11.30.14
by

Truth Hurts: There Will Be No Bowl

Tommy Tuberville coolly counted down the seconds with his glove to call timeout at the appropriate times to beat Temple yesterday, a stark contrast to his counterpart.

Tommy Tuberville coolly counted down the seconds with his glove to call timeout at the appropriate times to beat Temple yesterday, a stark contrast to his counterpart.

That old saying that “the truth hurts” came in the press conference after Temple’s 14-6 loss to Cincinnati and it was offered up in helpings in this Thanksgiving Day leftover:

“Every game there are different reasons why you win or you lose. I put this game squarely on me,” Temple head coach Matt Rhule said. “Mismanagement of the clock, mismanagement of timeouts, timeouts down the stretch that we had to use early on for ridiculous reasons that the head coach is responsible for. That hurt us. We didn’t have a chance to stop the clock or keep that game going despite the really heroic effort from those guys on defense. As I told the team, that’s on me. There’s nobody else you can point at.”

He’e right, for one of the few times this season. Really, though, was anyone surprised?

"Every game there are different reasons why you win or you lose. I put this game squarely on me. Mismanagement of the clock, mismanagement of timeouts, timeouts down the stretch that we had to use early on for ridiculous reasons that the head coach is responsible for ..."

“Every game there are different reasons why you win or you lose. I put this game squarely on me. Mismanagement of the clock, mismanagement of timeouts, timeouts down the stretch that we had to use early on for ridiculous reasons that the head coach is responsible for …”

This guy uses timeouts like they are eight in each half, not three, and it has been going on like this for almost two full years now. Timeouts for things that should have been taken care of during the week in that $17 million practice facility Temple University paid money for by paid professionals who Temple University is paying good money to do those jobs. St. Joseph’s Prep, a team that practices a few blocks away 17th and Thompson’s Brady Athletic Field, gets those things done during the week and is flawless on gameday because of it but Temple does not and is not.

This game was over long before it should have because those paid professionals are not doing the jobs they are paid to do and, because of that–win or no win over Tulane–there will be no bowl. Temple is limping to the end of the season, much like the 2010 team limped to an 8-4 record that nobody wanted. The numbers are just not good for Temple. There CURRENTLY are 80 teams bowl eligible for 76 slots and there will be more eligible teams after next week.

There is a very real chance that even with a win over Tulane–and that’s not a given due to the fact that this coaching staff refuses to use a blocking fullback to even TRY to jump-start an anemic running game–no one will want this team, either.

Fans left the game with five minutes left because they knew there was no way Temple could stop the clock  due to the incompetence of the coaching staff.  By the time they got to the parking lot, the game was on several televisions and those fans could see a clear image of Cincinnati Tommy Tuberville counting down 3 … 2 … 1 … with his gloves and then pointing to the official to call a timeout.

That was a telling image. A paid professional clearly in control of the situation, with the paid professional on the other side of the field acting like a turkey with his head cut off.

37 thoughts on “Truth Hurts: There Will Be No Bowl”

  1. At least MR is taking responsibility and not blaming twenty year old kids for the time management debacle. That’s some measure of progress and no doubt part of the process (end sarcasm)

    Reply

    • the first step in the recovery “process” is to admit you have a problem. the second step is to fire Marcus Satterfield. The second step is the more necessary one and the tougher one. we’ll see if he has the gonads to make that next step in the recovery process a week from today.

      Reply

      • Agreed. Satterfield is brutal and one of the best QB prospects temple has seen in a long time has regressed under his tutelage. Additionally, the offense has continued to misuse talent and become very predictable over the past two seasons.

