UF athletic director Scott Stricklin and new basketball coach Todd Golden during Wednesday's press conference at Exactech Arena.
Curtain Rises on Golden Era
Wednesday, March 23, 2022 | Men's Basketball, Chris Harry
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By: Chris Harry, Senior Writer
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Parked in front of their televisions on the other side of the country, Todd Golden and his Saint Mary's teammates watched in awe as the University of Florida went on its epic run of athletics domination, with those back-to-back NCAA championships under Billy Donovan in men's basketball sandwiched between Tim Tebow's Heisman Trophy and dual national titles in football. The years, of course, were 2006-2008. Golden and friends were basketball players on NCAA tournament teams also, and even from nearly 3,000 miles away understood how rare and special a spree the Gators were undergoing.
"We were sports junkies," Golden recalled. "What Florida did during that time was incredible. You'd turn on the TV and the brand — that logo — was always out there in the public eye. What a special time it must have been for this place."
Those remarks came Wednesday morning, while Golden sat in the team's locker room at Exactech Arena, about an hour before he walked upstairs to be introduced as the 19th basketball coach in UF history at a news conference in the Tom and Jane Johnson Family Atrium. Golden aced his first appearance at a UF podium by demonstrating the enthusiasm and intellect that landed Florida athletic director Scott Stricklin and his search committee on a youthful, energetic, analytics-driven rising star from the University of San Francisco.
Golden, 36, talked about the Gators' built-in "championship pedigree" and how he embraced the expectations. His teams, Golden said, would try to score fast on offense (when available) and be fundamentally sound on defense, as well as in rebounding and with ball security. "Very rarely will we have any less than four guys ont he court that can dribble, pass and shoot at an insanely high level," he said. Establishing relationships on the recruiting trail — with an emphasis on the state of Florida — would be an immediate priority. He also talked about reconnecting with some of past "Gator Greats" (players who put the program on the map) and bringing them back into the fold.
"I'm very confident in my abilities to lead a program," Golden said.
And he looked it.
The night before, Golden got his first tour of the O'Dome, with a private court-projection screening of a hype video that finished with his gigantic image splashed across "Billy Donovan Court." Pretty different from what they could do at USF, he deadpanned. After that, Golden met his family at Florida Ballpark for a baseball game to wind down after spending Tuesday jetting around the South talking to recruits.
— Florida Gators Men's Basketball (@GatorsMBK) March 23, 2022
On Monday, Golden and family members flew from San Francisco, a mere 48 hours after accepting the UF job. The first thing he saw upon entering the basketball facility was the championship memorabilia — trophies, plaques, cut-down nets, etc. — on display behind glass, all beneath the giant mural of Donovan, one of the greatest coaches in college basketball history.
It just so happened the night before, Donovan had reached out to congratulate Golden on the job — "I got goosebumps talking to him" — with the iconic coach offering himself as a resource.
On Wednesday, Donovan offered his affirmation for Golden, who became just the fourth coach to lead the Gators over the past 32 years. He replaces Mike White, who after seven seasons resigned March 13 to become head coach at Georgia.
"I really loved his enthusiasm, his excitement for the job and trying to galvanize former players and people in the program," Donovan told FloridaGators.com on Wednesday. "His energy was just really, really good. By the time I called him, he had already talked to some of the former guys. Just speaking to him on the phone, he just seemed like has the personality for the job and a really good grasp on what it's going to take."
Those were all the traits that Stricklin and his search committee — Executive Associate Athletics Director for Administration Lynda Tealer (who doubles as men's basketball senior administrator); Executive Associate AD/Internal Affairs Chip Howard; and Associate Athletic Director Dave Werner, head trainer for the basketball program since 2004 — heard when vetting Golden and what they took away from the first interaction with him during the interview process.
"There's four things that we value in a head coach," Stricklin said. "Strong character and integrity, that's a given; the ability to bring highly talented people together, whether that's players or coaches or staff; the ability to develop a strong culture and lead that group of people; and the ability to put that team in a position to have a strategic advantage and be successful. Todd checked all these boxes and so many more."
Let the record show the Gators weren't the only ones who gave chase to Golden, who reportedly was linked to the openings at LSU, Missouri and Kansas State. His interests were elsewhere.
