Will Worst Loss Ever Cost Miami Hurricanes Coach His Job?
There’s bad. Then there’s the worst loss ever.
Miami Hurricanes fans and former players witnessed both on Saturday.
Clemson, the No. 6 ranked team in the country, handed Miami their worst loss ever, defeating the Hurricanes 58-0 in front of the Miami fans this weekend, ESPN reported.
Before Saturday, the Hurricanes’ worst loss ever had been a 70-14 defeat against Texas A&M back in 1944. It also marked the first time Miami had been shut out since a 2007 contest against Virginia.
The loss was so bad, reports were circulating that the school might make a change in leadership soon after the game ended. But no decision on head coach Al Golden’s future will be announced today, ESPN reporter Brett McMurphy disclosed hours after the contest.
Miami’s Athletic Director Blake James echoed his season-long mantra that he would wait until the end of the season to make a decision on Golden’s employment despite his school suffering its worst loss ever.
“We are all disappointed with today’s outcome. Any one who loves Miami is disappointed. But we have another game next week and we need to make sure we continue to support our team.”
Despite suffering the worst loss ever, Al Golden didn’t mince words or make excuses.
“We got beat, from top to bottom. They outplayed us. They out-coached us. I just told the team that it’s completely my responsibility for not getting them ready to play. They beat us soundly in every facet of the game.”
Former Miami Hurricanes players didn’t even wait until halftime to voice their displeasure about what they saw on the field and the coach who was in charge of the program’s worst loss ever, ESPN reported.
Hurricanes alum Warren Sapp, who was an All-American tackle at Miami, was critical of Golden from the onset, eventually calling for the coach’s ouster twice during the game.
Thank U ABC! #FireHim
— Warren Sapp (@WarrenSapp) October 24, 2015
Well the mascot leads US out of the smoke?, I guess it's his team. #AlGottaGo pic.twitter.com/BiAYEFSNOU
— Warren Sapp (@WarrenSapp) October 24, 2015
Another tackle also commented on the worst loss ever. Bryant McKinnie, a two-time All-American for the Hurricanes, took to Twitter to tell followers its time for a change in leadership in Miami.
Time to head in a new direction as a program, enough is enough & I sat back & have been patient & quite long enough.
— Bryant Mckinnie (@BryantMckinnie) October 24, 2015
Bunch of other former players feel the same, so I'm not speaking just for my self
— Bryant Mckinnie (@BryantMckinnie) October 24, 2015
Moments later, Bryant tweeted, “UM better take a page out the Dolphins notebook & y’all know what I mean,” referencing the Miami Dolphins, who decided to fire their coach mid-season this year.
Leon Searcy, who was a part of three national championship teams for the Hurricanes, also got into the action of calling out Golden for his team’s poor performance.
And there was more. Joaquin Gonzalez, a former team captain for the University of Miami, wrote tweets with a few choice four-letter words. Phillip Buchanon, a member of the Miami Hurricanes 2001 Championship team, called for an immediate change.
Waiting another game or another month does nothing to help recruiting.?????????????????????????????????????????????? pic.twitter.com/HbUa2Tc6xs
— Phillip Buchanon (@PhillipBuchanon) October 25, 2015
Former players weren’t the only individuals who thought the Miami Hurricanes couldn’t move forward with Al Golden after the program’s worst loss ever. ESPN blogger Heather Dinich provided stinging criticism with a twist of irony that may ultimately lead to Golden’s firing.
“It is completely unacceptable for a program with a proud history, in one of the most fertile recruiting areas in the country, to lose this way. Against a team fielding top-notch recruits from the state of Florida no less.”
The Miami Hurricanes, a school that’s won five national championships during an 18-year span from 1983 to 2001, entered the game a respectable 4-2 with a close loss to then-No. 12 Florida State and a head-scratcher on the road against Cincinnati.
While their toughest part of their schedule is now behind them, the future schedule isn’t very favorable for the Miami Hurricanes, either. Road games against a pair of 6-1 teams — No. 23 Duke and UNC — as well as the season-ending road game against No. 25 Pittsburgh is not an easy task.
Only home contests against Virginia and Georgia Tech seem to be games Miami would be favored for the rest of the season, meaning the Hurricanes would have to win a game where they will be underdog in order to have a winning season.
If the Miami job were to come open, that would be at least three desirable jobs for coaches to fill this year, including the ones at Southern California and South Carolina following Steve Spurrier’s abrupt resignation earlier this month.
Do you think the Miami Hurricanes can recover from their worst loss ever and finish with a respectable record? Leave your thoughts in the comment section below.
[Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images]
