UM football coach Al Golden practices the ‘U’ sign with Sebastian The Ibis during a press conference after Golden was hired on Monday, Dec. 13, 2010. Photo by Marice Cohn Band / The Miami Herald

GREENSBORO, N.C. — Last year at the Atlantic Coast Conference Football Kickoff, Miami coach Al Golden got himself a bit riled up when one too many media members mentioned UM recapturing its “swagger.”

On Monday at the 2012 version, he likely would have welcomed a few more swagger conversations.

This time Golden knew exactly what to expect: NCAA-related questions about the ongoing investigation into former booster and convicted felon Nevin Shapiro’s relationship with the school and dozens of former Hurricanes, the latest Yahoo! Sports report that alleges through an unnamed source that Golden had “direct knowledge” of UM recruiting-related improprieties, and Monday’s blockbuster sanctions against his alma mater, Penn State.

“Sad, really sad,” he said first of the Penn State situation. “I’m going to continue to keep at the forefront of my thoughts and prayers the innocent victims and their families. Hopefully here soon it will offer a measure of closure, an opportunity for healing and a chance to move forward.”

He refused to compare Monday’s Penn State sanctions to future ones for Miami in the Shapiro case.

“I certainly don’t think you can compare our situation, any situation, to what we’re seeing or how unprecedented this is.”

Golden told The Miami Herald in an individual interview earlier Monday that his “good name” was still intact. And though he said he couldn’t comment on the specifics of the Yahoo! report released Friday, he adamantly defended his integrity, as he did Friday in a written statement released shortly after the Yahoo! report surfaced.

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/07/24/2907984/um-football-coach-al-golden-im.html#storylink=cpy