      • Not likely

      • What really concerns me is if it came down to Rhule wanting to do that and financially the athletic department didn’t want to take a buy out hit and pay for a better caliber coach. After all isn’t that how Satterfield ended up as tho OC, Nevada offered Rolovich more money after he accepted the position here and TU couldn’t or wouldn’t counter. I just hope we aren’t try to be competitive on the “cheap”, that might work in the MAC but think it is a recipe for sequel to Temple’s first go round in the Big East. I know the current adminstration has talked a good game so far but……

  2. This team is where I expected it to be. I figure 5-7 wins. What killed this team was the absolutely pathetic play of the offensive line including Mr. Friend. The inability to run block made this team one dimensional and the QB mistake prone trying to make plays. Need to get bigger and stronger on both sides of the ball and Walker must be more careful with the ball and learn to throw a touch pass when necessary. He does his receivers no favors. He throws a medicine ball. Yesterday’s game boiled down to four plays, walkers fumble, the td misses to Fitzpatrick and Thompson and a missed field goal.

    Reply

    • they should have had 5-6 wins last year, 7 this one. fordham, idaho and 0-9 uconn should have been beaten and with any coaching at all, they should have been able to hold onto a 28-7 lead at smu.

      Reply

      • No way this team with the pathetic play of the offensive line was going to get 7 wins unless they improved dramatically, they did not. You can diagram all the schemes you want but if the line cannot win any battles upfront you have a looming disaster. Penn State was a prime example of this as well. As good as both Hackenberg and Walker looked last year that’s how bad both looked this year. Did they just regress? Doubt it, they played behind porous offensive lines. You cannot have an offensive line that gets manhandled week in and week out like this group did. I will critize Rhule for not having recurited some decent linemen and or not coaching them up to play better. They were and are absolutely terrible and unless we have an infusion of talent on the oline, expect the same results next year. .

  3. After the Vanderbilt game, I expressed concerns about the offense because it didn’t score tds despite being inside the ten four or five times and was lambasted by the MRAs. Where are the MRAs now after the TU offense has failed to score more than fourteen points in five of the last six games. Yesterday, they ran a nice pass play off a fake read option and another one throwing across the field to the tight end. Why weren’t they repeated? And even if they were covered, a good coordinator would have had a secondary receiver in the spot vacated by the defender covering the play. It’s mind-boggling. Please don’t say that they won three more games this season when they should have seven or eight wins by now.

    Reply

    • I also think a good coordinator will make the defense counter offensive plays that are working and as you say have a secondary receiver to counter the defensive move. Yesterday was just another example of what seems to be a trend with this OC of switching from successful plays not because the defense shut them down but rather for the sake of running something else. Fitzpatrick caught several slant/crossing patterns that seemed to be open whenever Temple tried the play but for some reason just stopped running it. As for the MRAs, on MRA central (pay board) their back to “in 2 years this team will be contending for the AAC title”, “Daz left the cupboard bare” and “PJ is just 19 and a sophomore”

      Reply

  4. Unfortunately, a bowl game is unlikely, even with a win over Tulane. I hope that it works out somehow because the program can benefit from the extra practice and exposure. We have gone from “Temple Tough” to “Tough Luck Temple.”

    Matt Rhule is an embarrassment. Why does he constantly spit on the sidelines? ESPN had a shot of him yesterday where it looked like he was dribbling (very professional). I cannot recall ever seeing a paid coach spit on the sidelines during a game.

    Reply

  5. A guy in a flannel suit, wool jacket and “T” lapel pin was on SEPTA post-game muttering about spitting. Didn’t know who he was talking about until right now. Defend that, MRA’s!

    Reply

  6. I was told by someone who worked in the athletic department that football assistant contracts are renewed strictly on a year-to-year basis at the pleasure of the HC. Rhule is the only guy with a multi-year contract and I believe that’s guaranteed for five years, beginning in Dec. of 2012. We’re doomed but he can save himself like Flood did at Rutgers by hiring a big-time OC.

