Tag: Al Golden

Texas A&M will face a different Notre Dame DC during the 2025 season

Notre Dame DC Al Golden is headed to the NFL next season

On Wednesday, it was announced that Notre Dame defensive coordinator Al Golden, who has spent the last three seasons in the postion as well as serving as the program linebacker coach (2022-2023), will leave South Bend and return to the Cincinnati Bengals as the franchise’s newest defensive coordinator.

Notre Dame’s 2024 season was one for the record books. The Fighting Irish reached the 12-team College Football Playoff, making it all the way to the National Championship game against Ohio State. However, they ultimately lost to the talented Buckeyes 34-23 in one of the more exciting title games in years.

Golden’s success was noteworthy, as Notre Dame finished with the second-ranked scoring defense, leading the country with 13 fumble recoveries and 19 interceptions for a total of 32 turnovers gained.

With Golden off to the NFL, Texas A&M coach Mike Elko will now have to wait to see who Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman hires to replace the veteran coordinator before the Aggies travel to face the Fighting Irish on Sept. 13.

In recent history, Notre Dame has served as a one-stop shop for some of the elite defensive minds in football, which included Mike Elko during the 2017 season.

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Notre Dame football gets news it didn’t want to hear, a coordinator is leaving for the NFL

It hasn’t been the best Wednesday for the Irish

Unfortunately, the smoke surrounding now former Notre Dame football defensive coordinator [autotag]Al Golden[/autotag] turned out to be true.

According to a report by ESPN’s Pete Thamel, Golden will take the Cincinnati Bengals defensive coordinator position and has already informed head coach Marcus Freeman that he will be moving on.

It’s unfortunate that the Irish will be losing Golden, as he has brought the defense back to life since taking over just three years ago. He had just signed an extension last year, as Notre Dame will now be looking for his replacement.

There will surely be some interesting names that will be floating around, but we all know that Freeman will look for the best option for him and the Irish. This is all part of the business, especially when you have as successful a season as Notre Dame did this year, other teams will want to poach your coaches.

Along with this news, the Irish also saw three different players enter the transfer portal. It has not been a great Wednesday for Notre Dame.

We wish Al the best of luck in his return to the NFL.

Could Irish DC Al Golden take head coaching job in the near future?
Sep 7, 2024; South Bend, Indiana, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish Defensive Coordinator Al Golden watches warnups before the game against the Northern Illinois Huskies at Notre Dame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-Imagn Images

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Bengals finalizing deal with Al Golden as next defensive coordinator

Things are almost finalized for the Bengals and their newest coach.

The Cincinnati Bengals and Zac Taylor will get their top choice for defensive coordinator with Al Golden. 

As expected, Golden wrapped things up at Notre Dame and met with the Bengals mid-week to iron out the details of his return to Cincinnati.

NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported the news: “The #Bengals are finalizing a deal with Notre Dame defensive coordinator Al Golden, who is expected to be in Cincinnati on Thursday to officially sign on as DC, sources tell The Insiders.”

Golden spent a few years with the Bengals as linebackers coach before making the jump to the college level and replaces Lou Anarumo, who was one of several coaches Taylor didn’t bring back this offseason.

The Bengals reportedly interviewed other candidates for the job but the process seemed to never waiver from Golden much at all. The delay — and lack of an extended interview process for anyone else — was held up by Golden finishing his season with the Fighting Irish.

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Bengals’ search for defensive coordinator takes important next step

Zac Taylor and the Bengals get closer to finding their newest hire.

Zac Taylor and the Cincinnati Bengals haven’t done much to hide their intentions when it comes to the team’s next defensive corodsintoer. 

The transparent, narrow search to fill the position has always obviously centered on Notre Dame defensive coordinator Al Golden. Those plans took another step on Monday night.

In a super-obvious postgame report after the national title game, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported that Golden has “emerged” as the top candidate (in the same way the sun “emerges” each morning, anyway).

Golden has repeatedly shot down questions about taking the job with Taylor and the Bengals, but only while attempting to keep focus on Notre Dame. Early in the process, the Bengals interviewed other names, but they felt like a formality.

With Golden now free to wrap things up with the Fighting Irish, the timetable, as explained by The Athletic’s Paul Dehner Jr.:

 

Golden left a very positive impression on the Bengals during his recent run with the team, which included coaching up linebackers such as Germaine Pratt.

Considering developing talent has been an issue on that side of the ball in recent years, getting him back is an attempt to right that side of the ship.

Barring a shocker, this is just a matter of time.

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Report: Al Golden emerges as top choice for NFL defensive coordinator opening

Vultures

The sting of losing the College Football Playoff Championship game isn’t even fresh for Notre Dame, but there could be something else that should be concerning to the program as the season has come to an end, defensive coordinator [autotag]Al Golden[/autotag] status with the team.

When asked earlier in the week about his interest about heading back to the NFL, he was extremely coy and said it wasn’t a topic that should be discussed ahead of a game of this magnitude.

Well, shortly after the Irish lost to Ohio State, NFL insider Ian Rapoport reported that Golden is a “top candidate” for the Cincinnati Bengals defensive coordinator position, as they waited out for Notre Dame season to end.

This would clearly hurt the Irish, as Golden is viewed as one of the best defensive minds in all of football. He has had multiple stints in the NFL, and while he may be happy in South Bend, the peak of the profession could be enticing for him.

