Miami football winning Al Golden case important for future

The recent victory in court for the Miami football program over former head coach Al Golden is important for the future of the Hurricanes.

The recent dismissal of a lawsuit brought by former Miami football head coach Al Golden against the Hurricanes is important for the future. The dismissal of the lawsuit shows that the Miami athletic department and university were not negligent in the $6 million that Golden was seeking.

Golden was dismissed with a  32-25 record with Miami after the Hurricanes 58-0 loss to Clemson in 2015. That was the worst loss in the history of the Miami football program. The judge who dismissed the case ruled that the $2 million Miami paid to Golden was satisfactory in the breach of contract lawsuit.

Golden wanted a jury trial but that will not happen after the case was dismissed. The breach of contract case was filed in 2018 with Golden seeking an additional $3 million that he claimed was unpaid as part of the settlement of what was remaining on his Miami contact. The court ruled Golden’s claims were unwarranted.

Emails by Golden to his attorney claimed that the Miami athletic department made him work on unsafe practice fields. The Miami Herald reported that Golden and Miami athletic director Blake James recorded depositions in the case. Barry Jackson of the Herald published the comments from U.S. District Court Judge Darrin P. Gayles.

"“After considering Golden’s objections, the Court finds that they are without merit. The Court agrees that the Third Amendment is unambiguous and not susceptible to multiple interpretations.The Court further agrees with [the magistrate court judge’s] finding that the Third Amendment unambiguously requires the University to pay Golden $2 million for terminating his contract in Year 5 of the nine-year contract.”"

The third amendment states “No Soldier shall, in time of peace be quartered in any house, without the consent of the Owner, nor in time of war, but in a manner to be prescribed by law.” Presumably, that relates to practice conditions that Golden alleges, but was dismissed, were subpar at Miami.

Jackson also published an email to the Herald from University of Miami attorney Eric Isicoff. The ruling shows that the Miami football program specifically and the athletic department, in general, treats their coaches fairly. That will critical at a time that Manny Diaz is no longer the coach and the Hurricanes search for a replacement.

"“Last evening, the federal court in Miami entered final summary judgment in favor of the University of Miami and against former head football coach Al Golden in a breach of contract case he filed against the University following his termination in 2015.This ruling follows and adopts a prior recommendation of a United States Magistrate Judge that summary judgment be granted in favor of the University because the contract between the parties was clear and unambiguous and the University had fulfilled all of its obligations under the agreement. The University is pleased with the court’s ruling.”"

Five years and two head coaches later the Miami football program and athletic department can put Golden and the fiasco that his tenure was behind them. Golden was never a great fit in Coral Gables and seemed to have a vendetta against Miami after being terminated. Diaz and predecessor Mark Richt fit better.

Richt grew up in Boca Raton and is a former quarterback for the Miami football program. Richt was able to accomplish getting the Soffer Indoor Practice facility built for the Miami football and set a foundation for Diaz to utilize for the future. Diaz grew up in Miami, gets South Florida and is the son of the former Miami Mayor.