Finally, Al Golden is at a point where he can push back.
The NCAA investigation that blindsided him within his first year of taking over the Miami program – it’s now at a point where the court of public opinion has swung the Canes’ way, opening the door for UM to push back.
The supposed “good guys” played dirty. The paid off the attorney of the jailed Ponzi schemer that started this whole mess and the NCAA’s modus operandi was to bury the University of Miami. That much is now clear.
What Golden made clear, the morning after Signing Day; the price Miami has paid to date.
“How can anybody say it hasn’t impacted every one of us in the organization or our families, the coaches’ families, the strength coaches or the trainers or the players? I don’t think you can measure,” Golden said.
“This, the life span of a college coach or a college student-athlete is so small, to have bowls taken away from you or practice opportunities reduced or championship games basically deleted, that is a huge penalty. I don’t know how you measure that.”
Miami only signed sixteen players yesterday, holding back scholarships should the NCAA still impose a penalty, but also due to a few kids bailing out last minute.
UM thought it had linebacker Matthew Thomas locked up. Instead, the Booker T. Washington four-star linebacker went with Florida State.
Rumors swirled late Wednesday that UM wanted teammate Denver Kirkland, a four-star offensive lineman, but only if Thomas came aboard too.
Forty-eight hours before Signing Day, coaches felt Thomas was headed to Coral Gables. When the moment came on Wednesday, Thomas did the ‘tomahawk chop’ on ESPN and let the world know he’ll take his talents to Tallahassee.
Let’s make no bones about it, be it a Thomas, Kirkland or Jay-nard Bostwick, the four-star defensive tackle who chose Florida over Miami, years worth of negative recruiting hurt Miami in the end.
Rival coaches, in-state and across this nation, whispered the words “death penalty” in the ears of countless recruits – and as the NCAA investigation dragged on, Golden and his staff had no rebuttal.
“Not only are we silent in our defense against the NCAA, we are silent against our opponents who are recruiting against us,” Golden said. “That’s a double-whammy. That’s tough to overcome.”
Two self-imposes bowl bans, as well as sitting out this year’s ACC Championship Game and a rematch against Florida State, while the Noles rolled their way to an Orange Bowl berth and victory?
It all adds up and each set-back has proven to be a crushing blow, as witnessed on Wednesday.
The upside; the fact that Miami signed a small, but great group of kids. Players who want to roll up their sleeves to be part of the rebuild. Guys that ignored all the bullshit, bought into Golden, saw a bright future and signed with UM, trusting “the process”.
The NCAA continues with their self-investigation, conducted by an outside source, but how they choose to handle Miami still remains an unknown. Publicly many have called for the case against UM to be dropped, citing that it’s too tainted at this point, rendering a fair ruling impossible.
Golden took to the South Florida airwaves Thursday morning and was fit to be tied on the Joe Rose Show. Dig in the archives, find “Al Golden w/Big Dog 2-7” and let it spin.
Rose immediately points out what many fans missed; some of the big-time kids brought in. Four-star local defensive backs Artie Burns and Jamal Carter. Four-star quarterback Kevin Olsen, one of the best in the nation. Four-star defensive end Alquadin Muhammad, also one of the best at his position.
Then there were the Signing Day pick-ups where Golden and staff closed strong. Four-star linebacker Jermaine Grace, of Miramar. Four-star wideout Stacy Coley, who Florida State swore was headed their way. Three-star running back Gus Edwards, also thought to be headed to Tallahassee.
Edwards is rated the top fullback in the country, but was recruited everywhere as a running back and at 6-foot-2 1/2 and 230 pounds, he’s the big bruising back UM needed in this class.
Golden gushed about JUCO transfer Ufomba Kamalu, coming in around 6-foot-6 and 275 pounds, ready to make an immediate impact on the defensive line, as well as the fact that needs were met at several positions – offensive line, secondary, linebacker, running back, wide receiver and especially tight end, where freshman Standish Dobard and top-rated JUCO transfer Beau Sandland should make an immediate impact as both were early enrolees.
Golden addressed criticism from outsiders stating that he didn’t reel in enough local kids, which is a farce, and pointed out the struggles Florida and Florida State have had getting kids from Miami’s backyard the past few years.
He also, again, pledged his allegiance to this program; “I love the University of Miami. I want to be here forever and I’m trying to get it right.”
Golden went on about how he recruits the inner city in Miami. About his football camps and how he keeps costs low for families of lesser players, but not personally taking a dime or padding the cost with overnights. He gave example regarding the tenacity his staff puts into recruiting and showing local programs respect – all of which was done with an arm behind has back, due to pending sanctions and negative recruiting tactics courtesy of the enemy.
He did all this on the phone with Rose’s show while at his desk and having started recruiting for 2014 and 2015. Not a down minute for Golden as he knows he’ll have to work twice as hard if he’s going to re-right this ship.
Still, in the end, there was still optimism. Better days are ahead and the worst are in the rearview. Golden is building a program full of players and coaches who are all in, sold on ‘The U’ and believing in both him and where this is headed.
“There’s going to be a lot of people who didn’t stand with us who are going to be remembered for not standing with us,” Golden said.
“`I Stand With The U’ means this is tough right now. This is about as tough as it gets in our business. We’ve got a bunch of coaches and players that are digging in and rather than running are going to fight their way out of it. Now do you stand with us or not? And that is the truth. That is the truth. From my heart, that is the truth.”
Another truth? This guy is going to turn it around – and already has.
Christian Bello has been covering Miami Hurricanes athletics since the mid-1990s. After spending almost a decade as a columnist for CanesTime, he launched allCanesBlog.com. – the official blog for allCanes.com : The #1 Canes Shop Since 1959. Bello has joined up with XOFan.com and will be a guest columnist at CaneInsider.com this fall. Follow him on Twitter @ChristianRBello.