    Reply

    • Thanks for the information, at least it’s good to know that Rhule has the flexibility to make a move, doubt he will though. First question is would the university pony up for a guy like Friedgen if they were available and would Rhule bring on someone who had that level of prior HC experience. That’s is the type of resume that Rhule needs to be looking for. Even with the criticism of Snow last year, myself included, at least he had a big time track record to review unlike Satterfield.
      The other thing I don’t understand from some, primarily folks on Owlscoop, is how an mention of making some staff changes is met with howls of how that would set the programs back, cause all kinds of untold havoc and chaos..!! Didn’t seem to do that for Rutgers, even on Rhule’s staff I feel the new defensive line coach was a part in the improved defense. The d-line seemed to be playing with better technique this year than last which I think allowed Snow to run a defense closer to what he did at ASU and UCLA from a scheme perspective. I mean while not wholesale changes staffs get shuffled around all the time. A friend had close ties with the Rutgers program during Schiano’s tenure and said that he did s thorough evaluation of every member of his staff at the end of the season and wasn’t afraid to make changes, switch staff around, etc.

      Reply

      • Rutgers fired a guy every year when Schiano was on the staff. Kept the guys on their toes. With this joke of an offense, what does Temple have to lose by going to max protect for P.J. so he doesn’t get bum rushed like employees opening the doors of Wal-Mart on Black Friday? What does Temple have to lose by using Jahad Thomas behind a lead-blocking fullback and establishing the run at Tulane? What does Temple have to lose by trying to throw off play action instead of empty backfields and 4 wides? What are they afraid of, going from 6 points to 3 points? Even Daz is laughing at them.

  7. A Bowl game versus UAB would be utterly appropriate.

    Reply

    • and they are eligible and we are not. … go figure. they beat western kentucky and we would not have a shot at western kentucky. cannot tell me there’s significantly more football talent in that school than Temple.

      Reply

      • Maybe so, but do you think Rhule will even be able to attain the same level of success WKU has had over the past 4 seasons, averaging 7 wins a year. I really feel 2015 is when this program “crosses the Rubicon” and is either sitting with 8 or 9 wins at this time or is in the same spot today, on the verge of of another losing season with a new coach starting the 2018 season in the “new” home of the Owls Franklin Field. With SMU and Tulsa shopping for new coaches this off season, I think the bottom half of the conference is going to start catching up with Temple if we aren’t firmly in the upper echelon of the AAC next season, and right now how many teams in what will be the new eastern division will Temple be ranked ahead of. I’m guessing UCONN and USF and that’s it.

  8. truth does hurt and there will be no bowl game on the horizon even if Temple does beat Tulane. we can’t put fans in the seats..,

    the offense is terrible bc of the talent level, and bc the coaches can’t coach the talent they do have…,

    what OC in their right mind would take this job?

    first and foremost is to pull all the stops and recruit a few Sunday players at the skill positions, second is to find an OC who can coach up, ie teach, and score points on Saturday by making during the game adjustments, and third is to find a f*#ckin FG kicker

    Reply

  9. that third paragraph is really the most important. he can only hire his friends because a real professional coach (a guy like Fridge or Nick Rolovich) would not touch this situation. coaches know who can coach on gameday and who cannot. they see rhule as a nice guy who just doesn’t have the minimum acumen required to make decisions on the fly. they know where this is headed. If they need a point of reference, see Ron Dickerson, 1996:

    http://articles.philly.com/1996-10-06/sports/25664940_1_owls-coach-ron-dickerson-football-coach

    Reply

    • Remember that disaster well. Never felt comfortable even when the Owls went up 18. Dickerson was a disaster. I recall seeing one of his scouting reports and was aghast at how short it was compared to the ones Hardin had prepared. Hardin’s were 50-60 pages and were very detailed. Reading them, you knew what your opponent was going to do and what formations and defenses were going to be used. I would love to see Rhule’s scouting reports. In any event, Satterfield has to go or be demoted and money has to be spent for a real coordinator. I’d contact South Alabama’s head coach and maybe we could get some of their players.

