One of the worst things that can happen to a coach in any level of sports is getting the dreaded “vote of confidence” from his boss. I don’t care if it’s a U-13 girls softball league, you don’t want someone coming out and defending your job publicly, especially not early in the season. Unfortunately for Al Golden, that’s just what happened on Thursday.

University of Miami athletic director Blake James issued a vote of confidence for his head football coach after just one game of the 2014 season. That doesn’t bode well for Golden’s future.

The Hurricanes opened the season in awful fashion, as they were curb-stomped by Louisville 31-13 on Monday. Miami’s offense, led by freshman quarterback Brad Kaaya, looked terrible all night. Kaaya led the team to a paltry 244 total yards while the Hurricanes turned the ball over three times. It was the opposite of an eye-pleasing performance.

On Thursday James called Golden the “perfect person” to lead Miami’s football team and get the program back on track. The problem is that Golden is now in his fourth season in Coral Gables and has a record of 22-16 overall and 13-12 in the ACC. In 2013, Golden got the Hurricanes off to a 7-0 start before they collapsed down the stretch and finished the season 9-4.

This year Golden’s bunch faces road tests at No. 19 Nebraska and Virginia Tech, and home dates with No. 21 North Carolina and No. 1 Florida State. The Hurricanes could easily finish this season with five losses even if things go relatively well.

Given that Golden has brought just one top 10 recruiting class (No. 9 class in 2012 according to Rivals) to Miami during his tenure, it’s not like the team is stocked with talent like it was in the 90s and early 2000s. This is a team that needs to out-play and out-coach its opponents to win consistently. Golden and his players haven’t shown the ability to do that yet.

Things could get real ugly real fast for the Hurricanes, especially with a freshman under center.