Al Golden

[IrishLax]

What's nuts is that he lost a Round 1 corner, top 2 DEs, and the best overall DT has been banged up too. And their 3rd best CB quit midseason. Despite all of that, they just keep showing up every week and playing consistently. Pretty remarkable.

Biggest thing we need to see looking ahead at 2025 -- transfers at DL, specifically DT. Break the bank for this.

 

[Giddyup]

This is why we paid top dollar for these assistants. Impressive nonetheless.

 

[NDFAN2008]

What's nuts is that he lost a Round 1 corner, top 2 DEs, and the best overall DT has been banged up too. And their 3rd best CB quit midseason. Despite all of that, they just keep showing up every week and playing consistently. Pretty remarkable.

Biggest thing we need to see looking ahead at 2025 -- transfers at DL, specifically DT. Break the bank for this.

Need to bring in maybe 1 safety and or corner and 1 WR I think

 

[317Irish]

What's nuts is that he lost a Round 1 corner, top 2 DEs, and the best overall DT has been banged up too. And their 3rd best CB quit midseason. Despite all of that, they just keep showing up every week and playing consistently. Pretty remarkable.

Biggest thing we need to see looking ahead at 2025 -- transfers at DL, specifically DT. Break the bank for this.

Agree with everything except the bolded. Hopefully it’s not seen as splitting hairs, but I’d put Morrison, Moore, and Gray ahead of Mickey. I really rooted for Mickey and still will, but I was never high on him, especially his cover skills.

 

[stlnd01]

Agree with everything except the bolded. Hopefully it’s not seen as splitting hairs, but I’d put Morrison, Moore, and Gray ahead of Mickey. I really rooted for Mickey and still will, but I was never high on him, especially his cover skills.

Sure, Mickey's not elite like the others but he would be our 3rd best CB right now. And when I saw Moore heading into the injury tent after a blow to the head late in the second quarter yesterday...
It's really fortunate we have Heard b/c our CB depth is very thin.

 

[irishandy]

Very impressive for what this defense has done while losing some key guys and also playing some freshman.

 

[Jimmy3Putt]

He’s got a system in place that’s simple enough to allow players to step in and play fast, while still being confusing to opposing quarterbacks.

Continuity is a good thing and it will only get better the longer he’s here. More recruits will take notice and the level of player should only improve.

Al has been such a blessing to the program!

 

[Jiggafini19Deux]

It's going on a decade since he was head coach at Miami. There have surely been overtures considering the results he's yielded at Notre Dame.
I think if he ever makes a move, it's to the NFL, but if his son is at ND and is only a freshman, that seems to lean in favor of him staying.

A very good hire and then some. Undoubtedly.

 

[Dizzyphil]

It's going on a decade since he was head coach at Miami. There have surely been overtures considering the results he's yielded at Notre Dame.
I think if he ever makes a move, it's to the NFL, but if his son is at ND and is only a freshman, that seems to lean in favor of him staying.

A very good hire and then some. Undoubtedly.

May get some flack for this - but this is the timeline I see MF and AG staying with the Irish...

I will be good with that if there's a NC in this timeline.

 

[Te'o4Heisman]

May get some flack for this - but this is the timeline I see MF and AG staying with the Irish...

I will be good with that if there's a NC in this timeline.

If the university continues to support MF and the football program the way they have since he was hired, I could see him staying here for a long time. He loves the university, is well compensated (he also doesnt strike me as a guy that will chase the bag if he is being taken care of), and he’s a pretty high character guy.

Most guys would have went to LSU as DC when he had the chance and instead chose ND. ND then reciprocated showing great trust and faith in him when they named him HC of one of the biggest programs in the sport with no prior HC experience. I feel like this relationship really means something to both sides.

 

[KPENN]

John Brice said he turned down Duke and Syracuse last year

 

[jprue24]

 

[AKRowdy]

John Brice said he turned down Duke and Syracuse last year

I hope he is here as long as he wants. My main fear is a NFL team comes calling for a d- coordinator.

 

[KMac151993]

Pay the man...start a fund...pay him $1 less than MF.

 

[CanadalovesND]

If it's about money, Golden makes $2 million. Only five NFL DCs make that much or more.

His son is at ND. Coupled with his salary, it could be enough to keep him in South Bend for a short while.

 

[Giddyup]

Al makes more than that

 

[CanadalovesND]

Al makes more than that

Sorry. $2.2 million.

 

[LOVEMYIRISH]

Sorry. $2.2 million.

He should get a 50k raise every time the team holds someone to under 17 points.

 

[IrishLax]

The best thing about having older coordinators is that it drastically reduces the odds of them leaving for "greener pastures"... they aren't as likely as a young guy to chase a HC gig (unless it's a great one) and they aren't as inclined to uproot their lives for a lateral move.

 

[T-Boone]

He is probably getting as much attention as ND DC as he would as HC at a medium sized program. There is no way Brian Kelly use to shout out his coordinators as much or allow them to do so much media as Freeman is getting them to do,

 

[arndtjc]

The best thing about having older coordinators is that it drastically reduces the odds of them leaving for "greener pastures"... they aren't as likely as a young guy to chase a HC gig (unless it's a great one) and they aren't as inclined to uproot their lives for a lateral move.

Exactly what this program needs right now too. They can go in to every single house right now and say ‘look, this staff is going to be the same for the entirety of your college career.’ That’s a pretty big deal

 

[arrowryan]

Exactly what this program needs right now too. They can go in to every single house right now and say ‘look, this staff is going to be the same for the entirety of your college career.’ That’s a pretty big deal

I don’t think it’s working lol

 

[JadedDomer]

I've always wondered if Al Golden thought he would be on the fast path to ND head coach if MF didn't work out. Seems like MF is going to work out but obviously that wasn't known a couple years ago. He'd have to have been considered given his HC experience, performance, performance as ND DC, and is universally liked.

 

[irishff1014]

The best thing about having older coordinators is that it drastically reduces the odds of them leaving for "greener pastures"... they aren't as likely as a young guy to chase a HC gig (unless it's a great one) and they aren't as inclined to uproot their lives for a lateral move.

We don’t hear it a lot due the limited info that comes out but it seems like the staff gets along well.

 

[arrowryan]

His worse coached game since, well, USC 2022.

 

[irishff1014]

But they did enough

 

[T-Boone]

His worse coached game since, well, USC 2022.

True but those injuries had to catch up with them. He is exonerated.

 

[Riddickulous]

Out 2 All-Americans and their two best edge rushers against the most talented offense on the schedule. Makes sense this would be the one they struggled with.

 

[Old Man Mike]

The defense scored the TDs that won the effing game.

 

[ulukinatme]

The defense scored the TDs that won the effing game.

They also gave up a lot of easy TDs, one in 25 seconds right before halftime.

Would have been nice if Morrison could come back somehow for the playoffs. Our Corners appear to be paper thin right now against top WR talent. Gray at least redeemed himself at the end after a very rough game.