a United States college football bowl game played annually at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. Between its origination in 1971 and 2006, the game was hosted in Tempe, Arizona at Sun Devil...
, an 11-2 record, and a #3 ranking in the final 1991 AP Poll
AP Poll
The Associated Press College Poll refers to weekly rankings of the top 25 NCAA teams in one of three Division I college sports: football, men's basketball and women's basketball. The rankings are compiled by polling sportswriters across the nation...
.
Professional
Golden spent the 1992 season1992 NFL season
The 1992 NFL season was the 73rd regular season of the National Football League.Due to the damage caused by Hurricane Andrew, the New England Patriots–Miami Dolphins game that was scheduled for September 6 at Joe Robbie Stadium was rescheduled to October 18. Both teams originally had that...
in the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
with the New England Patriots
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
.
Coaching career
Golden began his coaching career in 1993 as offensive coordinatorOffensive coordinator
An offensive coordinator is a member of the coaching staff of a gridiron football team who is in charge of the offense. Generally, along with his defensive counterpart, he represents the second level of command structure after the head coach...
at Red Bank Catholic High School
Red Bank Catholic High School
Red Bank Catholic High School is a four-year private coeducational Roman Catholic high school, located in Red Bank, New Jersey, under the supervision of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Trenton...
in Red Bank, New Jersey
Red Bank, New Jersey
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 11,844 people, 5,201 households, and 2,501 families residing in the borough. The population density was 6,639.1 people per square mile . There were 5,450 housing units at an average density of 3,055.0 per square mile...
. He then served as a graduate assistant under George Welsh at University of Virginia
University of Virginia
The University of Virginia is a public research university located in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, founded by Thomas Jefferson...
from 1994 to 1996, where he worked primarily with the linebacker
Linebacker
A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
s and special teams. He helped develop All-ACC
Atlantic Coast Conference
The Atlantic Coast Conference is a collegiate athletic league in the United States. Founded in 1953 in Greensboro, North Carolina, the ACC sanctions competition in twenty-five sports in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association for its twelve member universities...
linebackers James Farrior
James Farrior
James Alfred Farrior is an American football player who currently plays as an inside linebacker for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. He played college football at the University of Virginia, and played with the New York Jets from 1997 to 2001.-Early years:Farrior was born...
and Jamie Sharper
Jamie Sharper
Harry James Sharper, Jr. is a former American football player who played in the NFL from 1997 through 2005. He played college football at the University of Virginia. He is the older brother of safety Darren Sharper.-Professional career:The Baltimore Ravens selected Sharper with the 34th overall...
, both of whom were chosen in the 1997 NFL Draft
1997 NFL Draft
The 1997 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 19–20, 1997. No teams elected to claim any players in the supplemental draft that...
. He then coached linebackers at Boston College
Boston College
Boston College is a private Jesuit research university located in the village of Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, USA. The main campus is bisected by the border between the cities of Boston and Newton. It has 9,200 full-time undergraduates and 4,000 graduate students. Its name reflects its early...
from 1997 to 1999 under Tom O'Brien
Tom O'Brien (football coach)
Thomas P. O'Brien is an American football coach and former player. He is the head football coach at North Carolina State University, a position he has held since the 2007 season...
. While at Boston College
Boston College
Boston College is a private Jesuit research university located in the village of Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, USA. The main campus is bisected by the border between the cities of Boston and Newton. It has 9,200 full-time undergraduates and 4,000 graduate students. Its name reflects its early...
, Golden coached All-Big East
Big East Conference
The Big East Conference is a collegiate athletics conference consisting of sixteen universities in the eastern half of the United States. The conference's 17 members participate in 24 NCAA sports...
linebackers Frank Chamberlin
Frank Chamberlin
Frank Jacob Chamberlin is an American football linebacker. Chamberlin attended Mahwah High School, in Mahwah, New Jersey. He was a four-year letterman and two-year starter for Boston College and paced the team with 126 tackles as a senior, earning second-team All-Big East honors...
and Erik Storz. The Eagles
Boston College Eagles football
The Boston College Eagles football team is the collegiate football program of Boston College. The team is a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference, a Division I Bowl Subdivision league governed by the NCAA. Within the ACC, the Eagles are one of six teams in the Atlantic Division...
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
Defensive coordinator
A defensive coordinator typically refers to a coach on a gridiron football team who is in charge of the defense. Generally, along with his offensive counterpart, he represents the second level of command structure after the head coach...
by Virginia
University of Virginia
The University of Virginia is a public research university located in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, founded by Thomas Jefferson...
head coach Al Groh
Al Groh
Al Groh is the defensive coordinator of the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team. He is also a former head coach of the University of Virginia football team, a former head coach of the Wake Forest Demon Deacons football team and the former head coach of the New York Jets of the NFL...
