Another Thanksgiving season is upon us and for fans of the Miami Hurricanes, another year where we must separate the blessings in our lives from current state of this football program.
For many of us, it’s difficult as this team is embedded in our DNA. Only a dozen or so games per season, yet it finds a way to consume us 365 days a year. Optimism in spring has been followed by a disappointing fall for upwards of a decade now. Turning the corner—for one reason, or another—just doesn’t seem to happen.
Miami is coming off its fifth loss of the season and most-frustrating as it occurred on the heels of a 3-1 stretch where the Hurricanes looked to be turning a corner. Even in a tough loss to Florida State, Miami came to play and appeared one step closer to being back. A week later, steamrolled by a four-win Virginia team on the road. Inconceivable.
The heat has been ratcheted up a notch on fourth-year head coach Al Golden and on the eve of Thanksgiving, a new level of criticism by way of a podcast.
Supporters of the program have been critical on message boards and sports talk radio, as have former players who cannot stand seeing the Miami brand watered down—the Hurricanes getting pushed around by inferior opponents.
In both cases the frustration can be chalked up to fanatical behavior, but when FOX Sports national college football writer Bruce Feldman—author of the book “Cane Mutiny”—is calling out the elephant in the room and labeling Golden a “bad fit” for Miami.
Coral Gables, we have a problem.
Feldman has ties to “The U” and is considered a supporter of the program, but as a long-time national columnist and professional journalist, he’s always found a proper balance between “homer” and “hater”.
In regards to his latest sentiments, Feldman appears to be aiming for realist—pointing out what appears to be a personality conflict and inability to adapt to current surroundings.
“They’re struggling to get to seven wins. Whenever they play anyone remotely good, they get pushed around,” Feldman said of the five-loss Hurricanes. “I think Al Golden has proven to be a bad fit at Miami. I think at a lot of other places, he’d probably be fine.”
Feldman took his sentiments a step further, offering up suggestions for Golden’s replacement—three former Hurricanes assistants in Mario Cristobal, Rob Chudzinski and Greg Schiano—citing that any of the three would be “considerably better” than Golden is as year four draws to a close.
Feldman praised Cristobal’s ability to recruit the South Florida region—something that could’ve paid dividends for Miami the last two seasons as Golden brought the former UM tight end on as an assistant head coach and tight ends coach, only to see him swooped up by Nick Saban and Alabama six weeks later.
A portion of Miami supporters were frustrated at the time, comparing life in Tuscaloosa versus South Miami, while others saw the bigger picture—the opportunity to learn under Saban versus Golden, which could be a game-changer should Cristobal ever get a shot at his alma mater.
Feldman’s podcast and a Palm Beach Post piece breaking it down have been making the rounds since Wednesday night, while the frustration continues boiling over via social media and message boards.
Also resurfacing this week—an image of Golden with a blurb written by the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson in late September days after the Hurricanes were bowled over by Nebraska in Lincoln.
The 49-word paragraph was lost in the shuffle, buried at the bottom of a Jackson-penned entry talking about the Heat, Dolphins and then-upcoming NFL Networks documentary on the late Sean Taylor.
As time passes, the losses pile up and folks like Feldman are sharing their bad-fit thoughts, it rings even truer:
### An NFL personnel man, on the UM coaching staff: “I think Al Golden is a better coach with overachiever kids and a program he’s building from the bottom. You can’t coach [highly-talented] kids the same way as overachievers. I just don’t see enough kids getting significantly better there.”
What does this mean for the University of Miami football program, as well as Golden?
A year ago the head coach was in talks with Penn State that derailed for one reason or another, but fact remains that despite being at the helm of “The U”, Golden was listening to other offers.
Being that it was his alma mater, it was easy to spin the narrative that it was a once-in-a-lifetime situation to go back “home” and when things didn’t pan out, the only thing to do was go head down and barrel forward.
But what if it really was less about Penn State and more about a lack-of-a-fit at Miami, which Feldman is selling? One won’t soon forget Golden’s Monday morning presser last January in the wake of all a topsy-turvy, will-he-stay-or-will-he-go weekend.
The head coach was downtrodden, defensive and disinterested. Despite a 9-4 season, losing four of six down the stretch and getting blown out in the bowl game, Golden stuck to his guns and insisted on no staff changes. Business as usual. Move along. Keep working to get it right. Rinse, wash, repeat.
