Right or wrong, Miami’s Al Golden will likely head into the 2015 season on arguably the hottest coaching seat in America.
After improving to 7-5 in 2012 and 9-4 in 2013 after a first season of 6-6, Golden’s Hurricanes dipped back to 6-6 in the 2014 regular season before dropping its bowl game and tumbling to 6-7. UM lost its last four games this past season, the second straight year they’ve stumbled to the finish; in 2013, they lost four of their last six after starting out 7-0.
The fan base, former players -- including very outspoken former players -- and even boosters are restless for The U to return to its glory days, with most not shy of making their displeasure known for a man who helped guide the program through the choppy waters of NCAA sanctions. Most, not all, though, as Golden has his supporters, most notably former Miami great Michael Irvin.
As transcribed by the Miami Herald, Irvin very vociferously defended the current head coach during a radio interview while also defending athletic director Blake James decision to bring Golden back.“I thought it was the right move, and guys, I’ve said this over and over again and I’ll say it here again: Al Golden -- Coach Al Golden -- has earned this opportunity, has earned the right to see this through. With what he’s done, to jump there and fight, that was not his fight, and he stayed through the fight. He recruited well and he kept us in the fight.
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“We started a freshman quarterback. Where’s the smarts? Tell me this: Where’s the smarts in saying, ‘Hey freshman, we know we started you. We know you learned a lot. But right now we’re going to snatch all of that from under you and make you start all over again next year.’
“It would be absolutely stupid, absolutely ignorant to do it to him, so it would be absolutely the right thing to let this man get one more year to finish and make it right. Building a championship takes time and there’s a process to it. And we’re in the midst, I think, of a very good process.
“And I surely hope that people, in Miami, can calm their asses down and let the process see itself through.”Irvin’s support notwithstanding, most observers agree that Golden faces a make-or-break 2015 campaign. Another late-season collapse, or another season that hovers around .500 -- or both -- portends doom for Golden’s tenure at the school.
