 Temple Owls head coach Al Golden, who in his second season at the helm of the Owls' football program led Temple to its most wins in a season since 2002, has withdrawn his name from consideration for the head coaching post at UCLA. UCLA has been without a coach since the Bruins fired head coach Karl Dorrell at the conclusion of the 2007 regular season.
Golden's name had recently surfaced as one of the finalists for the UCLA post.
Golden, a Penn State graduate who spent one season in the NFL as a tight end for the New England Patriots in 1992 before commencing a coaching career that included stops at Boston College, Penn State and Virginia before being named Owls' head coach prior to the 2006 season, led the Owls in 2007 to a 4-8 mark. Their four conference wins, in their first season as members of the Mid-American Conference, represented the school's most conference victories since 1967.
"I am flattered to have been contacted about the coaching vacancy at UCLA," Golden said in a prepared statement released through Temple today. "UCLA is a world-class institution, and Athletic Director Dan Guerrero is a first-class person. However, we are on the brink of something truly special here at Temple," Golden added.
Temple athletic director Bill Bradshaw, in the same prepared release, indicated that the school expected Golden's name to surface in job searches from other schools and added "There are great times ahead for Temple football and we are happy coach Golden has chosen to remain with out program for some time to come.
Golden, whose annual base salary of $575,000 is tops among all current MAC head football coaches, has compiled a 5-19 record in two seasons as the Owls' head coach.
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