Al Golden - Hired Guy

[|Montana Bengal|]

Our guy.

Al Golden has been hired as our Defensive Coordinator. Read more → https://t.co/OXjiN9DHxW pic.twitter.com/4ibK1kmQRh

— Cincinnati Bengals (@Bengals) January 23, 2025

[|Montana Bengal|]

Quote

 

Bengals Hire Al Golden as Defensive Coordinator 
Jan 23, 2025 at 01:59 PM

 

The Bengals today announced the hiring of Al Golden as defensive coordinator.

 

Golden, 55, previously served as the Bengals' linebackers coach from 2020-21, before spending the past three seasons ('22-24) as defensive coordinator at the University of Notre Dame. He also held the title of linebackers coach for the Fighting Irish from 2022-23.

 

"Al is a very highly regarded coach, and we are excited to welcome him back to the Bengals as defensive coordinator," said head coach Zac Taylor. "He understands football at every level and has had great success as a coordinator, position coach and head coach. Al has a great football mind and will bring a smart, physical, aggressive approach to our defense."

 

Under Golden in 2024, Notre Dame's defense ranked second in the nation in points allowed (14.3 per game), fifth in INTs (19) and ninth in total yards allowed (298.3 per game). The unit held 12 opponents under 20 points, helping the Fighting Irish to a 14-2 overall record and an appearance in the College Football Playoff National Championship.

 

From 2022-23, Golden coached six players that went on to be selected in the NFL Draft. His defense in 2023 ranked fourth nationally in red zone TD percentage (70.6) and fourth in passing yards allowed (154.2).

 

In 2021, his most recent season on Cincinnati's coaching staff, Golden worked with a defense that ranked fifth in the NFL in rushing yards allowed (102.5). He helped the Bengals win the AFC Championship and advance to Super Bowl LVI, with the defense totaling nine takeaways in the postseason.

 

Golden first broke into NFL coaching with the Detroit Lions, where he served as tight ends coach from 2016-17 and linebackers coach from '18-19.

 

Prior to his stint with the Lions, Golden was a head coach at the college level for 10 years, spending the 2006-10 seasons at Temple University and '11-15 at the University of Miami (Fla.). He began his coaching career in 1993 as offensive coordinator at Red Bank Catholic High School in Red Bank, N.J., then later was a graduate assistant at the University of Virginia ('94-96), linebackers coach at Boston College ('97-99) and Penn State (2000), and defensive coordinator at Virginia ('01-05).

 

A native of Colts Neck, N.J., Golden played tight end at Penn State from 1988-91, then spent the 1992 season with the New England Patriots (no games played). He earned a bachelor's degree in pre-law from Penn State in 1991, and a master's degree in sports psychology from Virginia in 1996.

 

 

https://www.bengals.com/news/bengals-hire-al-golden-as-defensive-coordinator

[Griever]

 

 

[Griever]

[Griever]

 

[|Montana Bengal|]

https://www.bengals.com/news/al-golden-new-bengals-defensive-coordinator

Quote

 

Golden Return for Bengals Defense

 

The Golden Age of the Bengals defense began Thursday when head coach Zac Taylor filled his defensive coordinator job with Al Golden’s sweeping resume ranging from the NFL's Wild Card playoffs to college football's wild new tournament format.

 

Golden, fresh off leading Notre Dame's suffocating pro-style scheme to a national championship game appearance, returns to take over the defense Lou Anarumo led for six seasons.

 

Golden worked as Anarumo's linebackers coach for two years here and oversaw last-minute interceptions by Germaine Pratt and Logan Wilson that set up 2021 playoff wins for the Bengals on the way to Super Bowl LVI.

 

"We're on the clock. Time to get to work," said Golden, known for his rugged work ethic on days that famously begin at 5:30 a.m.

No wake-up call needed Thursday.

 

His familiarity with Taylor's program went on display from the moment he walked into Paycor Stadium Thursday morning and first met with Bengals president Mike Brown.

