Greg M. Cooper-US PRESSWIRE
University of Miami head coach Al Golden is a rising star in the coaching industry and now appears to be on the radar of The University of Tennessee.
Prior to Thanksgiving I wrote that Golden was preparing to leave Miami in light of the dark cloud of looming NCAA sanctions hanging over the program’s head and the possibility of being ineligible for bowls for the next few years and scholarship reductions.
I did not list any possible successors at that time, but now it appears that Tennessee is interested in bringing Golden to Knoxville.
Golden will interview with Tennessee athletic director Dave Hart on Thursday for the vacant head coaching position.
This is going to crush Miami fans if he leaves because he is beloved by the fans and did great things in his second season in Miami despite having to play a number of freshmen and sophomores and the future looked promising.
To this point, Golden has said all the right things you would expect of a coach and appears committed to the future of the Hurricanes, but if that was the case then why didn’t he simply decline the opportunity to be interviewed?
Perhaps he is using this as leverage to get an extension from Miami–but the school did offer him an extension after his first season and has a contract that runs through 2020–so maybe he’s flirting with Tennessee and looking to get a bump from his $1.75 million salary to stay with Miami.
Miami is likely to be the favorite in the Coastal division in the ACC next year with players like Duke Johnson and Stephen Morris returning, and Tennessee figures to be fourth at best in the SEC east.
However, the ability to have a full scholarship allotment while being bowl-eligible and getting a hefty pay raise could entice Golden to leave Miami.
I’m thinking if the job is offered, he’ll take it–and be a successful coach at Tennessee to the chagrin of Miami fans everywhere.
Follow me on Twitter @PatrickASchmidt
Patrick is a diehard Chicago sports and an avid college football fan, and the host of “The Wake-up Call,” a weekly sports show on Sportstownchicago.com airing live on Wednesday mornings from 8-10. View his show’s website here.
