I got an email a few weeks ago from the UM Alumni Association, inviting me to an ‘Evening with Al Golden‘ in my hometown of Atlanta. Needless to say, I immediately blocked off my calendar from 6 to 8 pm on Wednesday, 
February 23rd and eagerly counted down the days. I’ll admit that, before receiving the email, I was already a Golden fan. To see what he has done in a mere two months has me drinking the Golden Kool Aid. Inheriting a recruiting class ranked 84th and moving it to 36th. Convincing 8 players to switch their verbal commitments. Injecting intensity in the program by instilling the UTough workouts. And talking about the lone, immediate goal at hand: winning championships.
February 23rd and eagerly counted down the days. I’ll admit that, before receiving the email, I was already a Golden fan. To see what he has done in a mere two months has me drinking the Golden Kool Aid. Inheriting a recruiting class ranked 84th and moving it to 36th. Convincing 8 players to switch their verbal commitments. Injecting intensity in the program by instilling the UTough workouts. And talking about the lone, immediate goal at hand: winning championships.Now, I’ve never been to one of these alumni banquets, so I didn’t know what to expect. Would he pop in for a 5 minute speech, duck out the back door, and then we’ll be hit up for donations? I make the 10 minute drive to the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Buckhead and arrive shortly before 6:00. I walk in and see that the Alumni Association has their sh-t together. First of all, this event was free. Then, I see name cards for everyone, fancy hors d’oeuvres (also free) and champagne (sorry, no Patron on ice), and they even validated the $10 parking fee. I look to the crowd and it looks like your typical suit and tie get together, until I see one man with perfect hair towering over everyone. Coach.
I forgot how big Golden actually is. Dude used to play tight end at Penn State and was probably the biggest guy in the room. He’s shaking hands and posin for pictures, flash bulbs poppin left and right. Everyone was giddy. I felt like 
I was backstage at a Bieber concert. Now, I’m not one for gettin autographs or pictures with celebrities, so I snapped this photo (you could tell the dude in it is like ’What the hell is this white guy doin takin a picture of me and Al Golden?’). Let me just say this. The coach has a presence about him. He’s a charmer. Everyone – men included – came away smitten with him. I literally overheard another man say ‘Man, he’s a good looking guy.’
I was backstage at a Bieber concert. Now, I’m not one for gettin autographs or pictures with celebrities, so I snapped this photo (you could tell the dude in it is like ’What the hell is this white guy doin takin a picture of me and Al Golden?’). Let me just say this. The coach has a presence about him. He’s a charmer. Everyone – men included – came away smitten with him. I literally overheard another man say ‘Man, he’s a good looking guy.’ Not wanting to bother the guy I laid back (I mean, these mixers have to be the last place football coaches want to be). After 30 minutes of taking pictures and shaking virtually everyone’s hand, I was nearby and the coach extended his hand to me ‘Hey, how’re you doing?’
‘Great, thanks for coming Coach,” I said. I then thank him for doing those behind the scenes videos of their meetings and workouts. If you haven’t checked them out, go to UM’s Facebook page and do so. Those things are the greatest 5 minute clips of video that don’t contain nudity. Then, I had the opportunity to ask the coach the one question I’ve wanted to ask him since he signed on. The question that they wouldn’t let me ask him on Social Media Day. About Penn State.
Listen, the current head coach at Penn State is 84 years of age and needs to sprint off the field at times because he doesn’t have full control of his bowels. It’s no secret that Penn State Nation are fans of Golden. I have a buddy in Philly who has ties to the university and when Golden was in the running for the UM job, he told me how Nittany Lion fans love Golden and want him to be Paterno‘s successor. My main concern with Golden is not whether or not he’ll be successful – it’s will he go to Penn State if given the opportunity? So I asked him, point blank: ‘Coach, you’re not gonna leave us in a year or two for Penn State, right?’
His response: ‘No, no. C’mon.’ Now, it’s wasn’t just ‘c’mon.’ It was c’mon. Spoken with such quickness and a dismissive veracity, almost as if he was saying ‘are you f’n kidding me?’ With that, we parted ways as he was about to enter the ballroom to give his speech. I must say, it’s exactly what I wanted to hear. Granted, I’m just a stranger to him and he owes me no promises, but I can’t envision this guy pulling a Saban on us.
So we enter the ballroom and it is packed. Not the biggest room, but they didn’t have enough chairs and needed to bring in about 10-20 more (I’m guessing there were 2-300 people there). First up was some old lady whose first words were ‘Hello, I am not Coach Golden.’ From then on, it was like Charlie Brown‘s teacher to my ears – Waa-waa-waa-waa-waaaa’ Then, some old guy got up there (the Senior AD?) and after a few minutes introduced Coach Golden. The room erupted with cheers and applause. Standing ovation. I felt like I was at a f’n Obama rally.