Golden then moved on to the office of director of player personnel Duke Tobin before he went downstairs and doled out hugs to trainers Nick Cosgray, Roberto Cardona and Mike Houk as they kidded him about coming back.

 

"Hey," Cosgray said from across the Kettering Health Performance Center. "Like old times."

 

If it's like he never left, he didn't. His family stayed while he worked in South Bend, Ind., and he can document the Bengals games that he listened to on some of his many four-hour drives back and forth.

 

"All my kids went to school here and I have two still here. Cincinnati is home for us. To have this opportunity at this time is exciting," Golden said. "I know how Zac wants things done and how the entire organization operates lends itself to being familiar with everything. I was a huge fan of Zac's culture when I was here the first time."

Golden's biggest memory of the Super Bowl is the surreal feeling it was over as the Rams' confetti ended the dream run. A few days after that game, Golden joined head coach Marcus Freeman's staff at Notre Dame.

 

Both were at the fulcrum of the Fighting Irish's own dream march this season through the first 12-team playoff that ended Monday night in the 34-23 loss to Ohio State.

"He's been a tremendous hire for our program," Freeman said in an Associated Press story from last week. "Not just our defense. He is a tireless worker. He's got experience. He's intelligent. He finds a way to motivate his players and to get them to play at a high level. He's been huge."

 

Bengals safeties coach Jordan Kovacs can vouch for the tireless part. He worked directly under Golden in the Bengals linebackers room both seasons Golden was here and became accustomed to the grind of the details.

 

"I know the first day at work, I'm probably going to get an email at 5:30 a.m. and it's going to be very detailed about things we need to get rolling," Kovacs says. "And he's going to be dead on about them. Very hard worker. Very detailed.

 

"What I always appreciated about Al is that he's just a really good teacher. He does a good job keeping the game simple. Good positive energy. I'm excited about that."

Golden, like many NFL defensive coordinators, is going to stay with Anarumo's base defense of a 4-2 nickel. He says if they see double tight ends or two running backs, it's probably going to be four down linemen and three linebackers. And, he likes flexibility, a trait Anarumo also coveted.

 

But that may be all that looks the same. Golden says there will probably be some familiar things, but it's going to be in a new playbook.

 

"Certain parts will," said Golden when asked if the old playbook gets ripped up. "There are some things I'm really familiar with and there are certain things that we want to go in a different direction.

 

"At the end of the day, I have to be comfortable with it and the defensive staff has to be comfortable with it. We'll build that together … If there's no reason to change the way the kids can understand it, there's no ego. There's no reason to change it just to change it."

 

Golden taught Kovacs a lesson beyond Xs and Os in 2020, when the Bengals drafted three linebackers out of their seven picks. Wilson, Akeem Davis-Gaither and Markus Bailey all ended up contributing and Wilson and Davis-Gaither signed second deals. So did Pratt, who was in his second year in 2020. In 2021, the Bengals plucked second-year backer Joe Bachie off waivers in the spring and he's still here, as is everybody else but Bailey.

 

"For me, it was important to see that as a young coach," Kovacs said. "To identify the young talent and develop them. Those guys took big steps under Al's leadership. He paints a good picture. He sets the standard, he lives the standard, and he expects the standard from his players."

 

But as demanding as he is, and as meticulous as he is (from 2006-2015 he was one of the last college head coaches to wear slacks and a tie on the sidelines), he still connects with players.

 

"I call him the Godfather, like from the movies," Notre Dame safety Adon Shuler said in another AP story from last week. "He's just so motivated and when he says something, things have to move — and that's just how we play for him."

 

The Bengals like the fact that Golden, 55, has done everything from head coach news conferences (for five years at Temple University and five more at the University of Miami) to coach a tight ends room in Detroit (2016-17), and then go across the hall to coach linebackers before wreaking havoc on the country this past season as a coordinator.

 

Golden's defense came into the national title game holding 12 foes to 17 points or fewer. Only Ohio State did that. The Irish also came in leading the country in takeaways, second in points allowed per game, and eighth in yards allowed per game.

