Coach Golden,
I had the opportunity to meet you at the Prime Osborne Convention Center in Jacksonville, Florida. I am not a coach or coordinator nor do I have any relevant coaching experience pertaining to football. However, I am a Hurricane club member and extremely passionate fan of all UM athletics. I do not write this email to criticize you but rather the scheme of this defense and the unwillingness to change it for over 3 years. We are ranked dead last in the ACC in defense after 3 years of the same scheme and philosophy. We are the U. We made defense a staple of our brand. We have always been attacking and dictated what offenses could do against us. Since 2005, our defense has been on a steady decline. This decline did not start with you but it does continue with you and your staff. Our defense used to be intimidating and was one that made opposing offenses nervous. We make no one nervous now a days. We do not attack. Our lineman are assigned to gap control and play patty cake with opposing offensive lineman. It is completely embarrassing to watch as a fan.
Coach Golden you speak with eloquence and precise vocabulary. To your credit, you are extremely intelligent and carry yourself well. You present a good image and icon for our program. You are very well versed with the different types of media around the country. There was a lot of momentum with bringing you in as our head coach even throughout the entire NCAA investigation process. It seems as if the momentum has disappeared with our team and our fan base as the black cloud of the NCAA has moved on. I live in Jacksonville Beach. This is a predominantly Seminole, Gator, and Bulldog region. I listen to the local media criticize their teams as well as mine. Obviously, there is not a lot of criticism with the Nole fan base but the Gator and Bulldog media is on them like sharks. The entire country saw how the Gators scheme on offense was counter productive. They saw the scheme and coaching was not up to par. After one season, the Gators clean house on the offensive side of the ball. We did not hear stats, trends, or coaches blaming the players which amounts to nothing but excuses in the end. What we did see is that mediocrity was unacceptable and change had to be made. Because of that change, the Gators went from being barely ranked in the top 25 in recruiting to now being ahead of us and in the top 10. Secondly, they are projected to be in the preseason top 25 which we are not.
My wife and I went to the bowl game this year and witnessed a team that was unprepared and sloppy in it's execution throughout the game. I watched our players on the sideline defeated. I saw our QB go to the sidelines who seemed as if he didn't care about his inability to produce on the field. I witnessed a coaching staff that had no answer and no change throughout the entire game. No personnel change, no scheme change, absolutely no fight in the team. My wife and I even witnessed another player from Louisville going up and down the sidelines talking and making derogatory comments to our players and coaches. Attitude reflects leadership and the attitude of our team was not good. Their offense knew our scheme and dictated what they wanted on our defense. Their defense imposed their will on our offense. As a fan, I felt defeated. My wife, who knows little about schemes in football stated that our defense is reacting and does not attack. This type of scheme makes it very difficult as a fan to support. My loyalty and support for the team and the program is not in question. But rather the support and belief in you, your staff, and your scheme is what remains questionable. We beat 1 team on our schedule with a record over .500. Any relevant team we faced we got dismantled. Better yet, the opposing teams offense had a record high in total offense against our defense in every contest. I do not see a trend going upward or positive. I understand we went from 6 to 7, and from 7 to 9 wins in 3 years. However, we played a very favorable and easy schedule this year that helped that trend. Numbers and stats never hide or cover up what offenses have been able to do on our defense.
Last, and certainly not least, is recruiting. We have not landed a dominant defensive tackle in over 4 years. These recruits do not want to play in this type of scheme. A great defense is a simple defense that allows players to play and attack and not have to think with read and react. The game has evolved and is too fast for that. It's not the 3 - 4 or 4 -3 lineup that is in question. It is the scheme and what philosophy is being conveyed to the players that is obviously not working. The national media and local media alike see what is going on down in Coral Gables. The recruits see it as well and thus explains why we have not had difference makers at the Defensive tackle position. We as a fan base are watching dominant and game changing defensive tackles leave South Florida and go to other schools because of scheme and reputation. This has to change coach. You have stated in every post game interview that you have to get this fixed and it starts with you and if there is anyone to blame it is you. I appreciate your self accountability but in three years, we still see the same scheme and same results on the field. As fans, players, and as a program and University, we do not want to just win games but we want to dominate and win national titles again. We desire to be a top 10 program and be relevant again in college football. This scheme and philosophy will not be the method to deliver this goal. Coach Golden, please change our defense and let's get back to attacking and being one the most dominant defenses in college football again. If and only if the scheme is changed, will recruits and high school coaches alike begin to feed their top recruits to our program again. It is up to you to change the current direction and perception of our program.
