Al Golden calls out Desmond Howard for picking against Notre Dame on ESPN College GameDay

During its run to the 2024 College Football Playoff national championship game, Notre Dame went 14-1 before falling to Ohio State. Throughout the season, on ESPN’s College GameDay, Desmond Howard picked against the Fighting Irish six times during the final segment.

Al Golden certainly noticed. During his acceptance speech after winning the Broyles Award, the now-former Notre Dame defensive coordinator called Howard out for those selections.

Golden won the award as the nation’s top assistant coach after building one of the best defenses in the country. That unit was a key reason for the 13-game winning streak heading into the national championship – and, apparently, proving Howard’s picks wrong.

Al Golden keeps receipts

"And Des, thank you for picking against us six times this year. We won 14 games and he picked against us six times. It's unbelievable." pic.twitter.com/2t4iLDzRvE

— Matt Freeman (@mattfreeman05_) February 14, 2025

“Des, thank you for picking against us six times this year,” Golden said. “We won 14 games, he picked against us six times. It’s unbelievable.”

Golden, of course, is now heading back to the NFL with the Cincinnati Bengals as their defensive coordinator. He previously worked for the Bengals from 2020-21 as linebackers coach before arriving at Notre Dame, and will now replace Lou Anarumo as DC.

Golden was one of the first big hires for Marcus Freeman when he took over the Notre Dame program in 2022, and his defense was one of the best in the country. This season, the Fighting Irish ranked ninth in the nation with 298.3 yards allowed per game and second in scoring with 14.3 points allowed on average – trailing only Ohio State. That success helped him become the first Notre Dame assistant to win the Broyles Award since Bob Diaco in 2012.

Prior to his first stint at Cincinnati, Golden got his first taste of life in the NFL in 2016 as the Detroit Lions tight ends coach. He then shifted to the other side of the ball as the Lions’ linebackers coach from 2018-19 before the Bengals hired him. That’s when he returned to the college game at Notre Dame, serving as an essential part of Freeman’s staff as he took over his first head coaching job.

During his introductory press conference back in Cincinnati, Al Golden made sure to acknowledge Freeman and the Notre Dame administration for his time in South Bend. He also reflected on the achievements of this past season.

“If I could take a moment to thank Coach Freeman, all the student-athletes up there that I had the honor of coaching and obviously Pete Bevacqua and Jack Swarbrick for the opportunity to be there and be a part of that great run,” Golden said. “It’s very seldom that you have the chance to do firsts at Notre Dame, but to host the first playoff game, to win the Orange Bowl, win the Sugar Bowl, win 13 in a row, that was great.”