Al Golden is not someone to forget.
The former Notre Dame defensive coordinator made this apparent during his Broyles Award acceptance speech, when he acknowledged ESPN’s Desmond Howard—not for praise, but for his consistent picks against the Fighting Irish throughout the 2024 season.
Golden, who just finished a fantastic season at Notre Dame, couldn’t help but mention Howard’s prediction that the Irish would lose six times on College GameDay. Given that Notre Dame ended the season 14-1 and advanced to the national title game, Howard clearly misjudged them more than once.
“Des, thank you for picking against us six times this year,” Golden replied, smiling. “We won 14 games, but he picked against us six times. “It is unbelievable.”
You can check the footage from Irish Sport Daily’s Matt Freeman below:
The cheeky jab demonstrated that Notre Dame has been keeping track of the naysayers throughout the season. Whether it was bulletin board material for the team or just a little extra encouragement, Golden and the Irish were clearly aware of who believed in them—and who did not.
Golden, who will return to the NFL as the defensive coordinator for the Cincinnati Bengals, was a crucial member of Notre Dame’s successful defense. His unit ended among the nation’s top, propelling the team to the College Football Playoffs. While his time in South Bend has come to a close, it is evident that his competitive edge will endure.
Howard, for his part, has not responded publicly to Golden’s statements, but it’s safe to imagine he will think twice about dismissing Notre Dame as regularly in the future.
Marcus Freeman’s Notre Dame team, minus Golden, will open the 2025 season at Miami on Sunday, August 31.