I had the opportunity to meet you at the Prime Osborne Convention Center in Jacksonville, Florida. I am not a coach or coordinator nor do I have any relevant coaching experience pertaining to football. However, I am a Hurricane club member and extremely passionate fan of all UM athletics. I do not write this email to criticize you but rather the scheme of this defense and the unwillingness to change it for over 3 years. We are ranked dead last in the ACC in defense after 3 years of the same scheme and philosophy. We are the U. We made defense a staple of our brand. We have always been attacking and dictated what offenses could do against us. Since 2005, our defense has been on a steady decline. This decline did not start with you but it does continue with you and your staff. Our defense used to be intimidating and was one that made opposing offenses nervous. We make no one nervous now a days. We do not attack. Our lineman are assigned to gap control and play patty cake with opposing offensive lineman. It is completely embarrassing to watch as a fan.
Coach Golden you speak with eloquence and precise vocabulary. To your credit, you are extremely intelligent and carry yourself well. You present a good image and icon for our program. You are very well versed with the different types of media around the country. There was a lot of momentum with bringing you in as our head coach even throughout the entire NCAA investigation process. It seems as if the momentum has disappeared with our team and our fan base as the black cloud of the NCAA has moved on. I live in Jacksonville Beach. This is a predominantly Seminole, Gator, and Bulldog region. I listen to the local media criticize their teams as well as mine. Obviously, there is not a lot of criticism with the Nole fan base but the Gator and Bulldog media is on them like sharks. The entire country saw how the Gators scheme on offense was counter productive. They saw the scheme and coaching was not up to par. After one season, the Gators clean house on the offensive side of the ball. We did not hear stats, trends, or coaches blaming the players which amounts to nothing but excuses in the end. What we did see is that mediocrity was unacceptable and change had to be made. Because of that change, the Gators went from being barely ranked in the top 25 in recruiting to now being ahead of us and in the top 10. Secondly, they are projected to be in the preseason top 25 which we are not.
My wife and I went to the bowl game this year and witnessed a team that was unprepared and sloppy in it's execution throughout the game. I watched our players on the sideline defeated. I saw our QB go to the sidelines who seemed as if he didn't care about his inability to produce on the field. I witnessed a coaching staff that had no answer and no change throughout the entire game. No personnel change, no scheme change, absolutely no fight in the team. My wife and I even witnessed another player from Louisville going up and down the sidelines talking and making derogatory comments to our players and coaches. Attitude reflects leadership and the attitude of our team was not good. Their offense knew our scheme and dictated what they wanted on our defense. Their defense imposed their will on our offense. As a fan, I felt defeated. My wife, who knows little about schemes in football stated that our defense is reacting and does not attack. This type of scheme makes it very difficult as a fan to support. My loyalty and support for the team and the program is not in question. But rather the support and belief in you, your staff, and your scheme is what remains questionable. We beat 1 team on our schedule with a record over .500. Any relevant team we faced we got dismantled. Better yet, the opposing teams offense had a record high in total offense against our defense in every contest. I do not see a trend going upward or positive. I understand we went from 6 to 7, and from 7 to 9 wins in 3 years. However, we played a very favorable and easy schedule this year that helped that trend. Numbers and stats never hide or cover up what offenses have been able to do on our defense.
Last, and certainly not least, is recruiting. We have not landed a dominant defensive tackle in over 4 years. These recruits do not want to play in this type of scheme. A great defense is a simple defense that allows players to play and attack and not have to think with read and react. The game has evolved and is too fast for that. It's not the 3 - 4 or 4 -3 lineup that is in question. It is the scheme and what philosophy is being conveyed to the players that is obviously not working. The national media and local media alike see what is going on down in Coral Gables. The recruits see it as well and thus explains why we have not had difference makers at the Defensive tackle position. We as a fan base are watching dominant and game changing defensive tackles leave South Florida and go to other schools because of scheme and reputation. This has to change coach. You have stated in every post game interview that you have to get this fixed and it starts with you and if there is anyone to blame it is you. I appreciate your self accountability but in three years, we still see the same scheme and same results on the field. As fans, players, and as a program and University, we do not want to just win games but we want to dominate and win national titles again. We desire to be a top 10 program and be relevant again in college football. This scheme and philosophy will not be the method to deliver this goal. Coach Golden, please change our defense and let's get back to attacking and being one the most dominant defenses in college football again. If and only if the scheme is changed, will recruits and high school coaches alike begin to feed their top recruits to our program again. It is up to you to change the current direction and perception of our program.