Coach took the mike and said he was going to talk briefly – off the cuff - and then take some questions. Immediately, he starts charmin the crowd. ‘Now, let’s just get all the hair jokes out of the way first. I’ve heard it all….best hair
since JJ. Only, you won’t see me doing any Extenze commercials.’ He then goes into what he is trying to accomplish at The U. He stressed discipline and pointed out that he just learned that Miami was 114th in penalty yards per game last year. He took two steps forward and said it was hard to move the ball this way, when the refs keep moving it back that way (points to the back). He talked about empowerment and teaching these kids. He noted that he wants his players to not only want to get a degree but to understand why getting a degree is so important. As for the football field, he pointed to the need to teach the younger guys, but ‘by the time they’re a senior, they should know what to do and can teach others.’ He said he is thankful to go to sleep every night and be at a place where the expectation is to win championships. Everything Golden is saying is the right thing. I don’t know what this guy is selling, but I’m buying.
since JJ. Only, you won’t see me doing any Extenze commercials.’ He then goes into what he is trying to accomplish at The U. He stressed discipline and pointed out that he just learned that Miami was 114th in penalty yards per game last year. He took two steps forward and said it was hard to move the ball this way, when the refs keep moving it back that way (points to the back). He talked about empowerment and teaching these kids. He noted that he wants his players to not only want to get a degree but to understand why getting a degree is so important. As for the football field, he pointed to the need to teach the younger guys, but ‘by the time they’re a senior, they should know what to do and can teach others.’ He said he is thankful to go to sleep every night and be at a place where the expectation is to win championships. Everything Golden is saying is the right thing. I don’t know what this guy is selling, but I’m buying.After introducing Storm Johnson‘s parents, who were in the crowd, he opened up the forum for questions and answers. Like clockwork, the first question was ‘Coach, you spoke to making players smarter. Now, Jacory Harris and the interceptions…’ I’m not even sure he finished his question as there was laughter and applause in support of the question. C’mon people. Thankfully, Golden stepped right in and stood up for his player. For starters, he’s not looking to the past. Only the present and future. He then pointed out that the first player in his office on January 2nd after the Sun Bowl was none other than Jacory Harris. He noted it’s not just on one player. It’s protection, penalties, being able to run the ball, and yes, protecting the football. He likes what he sees out of Jacory and is impressed with the young man.
Another question inquired about his use of recruiting rating services (Golden doesn’t use them and thinks it’s troublesome if you do), and another few dealt with how he was going to bring the program back to national dominance (his response: ‘three letters: W – I – N’…empowering the players…competition breeding excellence). He said he expects to have 21-23 recruits in next year’s class, with 7 already committed. When asked if he has a multi year plan for winning titles, his response was ‘No, we’re looking to win now.’
But man, Golden has this aura about him. When one audience member started his question by saying ‘Coach, I want to let you know that I’m doin some recruiting for you up here,’ (laughter) Golden shot back, ‘Ladies and gentlemen, the first infraction of the Golden Era!’ (more laughter). He’s got this charisma about him. Looks, intelligence, sense of humor. Watch out Dan Marino and Dr. Oz, you have some company on my man crush list.As the session concluded, I left there on a high. Never before have I been this excited in the offseason. I went in there liking the guy and came out of there loving the guy. Seriously, he could ask me to poison the oldest tree on FSU’s campus and I’d grab some Spike 80DF and head down I-75 tonight.
{ 10 comments… read them below or add one }
LOL about your last comment. great article.
Terrific story. Thanks for the first hand insight
Why would he leave Miami for PSU? Penn State is not what it was and he would have 4 or 5 teams ahead of PSU. And recruiting, Few athletes in NE then in FL and a lot more competition. Coach should know you don’t leave Miami for any college school, you leave Miami for the NFL. After winning championships.
Thank Pun. Awesome read.
Great read. Thank you.
Tasteless last comment regardless of anything said
Dave is a d-bag. How’s that was a tasteless last comment?
I’m the one who asked the question about Jacory and the interceptions and I do like how the coach deflected it by trying to look forward. However, I think it would be a mistake to not analyze what the problem with J12 is; was it his decision making? Playcalling? Receivers not fighting for the ball or a combination there of.
I too wondered whether or not he would leave us for Penn State but was not going to ask THAT question because if Penn IS his dream job, he wouldn’t have answered honestly.
This was a very well-written article; is there a way to subscribe?
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We’re higher on J12 than most. I didn’t have as much of a problem with your question as much as the collective reaction. I think you answered your own question here. Part of it is decision making (on Jacory), part of it is play calling (our latest article showed that Jacory’s starts averaged 10 less rushing attempts per game than Morris’ last year), and part of it is fighting for the ball (a few of his INTs were the result of the WR not helping out).
That being said, Morris provides more upside and a stronger arm. We’d just like to see what happens when J12 gets RB support in the form of 45 carries for 200-250 yards.
“That being said, Morris provides more upside and a stronger arm. We’d just like to see what happens when J12 gets RB support in the form of 45 carries for 200-250 yards.”
Wouldn’t ANY QB look good in an offense that can produce on the ground like that? J12 will improve this year but will it be enough to beat Morris? Only time will tell…