Boston College Football Coaching Search: Will The Eagles Land Al Golden?

Is Boston College Athletic Director Brad Bates making a run at Miami HC Al Golden? On Sunday, Mark Blaudschun reported that the Hurricanes head coach is atop the program's wish list.

After a week of gathering names and putting together a wish list which would be inclined to accept an offer as Boston College's next football coach, BC Director of Athletics Brad Bates will focus on Notre Dame defensive coordinator Bob Diaco if he can't convince Miami coach Al Golden to consider what could be more than a 5-year $10 million offer to take over the BC football program.

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Bates will make a final push on Golden and then move to the next level, which would appear to have Diaco at the top of that list.

WEEI's Jon Meterparel also confirmed a similar report this afternoon on Twitter.

#BC may be closing in on a coach. Many sources indicate #ND Def Cord Bob Diaco is the top choice if Al Golden turns it down.

— Jon Meterparel (@meatstweets) December 3, 2012

As Bill mentioned, I doubt money will be the deciding factor for Golden, though $2 million a year would be a slight increase to Golden's reported $1.75 million annual salary. With a cloud of NCAA sanctions surrounding the Miami program in the wake of the Nevin Shapiro scandal and no current boss (Golden's A.D. just took the head job at Nebraska), Golden may be looking for a new opportunity that best positions him for the long run (and, say, a return to his alma mater?).

As we are all well aware, Golden originally hails from the Northeast and knows the program well, serving as Boston College linebacker's coach from 1997-99 under Tom O'Brien. Post BC, Golden made stops at Penn State (LB) and Virginia (DC), before landing the head coaching job at Temple. A Red Bank, N.J. native, Golden is also known as a strong recruiter.

Cue irate Miami Hurricane fans for even suggesting that BC could lure away the Tie in 5 ... 4 ... 3 ... [hand motions 2 and 1]