Notre Dame Football: Al Golden not making Broyles cut is a travesty
Notre Dame football’s defensive coordinator somehow didn’t make the semifinalist list for the Broyles Award and that’s a massive oversight.
On Monday afternoon, the 15 semifinalists for the Frank Broyles Award was announced. These are the people that the awards committee believes are the 15 best assistant coaches in the sport.
Somehow, some way, Notre Dame football’s Al Golden was not among them.
The man who has built the Fighting Irish into the sixth best defense in the country. The man who boasts the third best passing defense in college football. The man who has forged the seventh best scoring defense in the sport. Is not one of the best assistants in the land.
Make it make sense.
The same committee that will decide the five finalists and ultimate, the winner of the award believe these 15 men are better at their jobs than Al Golden:
- Alabama – Tommy Rees, Offensive Coordinator/QB
- Florida State – Adam Fuller, Defensive Coordinator
- Georgia – Mike Bobo, Offensive Coordinator/QB
- Iowa – Phil Parker, Defensive Coordinator/Secondaries
- James Madison – Bryant Haines, Defensive Coordinator/LB
- Louisville – Ron English, Defensive Coordinator
- LSU – Mike Denbrock, Offensive Coordinator/TE
- Michigan – Sherrone Moore, Offensive Coordinator/OL
- Missouri – Kevin Peoples, Defensive Line/Edge
- Ohio State – Jim Knowles, Defensive Coordinator/LB
- Oregon – Will Stein, Offensive Coordinator
- Penn State – Manny Diaz, Defensive Coordinator/LB
- Texas – Pete Kwiatkowski, Defensive Coordinator/OLB
- UCLA – D’Anton Lynn, Defensive Coordinator
- Washington – Ryan Grubb, Offensive Coordinator/QB
Notre Dame football gets snubbed for Frank Broyles Award
Coincidentally, you might notice former Fighting Irish offensive coordinator Tommy Rees on that list. Imagine what this year in South Bend might have been with Rees and Golden both complimenting the play of guys like Sam Hartman and Xavier Watts.
There is of course, a chance that the Irish’s top-notch defensive coordinator is going to get the due he’s owed in other ways this offseason.
It’s looking more and more likely that when the coaching carousel stops, he’ll be taking a head coaching job elsewhere.
Obviously, if that somehow doesn’t happen, Notre Dame football followers will be happy to see him come back and try for the Broyles Award next year.