Nothing Says Good Football Like…Temple?

According to the Miami Herald, Temple coach Al Golden, 41, considered one of the rising young stars in his field, accepted the job Sunday as football coach at the University of Miami.

"Nobody has more energy, excitement, enthusiasm in this country than Coach Golden,'' UM athletic director Kirby Hocutt said Sunday. ``What he has done at Temple University is short of miraculous. He has taken a program that was at the bottom point of the football world and has built them to a respectable program and is going to do great things here at the University of Miami.''

Golden, who will be introduced at a news conference Monday night, resurrected a Temple program that for years was the doormat of the Big East, before the Big East kicked it out of the conference for not being competitive enough. He replaces former UM coach Randy Shannon, fired Nov. 27 after a 28-22 record in four seasons and a 7-5 regular-season record in 2010.

Hocutt said Golden was the only candidate offered the job. He beat out three other finalists: Connecticut coach Randy Edsall, Texas Tech coach Tommy Tuberville and Montreal Alouettes coach Marc Trestman. Golden earned about $550,000 annually at Temple but is expected to make up to $2 million a year at UM, according to the Associated Press.

A native of Colts Neck, N.J., Golden brought the Owls, now in the Mid-American Conference, from a 1-11 season in 2006 to 9-4 by 2009 and 8-4 this season, including a win over Fiesta Bowl-bound UConn. Before Golden arrived at Temple, the Owls had two winning seasons since 1980. Though his career record as a head coach is 27-34, Golden is 17-6 over his last 23 regular-season games.