Great teams take time to build. A coach cannot snap his fingers and make a team successful. A coach can talk all he wants and call all the right plays, but he cannot execute them. The game is played on the field.
Fans are quick to place blame when the slightest thing goes wrong. It’s easy to look past all the good things when fans focus on the bad.
In reality, there have only been two years when the Canes could have gone to a bowl. Lest we forget, there were two years of bowl bans and scholarships that were taken away with the NCAA investigation.
Despite the controversy, Al Golden still has a winning record with Miami. He is 28-22.
Any coach could have struggled under the pressure of coming into a prominent Division 1 school shrouded in controversy.
Fans took to Twitter to discuss how Miami men’s basketball Coach Jim Larrañaga has done more with less. It’s a shame fans need reminding that basketball is a completely different sport with its own set of obstacles. There are fewer recruits, and teams can bounce back more easily.
Florida is a large recruiting ground. The Canes compete with Florida and FSU, two huge football schools. Even though UF has been struggling, they still are a force to be reckoned with as an SEC school. Everyone knows about FSU’s success on the football field.
Golden is not out of chances. Even with the eight decommitments, there are still strong possibilities. All schools have students who choose another path. This is not abnormal.
It’s not just about recruitment; the talent needs to be developed. A team can have the best players out there but sometimes bad things happen like injuries and suspensions. Kevin Olsen was suspended and subsequently left UM, leaving the ball in freshman Brad Kaaya’s hands.
Let’s not overlook Golden’s successful acquisitions. Under Golden, Duke Johnson was recruited and developed into arguably the best running back in college football. Under Golden, Kaaya was recruited and had a record-breaking freshman season.
The prevailing sentiment among fans is the desire to have The U’s glory days of the ‘80s back. The ‘80s are over and they aren’t coming back. Football has changed. Not everyone can have a dynasty, and building one takes time.
It would be beneficial to set realistic expectations for progress. Do we want to win the National Championship? Of course. Are we close to having a championship team? Absolutely not.
At the end of the day, Al Golden still has his job and the university makes the decisions. Not the fans. Not the talking heads on ESPN. People will complain, but that’s all they can do.
Courtney Fiorini is a senior majoring in broadcast journalism.
Read the counterargument by Max Sanchez here.