Notre Dame DC Al Golden stirs controversy after revealing biggest lesson learned from former Penn State coach Joe Paterno

When Notre Dame and Penn State collide in the Orange Bowl Thursday night in Miami, the game will carry a nostalgic weight for Fighting Irish defensive coordinator Al Golden.

Golden is returning to a venue he once called home – Hard Rock Stadium – where he served as the head coach of the Miami Hurricanes from 2011 to 2015. To add to the intrigue, he will face his alma mater, Penn State.

Golden played tight end for the Nittany Lions during the 1990 and 1991 seasons under legendary, albeit controversial, head coach Joe Paterno. During his two years at Penn State, Golden recorded 17 receptions for 231 yards and two touchdowns.

Speaking to the media on Tuesday, Golden was asked about the biggest lesson he learned from Paterno. His response, while seemingly heartfelt, sparked mixed reactions from fans and social media users given the circumstances surrounding Paterno’s departure from Penn State.

“The overall lesson that has always stayed with me is that if you take care of the person, the person becomes what you want as an athlete,” Golden said. “So whether it’s character development, community service, being demanding academically, being disciplined, forming good habits, being a team player — all of those things. And then if you care about the relationship, if you care about the player as a person , then he’ll take care of the rest. He’ll go on the journey to become a really, really good football player. So the athletic part of it is the byproduct of everything else.”

Golden’s comments inevitably sparked fierce debate online, as many could not ignore the shadow of the scandal that marked the end of Paterno’s storied career. Paterno was fired in 2011 amid allegations that he and other university officials failed to act on reports of child sexual abuse by assistant coach Jerry Sandusky. The scandal tarnished Paterno’s legacy and left his former players and staff to grapple with the fallout.

Despite the controversy attached to his former coach, Golden has been widely recognized as one of the best assistant coaches in college football this season. His defense has played a vital role in Notre Dame’s run to the College Football Playoff semifinals. On Thursday, Golden will aim to shut down the Nittany Lions’ offense and propel Notre Dame to its first national championship since 2012.