How Al Golden views his relationship with Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman
Notre Dame has someone on its staff who has been a head coach in a regular season college football game. One-hundred and 18 college football games, in fact. And it isn’t current head coach Marcus Freeman.
It’s defensive coordinator Al Golden.
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Golden’s story is well-chronicled by now. Like most coaches, Golden took the “pay your dues” route upon getting into the profession. He was an offensive coordinator for a high school in New Jersey, then a graduate assistant at Virginia. The linebackers coach at Boston College, then the linebackers coach at Penn State. Here and there, working up the ladder.
Five seasons as the defensive coordinator back at UVA led to a head coaching opportunity at Temple in 2006. Golden turned 37 that year. Freeman is 36. Temple isn’t exactly Notre Dame, but the timelines aren’t all that different. Freeman made four stops before arriving in South Bend as the defensive coordinator last year. Had Brian Kelly not departed for LSU, he’d probably still hold that title.
He doesn’t. He’s Notre Dame’s head coach. And though Golden has a vast amount of experience, much more than Freeman, he still treats Freeman as he would any other boss of his. Age is just a number.
“He’s a great leader,” Golden said. “Marcus doesn’t need me. But when he does have a question, I’m there to give him (an answer). I think everybody on the staff feels the same way. He’s a natural leader. He knows exactly where he wants to take this team and the program. He’s got a great blueprint for it.”
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Freeman knew what he wanted in a defensive coordinator, and he was willing to wait for it. Golden wasn’t brought on board until mid-February after he wrapped up his second season as the Cincinnati Bengals’ linebackers coach. It ended with a close loss to the Los Angeles Rams in the Super Bowl.
There are things Golden has done Freeman will only get to experience with time. Until then, the void is filled by having guys like Golden around. And guys like running backs coach Deland McCullough, who won a Super Bowl with the Kansas City Chiefs during the 2019 season.
Golden and McCullough, 49, are much older than Freeman, as are Notre Dame coaching staff staples Harry Hiestand, 63, and Matt Balis, who is pushing 50, for instance. But no matter the number next to their names, they all have one thing in common. Golden laid it out as clearly as he could.
“I serve for coach,” Golden said. “Whatever he needs from me, I’m there for him. He knows that. Right now, it’s to support his vision. And it’s an awesome vision.”
