Report: Golden not a candidate

Miami sport information has released a statement from head football coach Al Golden Sunday afternoon that he would remain the head coach of the Hurricanes.

"There has been much speculation concerning my future at the University of Miami," the statement reads via press release. "While I am flattered that our progress at The U during an extremely difficult period of time is recognized, I am also appreciative of just what we have here at UM and I am not a candidate for another position.

"We are eager to welcome our student athletes back to campus next week and visit with prospective student-athletes and their families beginning January 15."

The announcement seems to end speculation that Golden will become the Nittany Lions' next head coach following the departure of Bill O'Brien to the NFL.

Playing his college football at Penn State as a tight end under head coach Joe Paterno, Golden has risen the coaching ranks for the past decade, turning around a dismal Temple program before taking over at Miami for the past three seasons. In three years with the Hurricanes, two under NCAA postseason sanctions, Golden was able to put together a 22-15 overall record and a 13-11 mark in the ACC.

Though his Hurricanes won enough games to compete in postseason play in each of Golden's first two seasons, the NCAA's postseason bowl ban held them out. Even so, Miami finished tied for first in the Coastal Division of the ACC in 2012 and most recently finished with a 9-4 record in 2013, including a 36-9 loss to Louisville in the Russell Athletic Bowl in December.

In five seasons at Temple, Golden turned around an Owls' program banished from the Big East and made it into a MAC contender. From a 1-11 record in his first season on the job, Golden strung together 4-8, 5-7, 9-4 and 8-4 records from the 2007 through 2010 seasons, respectively. In all, he finished with a 27-34 record at Temple and a 20-12 record in four seasons in the MAC.

Blue White Illustrated will continue to track this story as it develops.