Five losses later and two games to go, what’s next?
Two big hurdles regarding an off-season change; a contract that runs through 2019 and a long-time university president stepping down.
With Donna Shalala retiring after the spring semester, Miami will welcome a new president and a safe bet that UM’s reigning leader doesn’t want her last moves in office to be firing a good-guy head coach or eating his contract.
Regarding professional courtesy, saddling the next president with a brand new head coach months before they take over—that comes off a bit presumptuous, as well.
That’s not to say change couldn’t take place, but it seems like some extenuating circumstances would have to occur to get those wheels in motion.
Golden’s desire to test the waters elsewhere. Deeper levels of discontent behind the scenes with Board of Trustees members. Some of the aforementioned coaches in Feldman’s podcast putting out feelers and showing legitimate interest, as well as Miami’s play this weekend and in the bowl game. 8-5 isn’t the end of the world, but 6-7 and a three-game skid would be impossible to defend.
Regardless, the premise of this is exhausting and on a holiday weekend, is truly wasted energy.
The passion this fan base has for issues with coaches and schemes, banner flying and hours logged online venting frustrations—it’s a shame that doesn’t carry over to Sun Life Stadium weekends in fall as every home game looks more like a scrimmage in spring.
Lost in all this frustration—the fact that upwards of a dozen quality kids are preparing to play their final game for the University of Miami this weekend.
Denzel Perryman, Anthony Chickillo, Phillip Dorsett, Clive Walford, Ladarius Gunter, Shane McDermott and Jon Feliciano, as well as (most-likely) juniors Duke Johnson and Ereck Flowers—it’s one final run out of the smoke for this bunch and it will be in front of a half-full house on a Saturday night, over a holiday weekend where “thanks” is the theme, but few are in attendance showing their appreciation.
A quick look at local, national and global events can serve as a reminder that there are some real-deal issues happening on a daily basis. Legitimate and authentic problems that plague our planet, country and neighborhoods, while many of us obsess over defensive schemes and dissect coach-speak in morning-after press conference after the latest loss.
That’s not to say that fans’ don’t have a right to shake a fist. It’s a simple reminder to keep things in perspective over a holiday weekend where giving thanks is the ultimate message.
One way or another, Miami’s situation will work itself out. It might not happen on the most-desired timetable, but all things shall—and do—pass. The Hurricanes have survived worse and the brand is strong enough to endure once some things fall into place.
What will be, will be.
Until then, appreciate moments like this holiday weekend and in regards to this program, give thanks for those kids who gave their heart and soul to this program the past few years. Each of them is a stepping stone in regards to the journey back.
Unless Golden decides to look around this offseason, I think we’re stuck with him for at least another year. I wouldn’t mind the rumors of him going to Rutgers or UVA turned out to be true. We can handle a recruiting class taking a hit over that (who knows if it even would really). I mean let’s look at his record: 55-54 (28-20 at Miami), 16-15 is the ACC. If that doesn’t say it all nothing will. I will admit I liked the hire at the time because I thought he had ‘it’. I was way off. He’s a Northeast guy who seems to be inflexible, stubborn and doesn’t seem to connect to many of the top ‘State of Miami’ kids and HS coaches overall (yes I know he’s gotten a few, but I mean overall we’re not even in the mix). To me, he’s kind of like RichRod and Michigan – it just doesn’t fit. Both changed each school’s scheme, and both have shown round peg/sqaure hole results. I’m not a fan of the 3-4 defense at Miami, but that’s not to say that it couldn’t work. I just don’t think Golden’s version of the 3-4 is going to ever take at The U unless it’s an attacking version. If Golden stays, he has to make staff changes, especially on defense. I’ll leave it at that for now. He has the core fanbase at the anger level right now. The only level after that is apathy, which is worse – and not that far off.
I know this isn’t very realistic, but if VTech gets rid of Beemer, and Foster doesn’t get the job, I vote for Bud Foster as our D-Coordinator. We need his aggression and game-planning.
Graduated in 1982 been a season ticket holder since. If golden is not fired ( which he won’t) I will not renew my tickets and waste another $1,000 on tickets. If I watch from home next season as least I can change the channel when the canes start s thinking it up. Next year with golden team will only win four or five games. Golden can recruit but he cannot coach. Gets out coached all the time. Cane trustees don’t make same mistake gators made. Don’t throw away next year. Fire golden NOW!!!