Added Stricklin: "As everyone is aware, there were no shortage of job openings at high-major schools during this recent coaching cycle, including several in the [Southeastern Conference]. One thing I would like to share with Gator Nation, all the fans listening out there, because I think it's important: Todd wanted to be a Florida Gator. This was a place that he valued as much as we valued him. He shares our goals and our aspirations to win championships at the University of Florida."
Todd Golden was 33 when promoted from assistant to head coach at the University of Francisco and guided the Dons to a 57-36 record over the past three seasons and the program's first NCAA Tournament berth since 1999. USF lost its first-round game in overtime to Murray State.
The Gators went 20-14 during 2021-22 season, including 9-9 in SEC play, and missed the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2016 with a roster top-heavy with upperclassmen. Golden's new staff will have to replace as many as eight players (seven seniors, plus medical-exempted Keyontae Johnson), while building around a core of returning players highlighted by guards Kowacie Reeves and Niels Lane, plus 6-foot-11, 290-pound center Jason Jitoboh, who is coming off season-ending eye surgery. And that's assuming those players (along with fellow returnees CJ Felder, Toungthach Gatkek and Elijah Kennedy) stay out of the transfer portal.
Florida's incoming three-member 2022 freshman class was ranked 19th nationally (and third in the conference), but five-star power forward Malik Reanu, out of Montverde (Fla.) Academy, announced on social media Tuesday that he had decommitted and reopened his recruitment. No word on the other two, yet.
Golden grew up in Arizona, went to school in California and had brief stints at Columbia in the Ivy League and with Auburn in the SEC. He has minimal ties to the Sunshine State. He has, for now, no assistants on staff. So the Gators (as in the '22-23 version) are pretty much starting from scratch, though rebuilding these days is different with the transfer portal.
The situation may seem daunting, but its overseer has confidence in his abilities because of the brand.
"I don't have roots here, but this institution, this program, speak for itself," he said. "I'm going to recruit student-athletes who are passionate about being at the University of Florida. I don't want guys to just be like, 'Hey, I want to go play for Coach Golden.' I want that, sure, but more importantly, I want great attitude, work ethic and a feeling of pride to wear the Gator logo on their chests. I can recruit that. I can sell that."
His family (wife Megan and young children Jake and Madi), parents and in-laws sat beaming in the front row, but Golden had other believers in the atrium audience. Guys that remember the best of Florida's basketball times.
Wife Megan Golden, a former Saint Mary's volleyball player, and daughter Madi look as their husband/father addresses the media Wednesday.
"It's a new age, but he respects the foundation," said Dan Cross, All-SEC point guard for Lon Kruger's 1994 Final Four team. "He sounds like a very intelligent young man who is saying the right things and has the vision of re-creating the culture that, as a former player, I'm used to."
"I like the talk about re-energizing the fanbase and the students. It's just a refresh with the program that we needed," said Lee Humphrey, shooting guard on those back-to-back NCAA title teams and current color analyst on the Gator Radio Network. "I also liked what he said about playing fast and scoring fast when the opportunity is there. Coach Donovan used to tell us, 'Layups, dunks and Lee Humphrey.' You got to have an identity."
Added Patric Young, former center and 2014 SEC Defensive Player of the Year for a Final Four team: "I think you can tell he has a reverence for this organization and this program, starting with Coach Donovan. Now that he's at the helm, he's going to have a hunger to be successful."
Thankful for the welcome messages, I'm excited to get to work and continue the legacy of Gators Basketball! pic.twitter.com/lc6qUEuumm
In the last few days, Golden had conversions or text exchanges with Joakim Noah, Chandler Parsons, Corey Brewer, Bradley Beal and Jason Williams, among others, noting that Gators' NBA alums had made more than $1 billion since 2000. But the 30-minute chat Saturday with Donovan put his enthusiasm over the top.
On Wednesday, it all became real.
"To a man, they've all shared the same message," Golden said. "This amazing place has allowed them different life experiences that would not be possible without the time that they've spent on this campus. There's a level of pride that these individuals have and that this university has that is unique and inspiring."
He won't be admiring it from afar anymore. Cue the Todd Golden era.
