Al Golden Returns to Miami as Notre Dame Faces Penn State in Orange Bowl

When Notre Dame and Penn State clash in the Orange Bowl on Thursday night in Miami, the game will carry a nostalgic weight for Fighting Irish defensive coordinator Al Golden. Golden returns to Hard Rock Stadium, a venue he once called home during his tenure as head coach of the Miami Hurricanes from 2011 to 2015. Adding to the intrigue, Golden played tight end for the Nittany Lions during the 1990 and 1991 seasons under the legendary, albeit controversial, head coach Joe Paterno.

Over his two years at Penn State, Golden recorded 17 receptions for 231 yards and two touchdowns. Speaking with the media on Tuesday, Golden reflected on his time under Paterno. His response, while seemingly heartfelt, sparked mixed reactions among fans and social media users given the circumstances surrounding Paterno’s departure from Penn State.

“The overarching lesson that has always stayed with me is that if you take care of the person, the person will become what you want as an athlete,” Golden said. “So, whether it’s character development, community service, being demanding academically, being disciplined, forming great habits, being a team player—all of those things. And then if you care about the relationship, if you care about the player as a person, he’ll take care of the rest. He’ll make the journey to become a really, really good football player. So the athlete part of it is the byproduct of everything else.”

Golden’s comments inevitably stirred fierce debate online, as many couldn’t ignore the shadow cast by the scandal that marked the end of Paterno’s storied career. Paterno was fired in 2011 amid allegations that he and other university officials failed to act on reports of child sexual abuse by assistant coach Jerry Sandusky. The scandal tarnished Paterno’s legacy, leaving his former players and staff to grapple with the fallout.

Despite the controversy tied to his former coach, Golden has been widely recognized as one of the top assistant coaches in college football this season. His defense has played a crucial role in Notre Dame’s run to the College Football Playoff semifinals. On Thursday, Golden will aim to shut down the Nittany Lions’ offense and propel Notre Dame to its first national championship appearance since 2012.