 

What also makes Golden attractive to the NFL is Notre Dame plays an independent slate of teams, meaning they have to be ready for every kind of offense rather than cookie-cutter schemes that fit into a league.

 

"He's been on both sides of the ball. He's got a great football mind," Kovacs says. "Whether it's man coverage, or true cover three, or a matchy zone coverage, he identifies the personnel and puts them in the right spot."

 

According to reports, Golden's defensive line coach is long-time college and pro coach Jerry Montgomery. Montgomery, 45, spent this past season in New England after spending the previous nine years in Green Bay as the Packers' longest-tenured assistant coach. During that run, he coached tackle Kenny Clark to three Pro Bowls.

Golden wasted no time as Thursday crept to noon and he went back upstairs to his new office to put together the staff that's going to put together the playbook.

 

"If you want to play fast during the season, you've got to push yourself through the offseason. The OTAs, the minicamps are going to be critical," Golden said. "I'm a big believer in not walking in on Tuesday and creating something. But rather drawing from the reservoir."

 

 

[Cat]

I never thought it would happen - I am happy to be wrong.

[texbengal]

Xavier Watts incoming. 2nd round. 

[sparky151]

16 minutes ago, texbengal said:

Xavier Watts incoming. 2nd round. 

 

That would be a good pick. Add an edge rusher in round 1, Watts in round 2 and a guard, RB, and LB after that. 

[I_C_Deadpeople]

38 minutes ago, sparky151 said:

 

That would be a good pick. Add an edge rusher in round 1, Watts in round 2 and a guard, RB, and LB after that. 

2 or 3 guards in my books, stop messing around with one per year. 

[sparky151]

I'm in favor of signing 2 veteran guards, then drafting one. 

[Griever]

 

[T-Dub]

7 minutes ago, sparky151 said:

I'm in favor of signing 2 veteran guards, then drafting one. 

 

 

Seems unlikely.  My guess is they let Cappa stay, Volson returns to LG and then hope a mid-round draft pick unseats one of them. 

[texbengal]

25 minutes ago, sparky151 said:

I'm in favor of signing 2 veteran guards, then drafting one. 

 

Same. I want guys with some NFL skins on the wall. Wouldn't be opposed to keeping Ford, and have him compete for a starting role, or if not, be a good depth piece off the bench. 

[texbengal]

18 minutes ago, T-Dub said:

 

 

Seems unlikely.  My guess is they let Cappa stay, Volson returns to LG and then hope a mid-round draft pick unseats one of them. 

IMO Cappa hasn't been good in at least 2 years. I wish him well... elsewhere. Same with Volson. 

[T-Dub]

8 minutes ago, texbengal said:

IMO Cappa hasn't been good in at least 2 years. I wish him well... elsewhere. Same with Volson. 

 

 

Yeah same but I doubt the FO's ability or even commitment to upgrade both positions in one offseason.  Think best case they bring Ford back and cut Volson but I wouldn't count on it.  I just hope this guy's better at drafting OL than the last two.

[dex]

14 minutes ago, texbengal said:

 

Same. I want guys with some NFL skins on the wall. Wouldn't be opposed to keeping Ford, and have him compete for a starting role, or if not, be a good depth piece off the bench. 

Here is one:

 

59. G Brandon Scherff, Jacksonville Jaguars

After a rash of injuries kept Scherff on the shelf for a handful of games in each season from 2018-21, he bounced back in a major way by starting every game over his three-year contract with the Jaguars from 2022-24. The top-five pick doesn’t quite have All-Pro/Pro-Bowl tape anymore, but he is still a very capable starter, particularly in pass protection.

[T-Dub]

Since this is a thread about the new DC, how many of last year's defensive starters need to be replaced in order to get this team back in the postseason?  I'm thinking somewhere between 3 and 5. 

[texbengal]

1 hour ago, T-Dub said:

Since this is a thread about the new DC, how many of last year's defensive starters need to be replaced in order to get this team back in the postseason?  I'm thinking somewhere between 3 and 5. 

