Miami football alum Anthony Chickillo highly critical how he was coached by Al Golden

Anthony Chickillo was one of four five-star players that signed with the Miami football program during Al Golden’s tenure as head coach according to the Athletic’s Manny Navarro. In recent interviews, Chickillo was highly critical about Golden’s role in his path to the NFL.

Anthony Chickillo signed with the Miami football program as a five-star, double legacy player. Chickillo’s grandfather Nick is in the University of Miami Sports Hall of Fame and his father Tony was on the Hurricanes 1983 national championship team. Nick and Tony both played in the NFL.

Anthony was drafted by the Steelers in the sixth-round in 2015. That was far lower than the projections that had him as the fifth best defensive lineman in the 2011 college football signing class. Jadveon Clowney who was the top pick in the 2014 NFL Draft by the Houston Texans was the top defensive lineman in 2011 per 247Sports.

Running back Duke Johnson and defensive end Chad Thomas were the other five-star players to sign with the Miami football program under Al Golden. Offensive lineman Seantrel Henderson was already on the Hurricanes roster when Golden took over in Coral Gables. Golden is the most polarizing coach in Miami history.

Navarro received very different perspectives from Chickillo and his former Miami football teammate and NFL adversary Tracy Howard about how Golden, D’Onofrio and the Hurricanes staff prepared them for the NFL. Chickillo was highly critical of how Golden and D’Onofrio used him in the Miami football program.

Chickillo also spoke to Susan Miller Degnan of the Miami Herald about his tenure with the Hurricanes. He had dreamt of being a Miami Hurricanes football player since he was a child. His hope was to go into the UMSHoF like his late grandfather.