The Miami Hurricanes are set to play the Duke Blue Devils this Saturday at 3:00pm ET, but the real story remains off the field as contract talk and the future of Al Golden has been front and center all week.
Golden’s agent Brett Senior had some words for CBSSports.com and Dennis Dodd a few days back, though has since stated that some things were taken out of context. Per Dodd, Senior said or implied the following:
– There is some form of ‘escape’ clause in place should UM get hit with sanctions that severely damage the program and its immediate future. Penalties “that would cripple a program for five years” would be tough for his client to ride out.
– Nothing formal or direct has supposedly occurred between Senior and Golden on the contract front as the coach is focused on the current season.
– UM has acknowledged that something has to be done contractually to lock down Coach Golden and initial overtures came from the program, not the coach or agent.
– Senior stated that Golden was “teed off” regarding the news of the scandal as he came to UM with “great aspirations”, wanting to coach football and lead young men. Senior stated that is a distraction Golden shouldn’t have had to deal with and should’ve been made aware of.
Golden reportedly has a current five-year, ten million dollar deal in place with UM, but based the hornet’s nest he walked into, Miami is going to have to go on offense here, making things right financially – even if it’s eight games into Golden’s tenure and the Canes are 4-4.
When you read Senior’s comments, you realize you’re dealing with an agent who’s playing the game, so you have to take some of it with a grain of salt. That said, it’s Golden and Senior who are holding all the cards and Miami needs to realize that, before attempting to play hardball.
UM has had its share of bad contracts. Ferne Labati and Perry Clark come to mind on the basketball front while the powers that be extended a contract for Larry Coker before the 2005 season kicked off. Coker was 44-6 after four years and went 16-9 over the next two seasons before his eventual firing.
Donna Shalala and first-year athletic director Shawn Eichorst cannot let the ghosts of bad contracts have any impact on a renewal that can mold and shape the future of Miami football. UM has gambled and lost in the past, but right now the stakes are higher than ever and should Miami lose Golden, then what?
Honestly, who is going to take over this program in the near future? Miami has been irrelevant for the better part of the last decade and whether sanctions come down or not, the Hurricanes are a few solid recruiting classes away from being a player again and without the right guy at the helm, top classes are far from guaranteed.
Beyond that, kids have to be coached up and Miami hasn’t had a staff that truly pushed and produced top-flight players since Butch Davis left town after the 2000 season.
When looking back at those 2003 and 2004 NFL Drafts, the majority of that talent was recruited by Davis and staff – guys like Andre Johnson, Sean Taylor, Kellen Winslow II, Vince Wilfork, Jon Vilma, DJ Williams, Willis McGahee – who played under Coker, then-defensive coordinator Shannon and offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski, but were truly the type of top-notch prospects that Davis recruited and landed.
Golden seems to be in that Davis mold. He also looks to have some Jimmy Johnson and Howard Schnellenberger in him. This is a head coach on the fast track to good things and losing Golden would be crippling for a program at a serious crossroads.
Think back to the end of the Coker era and the lack of prominent coaches who threw their hat in the ring for the gig. Greg Schiano didn’t even want to leave Rutgers for Miami as he was coming off a good season and seemed to no longer have that “up and comer” title attached to his name.
Things haven’t been as smooth for the Scarlet Knights since, but after 2006, Schiano appeared to be a hot commodity that – in his mind – didn’t agree the risk was worth the reward, turning down UM so he and his family could stay put in the northeast.
Golden blew into Miami’s backyard last December, a right time- and right place-type scenario. A year sooner or later, maybe not, but then and there, Golden and Miami were a perfect fit. He’d proven his worth at Temple and time was ripe for a big move. Golden chose Coral Gables, pre-Nevingate, feeling the risk was worth the reward.
Win at UM and you write your ticket anywhere, which is the biggest reason I still struggle to by the Golden-to-Penn-State talk.
If Golden wanted to coach his alma mater, he’d still be at Temple biding his time. He didn’t need to come south to Miami to take on a rebuilding project to pad his resume stats just to land the Penn State gig. Golden knows he can get much better talent to stay home in South Florida, as opposed to cherry-picking and trying to bring guys north.
Again, win at Miami and you can go anywhere – namely the NFL – which one would think is where Golden wants to end up. Especially with mentors like Bill Parcells and Bill Belichick.
Golden sees an opportunity at UM, barring sanctions don’t wipe out the next half decade. Because of that, Miami will get something out of every dollar they invest in the up-and-comer as Golden needs a successful stint at UM on his resume to keep climbing the ladder.
Golden is invested in UM for the time being. Time for UM to repay the favor, making amends for an unexpected scandal while investing in the perfect ‘right now’ option. – C.B.