Could Irish DC Al Golden take head coaching job in the near future?
Sep 7, 2024; South Bend, Indiana, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish Defensive Coordinator Al Golden watches warnups before the game against the Northern Illinois Huskies at Notre Dame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-Imagn Images

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Al Golden has a cryptic answer about leaving Notre Dame for the NFL

Could the Irish have to fill the DC spots after the season ends?

As we reported recently, Notre Dame coach [autotag]Al Golden[/autotag] seemed to be on the short list of candidates for the Cincinnati Bengals defensive coordinator position.

Yes, it’s the same role that he currently holds with the Irish, but clearly at the highest level. When asked about potentially making the move, Golden was very coy about what his intentions were, saying “at the end of the day, this is not the time or the place,” as reported by On3’s Pete Nakos.

It very much seems like Golden is at least entertaining the idea that he could return to the NFL, but clearly has yet to make up his mind on the matter. Would a national championship keep him around in South Bend?

Only time will tell if that is the case, but the good news is that he did seem very focused on defeating Ohio State on Monday evening.

Notre Dame DC Al Golden previews what to expect from the Georgia offense
Nov 16, 2024; South Bend, Indiana, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish defensive coordinator Al Golden watches warmups before a game against the Virginia Cavaliers at Notre Dame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-Imagn Images

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Bengals’ apparent DC favorite shoots down idea again — with a twist

Another denial by the apparent Bengals defensive coordinator favorite.

The Cincinnati Bengals seem like a team with eyes for Al Golden as the next defensive coordinator, at least once he wraps up his season with Notre Dame on Monday night in the title game. 

Golden, though, has previously shot down the idea of joining the Bengals due to his focus on Notre Dame’s College Football playoff push.

The former Bengals linebacker coach did so again Saturday while meeting with the media.

“It’s humbling that your name is mentioned because of team success. But, not the time or place,” Golden said, according to Fox 19’s Jeremy Rauch.

And there’s the twist and read-between-the-lines moment: Golden doesn’t want the focus on anything but Notre Dame and the players right now.

Once the season wraps up for better or worse? Expect to hear more traction on this front for the Bengals. Maybe he doesn’t end up being the guy, but Zac Taylor’s coordinator search seems to be moving in slow motion for a reason.

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Are Bengals waiting on familiar name for defensive coordinator position?

Will the Bengals have their next defensive coordinator soon?

When Notre Dame defensive coordinator Al Golden shot down the idea of joining the Cincinnati Bengals as Zac Taylor fired up the search for a new one, it was hard to tell if he was just going coachspeak with his answer.

Bengals fans are getting closer to finding out.

Golden’s Fighting Irish play in the national title game on Monday night. After that, onlookers might see some traction for Golden possibly rejoining the Bengals.

It’s a conversation at all because Cincinnati’s defensive coordinator search has been suspiciously quiet. The Bengals reportedly had two interviews with candidates lined up and another big name was apparently involved.

But that’s a smaller number of reports than one might expect, especially around a vacant position that is sure to be one of the hottest openings out there, considering the state of the Cincinnati offense.

Naturally, that should lead to some speculation that Taylor will seek to go back to Golden, who coached linebackers under him early at the start of this new era and helped bring along the likes of Germaine Pratt.

After Monday night, don’t be shocked if the rumblings around this Bengals position amp up in a big way.

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Popular defensive coordinator pick shoots down idea of joining Bengals

Scratch this potential Bengals hire off the list.

When it comes to defensive coordinator candidates for the Cincinnati Bengals, Al Golden nearly tops most lists out there.

One problem — Golden is at Notre Dame and, when asked about it, clearly doesn’t have much in the way of interest right now.

Tyler Horka of BlueandGold.com caught up with Golden before the team’s College Football Playoff Semifinal against Penn State: “It took us 30 years to get to this point here. I’m not worried about anything else. Just how to stop Penn State. I’ve talked to nobody. I can’t even get out of the facility.”

Golden is an obvious name on most shortlists for the Bengals after Lou Anarumo’s firing because he was instrumental in the development of the linebacker unit with Germaine Pratt and Logan Wilson years ago before joining the Fighting Irish.

While there’s always a chance Golden’s availability changes if and when Notre Dame’s season ends, the Bengals seem like a team that wants to fill the vacant spot fast.

The Bengals, after all, already have two interviews with potential hires lined up.

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Could Notre Dame defensive coordinator Al Golden be heading back to the NFL?

This wouldn’t be great for the Irish

During [autotag]Al Golden[/autotag]’s coaching career, he has bounced back-and-forth between the NFL and the college ranks. His latest stop is with the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.

This is his second stint in South Bend, and there could be another reunion in the future for Golden. Cincinnati ESPN radio host Austin Elmore recently released a short list of candidates to fill the open defensive coordinator position for the Bengals. The Irish’s defensive leader was one of the four.

Golden was in Cincinnati prior to returning to the Irish, but as its linebackers coach. While he seems very content in his current position, the allure of the NFL is always there for most coaches.

You’d have to believe that if the Bengals want to pry Golden from Notre Dame, there would have to be a significant boost in pay. Hopefully, that doesn’t happen and he’s in South Bend for multiple more years after signing an extension this past offseason.

Oct. 12, 2024; South Bend, Indiana; Notre Dame Fighting Irish Defensive Coordinator Al Golden walks in to Notre Dame Stadium before the game against the Stanford Cardinal. Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-Imagn Images

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