Miami hires Al Golden

Now we'll see what Golden can really do.
(Photo: Mike/LBU)

Al Golden--considered a prime contender to one day replace Joe Paterno--has been hired to replace Randy Shannon as the next head football coach of the Miami Hurricanes.

"From the beginning of this process, one candidate stood above the rest as the right fit," athletic director Kirby Hocutt said in a statement. "We are proud to welcome Al Golden to the U. His desire, leadership, communications skills and preparedness stood above the rest, and he is the right man to meet the championship expectations of this program."

You have to give Miami credit, they went with a guy who knows how to run not only a tight ship in a bad neighborhood, but also bring poor teams to do great things.

While many folks will immediately go to the "It was Temple" reasoning for why he won't be able to hack it in Coral Gables, you have to take it in context. Temple was almost unarguably the worst FBS(I-A) football program for decades. It was kicked out of the Big East because it was so bad. The Owls won three games in the three years prior to Golden arriving. From 1985 thru 2005, Temple averaged 2.88 wins per season. Under Golden, the average has been 5.4 wins per season, but he has guided the Owls to 9 and 8 wins the last two years.

This is a good hire by Miami. I just hope that, should Golden not turn Miami into a powerhouse soon enough, his failure won't too badly tarnish what he's been able to accomplish so far, and what he could do in the future. Good luck to a Blue and White brother.

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