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 linebacker
Linebacker
A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
s coach and recruiting coordinator under Joe Paterno
Joe Paterno
Joseph Vincent "Joe" Paterno is a former college football coach who was the head coach of the Penn State Nittany Lions for 46 years from 1966 through 2011. Paterno, nicknamed "JoePa," holds the record for the most victories by an NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision football coach with...
. From 2001 to 2004, the Cavaliers
Virginia Cavaliers football
Virginia Cavaliers football is a college football program that competes in the NCAA Division I-FBS and the Coastal Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference...
' 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 UniversityTemple University
Temple University is a comprehensive public research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Originally founded in 1884 by Dr. Russell Conwell, Temple University is among the nation's largest providers of professional education and prepares the largest body of professional...
in December 2005, as the second-youngest head coach in NCAA
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
football at that time, behind Northwestern
Northwestern University
Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston and Chicago, Illinois, USA. Northwestern has eleven undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools offering 124 undergraduate degrees and 145 graduate and professional degrees....
's Pat Fitzgerald
Pat Fitzgerald
-External links:*...
. 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
Big East Conference
The Big East Conference is a collegiate athletics conference consisting of sixteen universities in the eastern half of the United States. The conference's 17 members participate in 24 NCAA sports...
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
2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season
The 2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season, or the college football season, began on September 2, 2009, progressed through the regular season and bowl season, and concluded with the Bowl Championship Series National Championship Game in Pasadena, California on January 7, 2010, featuring the...
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
2009 UCLA Bruins football team
The 2009 UCLA Bruins football team , under second year head coach Rick Neuheisel, opened the season at the Rose Bowl on September 5 against San Diego State. One scheduling change was that the last game of the season against USC was moved from the "Championship Saturday" weekend of December...
in the EagleBank Bowl
2009 EagleBank Bowl
The 2009 EagleBank Bowl was a college football bowl game. It marked the second edition of the EagleBank Bowl, played at RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C. The game, in which UCLA of the Pacific-10 Conference defeated Temple of the Mid-American Conference 30–21, started at 4:30 PM US EST on Tuesday,...
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
University of California, Los Angeles
The University of California, Los Angeles is a public research university located in the Westwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, USA. It was founded in 1919 as the "Southern Branch" of the University of California and is the second oldest of the ten campuses...
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
2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season
The 2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season, or the college football season, began on September 2, 2009, progressed through the regular season and bowl season, and concluded with the Bowl Championship Series National Championship Game in Pasadena, California on January 7, 2010, featuring the...
, he was also a candidate for the head coaching position at the University of Cincinnati
Cincinnati Bearcats football
The Cincinnati Bearcats football program represents the University of Cincinnati in a college football. They compete at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level as members of the Big East Conference. The Bearcat football program is one of the nation's oldest, having fielded a team as...
vacated by Brian Kelly, who departed for Notre Dame
Notre Dame Fighting Irish football
Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team is the football team of the University of Notre Dame. The team is currently coached by Brian Kelly.Notre Dame competes as an Independent at the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision level, and is a founding member of the Bowl Championship Series coalition. It is an...
. 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
Tennessee Volunteers
The Tennessee Volunteers and Lady Volunteers are the National Collegiate Athletic Association college sports teams at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, Tennessee. Mike Hamilton is the most recent Men's Athletic Director, but resigned on June 7, 2011, and Joan Cronan is the current Women's...
vacated by Lane Kiffin
Lane Kiffin
Lane Monte Kiffin is the current head coach of the University of Southern California Trojans college football team. He was previously the head coach of the Tennessee Volunteers college football team, the Oakland Raiders of the NFL, and the offensive coordinator for the Trojans...
, who went to Southern California
USC Trojans
The USC Trojans are the athletic teams representing the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, California. While the men's teams are nicknamed the Trojans, the women's athletic teams are referred to as either the Trojans or Women of Troy...
. 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, ESPNESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
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.Personal
A native of Colts Neck, New Jersey, Golden graduated from Red Bank Catholic High SchoolRed Bank Catholic High School
Red Bank Catholic High School is a four-year private coeducational Roman Catholic high school, located in Red Bank, New Jersey, under the supervision of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Trenton...
, Red Bank, New Jersey, and earned his undergraduate degree in pre-law
Legal education
Legal education is the education of individuals who intend to become legal professionals or those who simply intend to use their law degree to some end, either related to law or business...
from Pennsylvania State University
Pennsylvania State University
The Pennsylvania State University, commonly referred to as Penn State or PSU, is a public research university with campuses and facilities throughout the state of Pennsylvania, United States. Founded in 1855, the university has a threefold mission of teaching, research, and public service...
in 1991 before receiving his master’s in sports psychology from the University of Virginia
University of Virginia
The University of Virginia is a public research university located in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, founded by Thomas Jefferson...
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
Lock Haven, Pennsylvania
The city of Lock Haven is the county seat of Clinton County, in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. Located near the confluence of the West Branch Susquehanna River and Bald Eagle Creek, it is the principal city of the Lock Haven, Pennsylvania, micropolitan statistical area, itself part of the...
, 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.