Badger Breakdown: Al Golden

One of the names that's floated on the fringes of the rumor mill for the Badgers head coaching job has been Al Golden. Considering Miami's situation, it's hard not to understand why. The NCAA is coming after them hard, and it may make sense for Al Golden to get a soft landing spot where he can. Could Wisconsin be that spot?

Overview: Al Golden was only 37 when he was hired as yet another coach to attempt to shake Temple from its doldrums. He replaced a coach in Bobby Wallace who won three consecutive Division II National Championships at North Alabama. Wallace finished with a career 19-71 record at Temple, and it got so bad that the Big East actually kicked Temple out for not being competitive enough. Well? Al Golden won at Temple. And soon enough, Miami came calling.

Why It Works: Al Golden won. At Temple.

You might say to yourself, so? But here's where I'm going to show my work as to why this is not a fact that needs to be discounted. In 1990? Temple went 7-4. In 2007? The Mid-American Conference was gracious enough to let them into their homes.

In between? Temple went 29-148. That was a stretch of 16 seasons with a .164 winning percentage. You turn a program that was in that kind of shape around? You have a valuable coaching skill set. And it was inevitable that an AQ school was going to roll out and grab him for that sort of work.

Though there are still major Nevin Shapiro related issues in Miami, he shows a good eye for talent and a willingness to get the ball in his home run hitters hands. I mean, it didn't take him close to all gosh darn year to consistently work in Duke Johnson

Plus, as a young coach with Big Ten roots and multiple ties to the East Coast (playing at Penn State and coaching at Virginia, Temple, and Miami), Golden would potentially be a recruiter with some real value to the Badgers. And despite the less than gaudy record, the young Hurricanes team this year was in contention for a divisional crown most of the season.

Why It Doesn't: Because Barry Alvarez is a man of honor.

You all know how exactly Paul Chryst is remaining as the coach of Pitt because he got there with Barry Alvarez's help. Well, the current President of the University of Miami is Donna Shalala. And if you don't know, she was the chancellor at Wisconsin when Barry Alvarez was hired.

As Alvarez has become a headhunter to the stars in recent years, it's not impossible that his old boss asked for help in hiring a new head coach. And if Alvarez didn't truly feel right in looking at Chryst? Golden would fall under the same purview.

And if he's available? Then that makes me wonder in just how much esteem, Golden is held. I would probably like it less if he was hired.

My Opinion: A better coach in theory, than in execution.

Percentage Chance: 2%