The OFFICIAL Welcome Al Golden Thread

[*pally*]

As we all know by now, Al Golden is our new DC. So we can move all our speculation about his coaching to a new thead!!! Sunset said I could start a new welcome thread.

Let's play complementary football.

Time to get started, @CoachAlGolden pic.twitter.com/1qu08T5vSC

— Cincinnati Bengals (@Bengals) January 23, 2025

[BFritz21]

He knows Burrow is an MVP caliber QB and can win a lot games in the defense can just stop teams and give him the ball!

I love his aggressive style and I think it will pay dividends with teams needing to throw it a lot to keep up with Burrow.

It's a passing league now, but we need to strengthen our interior defensive line so teams can't run the ball all day and keep Burrow on the sidelines.

[CJD]

I like the hire. I think our defense will improve with Golden as the defensive coordinator.

Now, we just have to draft the talent.

[*pally*]

Dehner talked with a long-time Notre Dame reporter about Al as a defensive coordinator. One thing stood out to me.  He said with injuries al had to play the Redshirt sophomore, and 1st year freshman...and he expected them to perform and they did.  He added that Al believes that ANY player on an NFL team roster should be ready to play at any time.  So hopefully no more waiting to play someone until he plays like a veteran and then complaining that he never develops.

He said a strength of Al's is player development

[SunsetBengal]

(01-23-2025, 07:53 PM)pally Wrote: As we all know by now, Al Golden is our new DC.  So we can move all our speculation about his coaching to a new thead!!!  Sunset said I could start a new welcome thread.

Let's play complementary football.

Time to get started, @CoachAlGolden pic.twitter.com/1qu08T5vSC

— Cincinnati Bengals (@Bengals) January 23, 2025

That's right, I knew that the lady who is usually on top of any new information regarding the team should be the one welcoming our new Defensive Coordinator! (psst, you didn't have to actually say "Sunset said"...) 

[Luvnit2]

(01-23-2025, 08:09 PM)pally Wrote: Dehner talked with a long-time Notre Dame reporter about Al as a defensive coordinator. One thing stood out to me.  He said with injuries al had to play the Redshirt sophomore, and 1st year freshman...and he expected them to perform and they did.  He added that Al believes that ANY player on an NFL team roster should be ready to play at any time.  So hopefully no more waiting to play someone until he plays like a veteran and then complaining that he never develops.

He said a strength of Al's is player development

Good stuff Pally.

Welcome to the Jungle DC for the winner of next year's Super Bowl.

[SunsetBengal]

(01-23-2025, 08:09 PM)pally Wrote: Dehner talked with a long-time Notre Dame reporter about Al as a defensive coordinator. One thing stood out to me.  He said with injuries al had to play the Redshirt sophomore, and 1st year freshman...and he expected them to perform and they did.  He added that Al believes that ANY player on an NFL team roster should be ready to play at any time.  So hopefully no more waiting to play someone until he plays like a veteran and then complaining that he never develops.

He said a strength of Al's is player development

I've said for years that everyone that makes it to the NFL has the ability to play, yes there are a few genetically gifted exceptions that stand out above the rest, but for the most part they all come in physically able. Glad to see that the new DC feels like everyone that made the team should be able to play at any moment. I just hope he doesn't get bogged down in the old, unwritten rule of "he who gets paid the most, must play".

[Isaac Curtis: The Real #85]

Dan Hoard has 20 min with Golden:

https://www.bengals.com/audio/bengals-booth-podcast-the-golden-age

Good listen. Nothing earthshaking.

BEST acronym for the defense: ball, effort, situation, tackling.

Base will be 425, 43 vs 12 or 21 personnel, but he stresses you have to be flexible and not too stuck to a particular scheme.

Critical to add more pass rush (not limited to front 4), more size inside, and have high IQ guys, particularly at LB & S making the calls.

Also was asked about ND's "viper" position, a DE/OLB type athletic enough to drop but big enough to set the edge.

[*pally*]

(01-23-2025, 08:13 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: That's right, I knew that the lady who is usually on top of any new information regarding the team should be the one welcoming our new Defensive Coordinator! (psst, you didn't have to actually say "Sunset said"...) 

I give credit where credit is due!

[*pally*]

(01-23-2025, 08:32 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: I've said for years that everyone that makes it to the NFL has the ability to play, yes there are a few genetically gifted exceptions that stand out above the rest, but for the most part they all come in physically able. Glad to see that the new DC feels like everyone that made the team should be able to play at any moment. I just hope he doesn't get bogged down in the old, unwritten rule of "he who gets paid the most, must play".

As long as he understands that the road to success isn't watching the team handing the DC 1st and 2nd round draft picks who barely play for 2 years and don't develop properly  

[reuben.ahmed]

Get them to tackle gold man

[TecmoBengals]

Change is often needed to keep work moving in a productive direction. I'm excited by the move and hope it works out.

[*bengalfan74*]

Perhaps he can get murphy up to speed?

[reuben.ahmed]

since when do we know sunset approval to do anything in life

[Joelist]

Did Golden have anything to say about making sure the players can actually understand and act on the calls/signals in his defense? After tackling this was the biggest issue and why we constantly saw receivers wide open in our "zones" - constant confusion on responsibilities.

[SunsetBengal]

(01-23-2025, 09:11 PM)bengalfan74 Wrote: Perhaps he can get murphy up to speed?

You're asking a lot from a guy on his first day on the job, aren't you? 

[SunsetBengal]

(01-23-2025, 09:33 PM)reuben.ahmed Wrote: since when do we know sunset approval to do anything in life

Easy now, I might have to radio the door dash drivers in your neighborhood and arrange for your next order of cocoanut shrimp curry to be replaced with a steaming bag of dog doo... 

Just kidding, nobody needs my "approval" to do anything on these boards. However, there are rules and standards that I have pledged to help upkeep.

[TKUHL]

(01-23-2025, 08:09 PM)pally Wrote: Dehner talked with a long-time Notre Dame reporter about Al as a defensive coordinator. One thing stood out to me.  He said with injuries al had to play the Redshirt sophomore, and 1st year freshman...and he expected them to perform and they did.  He added that Al believes that ANY player on an NFL team roster should be ready to play at any time.  So hopefully no more waiting to play someone until he plays like a veteran and then complaining that he never develops.

He said a strength of Al's is player development

Cool, that’s exactly what we need. Now if Duke can hit on some prospects that’s another conversation.

[SunsetBengal]

(01-23-2025, 09:49 PM)TKUHL Wrote: Cool, that’s exactly what we need. Now if Duke can hit on some prospects that’s another conversation.

That's also a two way street. The DC has to be able to identify the specific qualities that he's looking for in a player, in order for the management to make the appropriate selection.

[*jason*]

Good thing Chip Kelly isn't still in the NFL... I kid.

I'm pulling for the guy, but it's a pretty disappointing hire for me. It feels like they had their sights set on him from the jump, got their Rooney interviews in, and just played the waiting game. It shouldn't be terribly hard for Golden to one-up his predecessor though.