The Notre Dame Fighting Irish made it to the national championship game on the strength of their dominant defense. Unfortunately for the Irish, however, the team fell short in the title game against the Ohio State Buckeyes.
Now it sounds like they are losing one of the key coaches that helped get them there.
According to a report from Pete Nakos of On3, Notre Dame defensive coordinator Al Golden is expected to leave the team for an opportunity in the NFL, becoming the next defensive coordinator of the Cincinnati Bengals, pending his formal interview with the team.
“Notre Dame’s Al Golden is expected to interview with Cincinnati Bengals head coach Zac Taylor in the next 48 hours for the defensive coordinator opening, sources tell On3. The current expectation is Golden will be the Bengals’ next defensive coordinator if all goes as planned,” Nakos wrote for On3.
“A source told On3 on Saturday that Golden has not yet interviewed for the opening as his focus has been on Notre Dame’s College Football Playoff run. But now after the national championship game, the Bengals are going all-in on the 55-year-old defensive coordinator who is their top candidate.”
Golden helped lead a Fighting Irish defense that ranked in the top 10 nationally in most statistical categories, including total defense.
The Bengals were in need of a new defensive coordinator after firing previous defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo after the season.
We’ll have to see how Golden now performs at the next level and who the Fighting Irish will target to replace him.
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