Florida HC Todd Golden Linked to New Job Amid NCAA Tournament Run

Florida Gators head coach Todd Golden is smack dab in the middle of trying to lead his team to back-to-back national championships, and Florida definitely got off to a great start with a 59-point win over Prairie View A&M in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Friday night.

But could this ultimately be Golden's last run in Gainesville?

Rumor has it that the North Carolina Tar Heels are about to fire Hubert Davis, which would open a huge head-coaching vacancy in Chapel Hill.

Considering that North Carolina is one of the most prestigious head-coaching jobs in the country, there would be no shortage of interested parties.

Could Golden be one of them?

Matt Hayes of USA Today pitched the possibility, urging the Tar Heels to steal Golden away from The Swamp.

"This is no time for the timid. Be bold and brave ― and eliminate any possibility of Kentucky swooping in and signing Golden first," Hayes wrote. "... Offer $13-14 million a year over 10 years, and commit to $20 million annually in NIL funds (including private deals). Once the Belichick experiment fades — and it will — North Carolina will again realize what’s important, what fuels the Carolina brand."

Here's the thing, though: Golden signed a six-year, $40.5 million contract extension with Florida last May following the team's national championship victory. So prying him away from Gainesville would be incredibly complicated.

Plus, Golden has shown absolutely no indication that he is interested in walking away from the Gators. Especially not in the middle of turning them into a national power.

The 40-year-old took over as Florida head coach in 2022 and has led the Gators to a 103-40 record throughout his tenure. Over the last two years, he has gone 63-11.

Is UNC the shinier name? Sure. It's a blue blood college basketball program. However, only UConn has won more championships than Florida over the last 20 years, so it's not like the Gators are chopped liver.

Would Golden have interest in bolting for North Carolina? Perhaps, but it just seems somewhat hard to envision him leaving. Especially in this new NIL era that has absolutely reduced to the dominance of such blue blood schools.

For now, Golden is focused on winning another national championship in Gainesville.

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