Notre Dame football: The Importance of Al Golden to Marcus Freeman

The Notre Dame football program was able to get a great defensive coordinator in Al Golden, and he is going to be very important for Marcus Freeman.

When Brian Kelly left South Bend under the cover of darkness, it was a shock to the system, but for the Notre Dame program, it was a shock that they had to get over quickly. After all, Kelly was sneaking back to try and poach coaches from the staff to take with him to LSU.

It was a coup that the Irish were, largely, able to fend off by promoting Marcus Freeman to head coach. His energy and plan for the future helped keep large portions of the staff in place. That included keeping Tommy Rees at offensive coordinator and Mike Mickens at cornerbacks coach.

There was a big question for Freeman to answer, though. What was going to happen to the defensive coordinator position? It was a role now vacant, as Freeman moved to the head coaching position.

Oftentimes, head coaches will choose to retain the coaching duties of the side of the ball that they acted as a coordinator on. Other times, they’ll hire a coordinator but still call plays. There are times this works, and there are times this doesn’t.

At any rate, it took Freeman some time to finally hire a defensive coordinator. When he did, he hired someone who has been in coaching since the mid-1990s, Al Golden.

Most recently coaching in the NFL with the Lions and Bengals as a linebackers coach, Golden has twice been a head coach. Most notably, Golden was hired by Miami in 2011, inheriting a scandal and bowl ban. His teams weren’t terrible, but by midway through the 2015 season, he was hired anyways, with an overall winning record.

For some people, the hire was a bit of a surprise. Many thought that Freeman would promote someone who he’s worked with in the past, or find another up-and-coming name. Al Golden is plenty qualified to be an FBS coordinator, of course. He just wasn’t a name many people had thought about since his time as the Miami coach.

Golden carries with him plenty of great credentials. He has a history of developing NFL talent, and his time in the NFL gives him a lot of sway with recruits. He also has ties to New Jersey, Philadelphia, South Florida, and the DMV. The connections he’s made in these areas are key for getting recruits from all around the country to come to Notre Dame.

On top of that, Golden has proven himself as a strategist and talent developer in the past.

Notre Dame football lucky to have Al Golden

All of that pales in comparison to the value that Al Golden brings Marcus Freeman personally. For Freeman, he is a first-time head coach being thrown into one of the highest pressured jobs in sports. It won’t be an easy transition to make. However, by bringing Al Golden onto the staff, Freeman has given himself a crutch to lean on. Golden understands what it means, and he will be able to act as a guide for Freeman.

Arkansas coach Sam Pittman made a similar decision, as he jumped from offensive line coach to head coach. He hired Barry Odom as his defensive coordinator, who had been the Missouri head coach. He was able to advise Pittman as he transitioned into being a head coach, and it’s worked out better than anyone expected it to for Arkansas.

So, Freeman and Golden see eye to eye and are going to be able to work together, while Golden also offers mentorship to the young head coach.