Al Golden Could Be On The Hot Seat With A Loss To Georgia Tech

Historically speaking, the University of Miami (Fl) has always prided itself with having its football team being a National Championship contender, or at the very least, involved in such discussions.  In most respects, a three loss season is considered a success, but in Miami, anything short of appearing in one of the four major bowl games is considered unacceptable.

Larry Coker led the Miami Hurricanes to a National Championship during his debut season as the team's head coach in 2001, taking over for  Butch Davis, who accepted a head coaching job with the Cleveland Browns prior to the season.

Coker led the Hurricanes back to the National Championship game during his sophomore season, in a losing effort against the Ohio State Buckeyes.  In 2003, the Hurricanes finished 11-2, but they did win the Big East Championship outright.

Miami would finish both 2004 and 2005 9-3, failing to finish within the top 10 final rankings.  Coker was on the hot seat entering the 2006 season, with anything short of a National Championship appearance being considered grounds for termination.  The Hurricanes finished the regular season 6-6, resulting in Coker's termination.

Randy Shanahan had the difficult responsibility of replacing Coker, while also dealing with the Nevin Shapiro scandal that proceeded the 2011 season.  Unfortunately, Shanahan's first season as head coach was a bust.  The Hurricanes lost six of their final seven games, and failed to qualify for a bowl game for the first time on over a decade.  Miami finished 7-6 in 2008, improved to 9-4 in 2009, before falling back to 7-6 in 2010.   Shanahan was fired following the Hurricanes' loss to South Florida to end the 2010 season.

Al Golden was hired as head coach for the 2011 season due to his success at Temple University.  During Golden's first two seasons as head coach, the Hurricanes finished 6-6 and 7-5.  Last season the Hurricanes improved to 9-4.

Golden and the Hurricanes both entered this season understanding the higher expectations in place, but with losses already to Louisville and Nebraska, the odds of Miami finishing this season in the top 25 have been diminished.

A loss to Georgia Tech this Saturday would put the Hurricanes on pace to finish this season (Golden's 4th with Miami) 6-6, and as a result could place Al Golden on the hot seat, pr perhaps out of a job.  This Saturday's contest is not only a huge must win game for Georgia Tech, but it's also a big game in deciding Al Golden's future as the head coach for the Miami Hurricanes.