The logical proverbial fork in the road for Al Golden when he came back to college football in February of 2022 after a six-year run in the NFL seemed clear and simple.
That his time as Notre Dame’s defensive coordinator would lead to him either taking another turn as a college head coach or evolving into an NFL defensive coordinator.
In 2024 at least — and likely longer — it turns out the answer is none of the above. A source confirmed to Inside ND Sports on Friday that the 54-year-old Penn State grad has signed a four-year contract extension to remain defensive coordinator at ND.
John Brice of FootballScoop.com was first with the news. The contract is reportedly worth $9 million, which would put Golden near the top of highest-paid defensive coordinators in college football.
His defense in 2023 was certainly near the top.
For the first time since pass-efficiency defense became a charted NCAA statistic in 1990, the Irish finished at No. 1 in that category in 2023. It’s not simply a measure of how many passing yards a team gives up, often skewed by playing more run-oriented teams, but how effective teams are at throwing the ball against your defense.
The Irish finished fifth in total defense in 2023 as well, for only the second time since coaching icon Ara Parsghian retired in 1974 with the nation’s top unit. The 1980 team was fourth.
And with the return of grads Howard Cross III at nose guard, Riley Mills at defensive tackle, Jack Kiser at linebacker and Xavier Watts at safety, among others, Notre Dame may be even better on defense in 2024.
Watts, in 2023, became the first Irish safety to win unanimous All-America honors. Cross made every major All-America team, though not as a first-teamer.
Former freshman All-America cornerback Benjamin Morrison is among the other key returnees who will combine with an influx of young defensive talent.
Notre Dame spring practice kicks off March 7 and concludes April 20 with the Blue-Gold Dame at Notre Dame Stadium.
In another significant coaching development with the Irish, third-year running backs coach Deland McCullough has added the title of associate head coach.
Golden, a college tight end who played against the Irish while at Penn State, started his coaching career as a high school offensive coordinator but has spent most of his career on the defensive side of the ball.
He also was a college head coach for 10 years — first at Temple (2006-10), then at Miami (2011-2015) — before heading to the NFL for six seasons. His last game there was coaching linebackers for the Cincinnati Bengals in the Super Bowl to end the 2021 season.
He took the Irish defensive coordinator’s job under head coach Marcus Freeman days later. Freeman was ND's defensive coordinator in 2021 under Brian Kelly before being elevated to the head coaching position.
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