 

I'll take a shot:

2 at DL (1 DT, 1 DE) - I could argue 3, but I'll assume either BJ Hill comes back on a short deal or one of this year's rookie draftees... betting Jenkins

1 LB (unless Pratt recurrects his career, I'd find a replacement. He stunk last year, and so did ADG - hello Indianapolis!).
1 S (assume either Battle or Stone starts)

at CB, I think if CTB maintains/improves upon the level he was at at year-end, then Hill or Turner, depending on health - they stand pat. They are all young and do have upside. And Dax and Turner were starting to figure it out before they got hurt. 

[dex]

13 minutes ago, texbengal said:

 

I'll take a shot:

2 at DL (1 DT, 1 DE) - I could argue 3, but I'll assume either BJ Hill comes back on a short deal or one of this year's rookie draftees... betting Jenkins

1 LB (unless Pratt recurrects his career, I'd find a replacement. He stunk last year, and so did ADG - hello Indianapolis!).
1 S (assume either Battle or Stone starts)

at CB, I think if CTB maintains/improves upon the level he was at at year-end, then Hill or Turner, depending on health - they stand pat. They are all young and do have upside. And Dax and Turner were starting to figure it out before they got hurt. 

Golden sometimes likes to run 4-3 sets depending on the opponent. Wilson/Pratt are the only 2 drafted LBs under contract for next year, with the possibility that Pratt gets kicked to the curb. So LB is more of a need position than many fans think imo.

[T-Dub]

4 minutes ago, dex said:

Golden sometimes likes to run 4-3 sets depending on the opponent. Wilson/Pratt are the only 2 drafted LBs under contract for next year, with the possibility that Pratt gets kicked to the curb. So LB is more of a need position than many fans think imo.

 

Yeah I'm not sure who would play that "strong" OLB spot over the TE in a 4-3 out of the current roster. 

[tibor75]

Yes good riddance to Crappa. 

[texbengal]

2 hours ago, dex said:

Golden sometimes likes to run 4-3 sets depending on the opponent. Wilson/Pratt are the only 2 drafted LBs under contract for next year, with the possibility that Pratt gets kicked to the curb. So LB is more of a need position than many fans think imo.

For sure although I do like Heyward some. But ADG was a failed experiment and Bachie is a depth guy IMO. 
 

And unfortunately LB isn’t great in this draft. Their are some interesting guys but no big names. The LB at UCLA Schwesinger (sp?) is interesting… he’s gonna be at the Sr. Bowl, so it’ll be interesting to see how he does. First year starter who blew it up last fall. 
 

Maybe there’s a Zac Baun out there in FA. Would be cool if lightning struck twice… incredible stroke of luck for Philly with that guy. 

[T-Dub]

24 minutes ago, texbengal said:

For sure although I do like Heyward some. But ADG was a failed experiment and Bachie is a depth guy IMO. 
 

And unfortunately LB isn’t great in this draft. Their are some interesting guys but no big names. The LB at UCLA Schwesinger (sp?) is interesting… he’s gonna be at the Sr. Bowl, so it’ll be interesting to see how he does. First year starter who blew it up last fall. 
 

Maybe there’s a Zac Baun out there in FA. Would be cool if lightning struck twice… incredible stroke of luck for Philly with that guy. 

 

 

This is where we have to hope the new DC schemes around the players instead of trying to make the players fit his scheme.

[New Jersey Bengal]

1 hour ago, texbengal said:

For sure although I do like Heyward some. But ADG was a failed experiment and Bachie is a depth guy IMO. 
 

And unfortunately LB isn’t great in this draft. Their are some interesting guys but no big names. The LB at UCLA Schwesinger (sp?) is interesting… he’s gonna be at the Sr. Bowl, so it’ll be interesting to see how he does. First year starter who blew it up last fall. 
 

Maybe there’s a Zac Baun out there in FA. Would be cool if lightning struck twice… incredible stroke of luck for Philly with that guy. 

Jihaad Campbell?