As former Notre Dame football defensive coordinator Al Golden prepares for his first regular-season game with the Cincinnati Bengals, he's got his boss's vote of confidence. Earlier this week, head coach Zac Taylor, who is entering a make-or-break year in his tenure in the Queen City, said that Golden is the secret weapon for a unit that's been much-maligned the last few years.
That defense was also much maligned in the preseason. There were plenty of times when other teams' first-team offenses made mincemeat of the Bengals' defense leading up to the season. That's made more than a few fans worried that Golden isn't the defensive genius he was made out to be in South Bend.
Former Notre Dame defensive coordinator Al Golden earns early praise from Bengals HC
However, Taylor made it clear he's not spooked about the shaky defense in the preseason. Earlier this week, he talked glowingly about the ex-Notre Dame football coach.
"I like his confidence because he's put in the work. It's earned confidence." Zac Taylor said about Al Golden's approach to his defense.
Golden does indeed have plenty of confidence in what he's doing. And it is earned. The Notre Dame defense over the last two years was one of the best in the sport. In Week 1, it looks like Chris Ash has shown it's harder to replicate than people might have hoped.
Cincinnati enters a season that will need to be a playoff campaign, at least if Golden doesn't want his tenure with the Bengals to be only one season. The former Notre Dame football coach is showing he's got confidence by moving to a precarious position as well.