Shalala knew what was breweing when Golden was interviewing so SHE OWES IT TO HIM. It’s time for Miami to pay the football coach top program money. If you expect top program results, you have to at least pay towards the top of the conference, not below the median. Sometimes you get what you pay for. Like you said, bad investments in the past should not affect this situation. Pay him a good wage and just raise the exit fee if you’re worried about getting left high and dry if harsh sanctions come down.
Finish strong Canes! Yes, UM needs to keep Golden! However, I am not sold he stays if sanctions are bad! That said I have not read anything that leads me to believe the sanctions are going to be that bad! CHIT a total of $3,600 in improper benefits “so far disclosed by NCAA!! Fingers crossed thats all!
Great article & I agree 100%! I truly enjoy reading your posts C.B.; keep up the good work!!
Go Canes!!!!
If weose him then, Where are the Canes? & Who would we get? You won’t do better than this guy at bringing a declining program back. And don’t for one minute try to tell me that the “U” is not deminished as a trademark or brand. Pay the man! Stabalize the program! The fans will come back to JRS. & depending on sanctions the “U” might just contend for the ACC and even the only real goal in Miami a National Title. Stranger things have happened. Pound the Blue ducks I mean devils with the run and keep our beat up D on the sideline as much as possible. Go Canes!!!
… well put, ML. Some fans still live like it’s 2001 or 1991. The brand is greatly diminished and it will take a huge effort from a Golden-like coach to put Miami back on the map.
If it’s NOT Golden, again, who will it be? No one ran at this job the last two times it was open and the only way it’ll be desirable again is IF Al turns it around, leaves for the NFL and leaves the program in great shape.
Again, HUGE fork on the road for UM right now. Time to invest in Golden as the program’s collective back is to the wall.
I disagree, 2 million a year is not chump change, and it is not an amount of money that a coach has to sacrifice anything to enjoy a good living especially in a state with no income tax. You don’t throw money before the result is shown. If AG wants a raise, he needs to earn it. You beat Virginia at full strength. Wait, he didn’t do that. Ok you beat 3 of the following 4, Duke, Florida State, BC and USF. You finish 7-5. You get a raise to 2.5 million this year and the understanding that you will not get a raise next year unless you win 9 games. If you can’t win the 9 games, maybe he makes personnel moves, especially on the defensive coaching staff, to earn the money. That is pay based on performance.
I understand the infatuation. He is a good talker. I suspect Nevin Shapiro talked a good game to get people to fork over life savings. But pay must be based on performance and not talk. When he shows us the goods, lets dole out the cash. He is not there yet.
… fair points, but again, should Golden leave after at best, 9-4 and at worst, 4-8, then what? Who comes here? What does Miami do?
The last two coaching searches didn’t garner much interest. How will that be any better after yet another sub par football season?
It takes a rare breed to want the Miami gig and as we’ve seen with the past two coaches, finding THE guy to take care of business … with the skills … it’s a rarity.
It would be ridiculous to extend him right now at this current point in time, sitting at 4-4 in his first year with 4 more games to go. With that said, if he ends this season with a bowl win, then you absolutely extend him.
I totally agree with this article. Even with the Canes at 4-4, they have been in every game and played till the last second ticked off the clock. Years past they would have rolled over for dead. Golden does not have “his” players yet but he is definately coaching up some of the other players…look at the year Jacory and Streeter are having. Both were pretty much written off by Canes fans before Golden got here. It’s time to lock Golden down and give him time to turn this ship around. He’s already laying a solid foundation and letting players know that they have to earn the right to start at the U! In Golden we trust!
Lets cool our jets a little on the pony up more money to keep Golden. I like Al, but before we start giving out more money to keep him lets let him EARN it. If they had won all of the close games they lost then I would be all for it. Right now it SEEMS as if there is more accountablility, discipline, etc, but wins aren’t adding up. In this game of coaching, wins equal more cash. Look at Bob Stoops at Oklahoma. Not necessarily winning championships, but get wins. I want him to stick around, but has to be earned. If he bails then we will just have to find somebody who wants to be here to turn it around ala Butch Davis.
… Carlos, understand where you’re coming from, but respectfully disagree. Miami can’t afford to lose Al Golden but he can afford to leave UM.
After letting Larry Coker do to damage he did, as well as the Randy Shannon era, UM is at a very pivotal place regarding its future and place in the college football world. Lose Golden now, before the rebuilding is truly underway, and who is coming to UM to take this job?
Can’t answer that but can say that it won’t be someone as quality as Golden. Period. Before Randy it was Greg Schiano turning UM down and during this last coaching search names like Randy Edsall were thrown around, which would’ve been disastrous.
Pay Golden now, pay him well, believe that he’ll build it back up right and invest in the future with a guy worth investing in. There aren’t many Al Goldens out there right now and a safe bet that even if there is, UM won’t be a top his list.