      Reply

      • I doubt that this staff’s scouting reports could be very detailed based on first the performance of the offense on the field and second it seems that everytime there is a bye week all that gets mentioned about this staff is that they are out recruiting.

      • I’d go for UAB’s offensive coordinator … they obviously know how to put points on the board in bunches. we’d be doing the same thing by a more traditional pro set that gives p.j. max protection and more than a half-second to survey the field. got to establish a running game. it’s simple logic that a lead-blocking fullback for Jahad (like wyatt benson was for bernard and kenny harper was for Montel) could at least help jump-start this running game.

  10. interesting indeed…, if Rhule loves Temple as much as he claims then maybe he should do the honorable thing and resign.., beyond me the zero production from offense coming off a bye week

    Reply

    • To me it almost seems that Rhule would be better as the GM of the football program, if there was such a thing at the collegiate level as opposed to being the HC. I mean even his most ardent backers never mention anything about coaching when you ask why they feel Rhule was the only guy for the job

      Reply

  11. It’s not so much the honorable thing but the professional thing to do – and I mean firing or demoting Satterfield. The guy clearly doesn’t know how to coach a whole offense. Also, why doesn’t Rhule step in and order him to make some changes (like the ones so many commentors have suggested so many times!) which would save his friends job and not make Rhule have to fire or even demote him? Heck, many bosses are micro managers (especially head football coaches) and in this case it might actually help the situation.
    I’m not one who thinks much of woulda, coulda and particularly, shoulda. If a team shoulda, they woulda! Things go bad (or good) during a game for many reasons and in Temple’s case it’s become clear that there is a real lack of attention to details and that’s why they’re still losing these games they really shouldn’t be losing. Oh hell, I just contradicted myself didn’t I? But it really is so obvious that something must be done on offense. And before I forget we should all congratulate DC Snow for being on the list of most improved coaches nationally. He won’t win, but he truly did turn things around. Somehow I don’t see Satterfield having the ability to do the same and after 2 seasons of lackluster to poor results (yea, last year gave us hope that the O would be good this year but really wasn’t all that great last year) and heading downhill, demonstrates he ain’t got what it takes. How long do you let something simmer when so much is on the line? A change now is what’s needed and I’m sure the players would be breathing a sigh of relief too.

    Reply

    • I do agree Jon. I was watching the Alabama/Auburn game, and I saw Saban grilling Kiffin over his play calling. Not after a quarter or half, but after one play in one series! It’s about leadership; Saban wasn’t trying to embarrass Kiffin, but Saban is the captain of his ship. We lack that leadership in the worst way.

      Reply

  12. Snow did turn things around. However, despite getting his butt kicked by Memphis by using a prevent defense at the end of the game, he repeated that mistake at the end of the first half against Cincinnati. Then , at PSU, he let them off the hook by not blitzing more, which every team that’s played PSU has done to great success. Finally, as was the case last year with Snow, Satterfield deserves to be demoted at a minimum. Scoring 14 against Cincinnati, a team with a horrendous defense, is inexcusable. As far as Rhule is concerned, TU is not going to fire him so we’re just wasting our time by even writing about it.

    Reply

    • The only difference if Snow didn’t go to a prevent at the end of the half, which my entire section was screaming at, was the final score would have been 7-6 Cinncinati. Plus even with those lapses the defense has improved, if we review last year’s offense sans Robbie Andersen, was it really that much better in 2014. I don’t think so, so each coordinator has had 2 years, Snow stepped it up, Satterfield clearly hasn’t and contrary to the MRAs position on the other boards, that the coaches can’t ever be faulted, news flash sometimes coaching matters.

      Reply

  13. I find it amusing that Nebraska fired Bo Pelini because he could only win nine games a year. Nebraska made the same mistake when they fired Frank Solich even though all he did was win ten a games a year, TU can’t fire a coordinator even when they are obviously incompetent. What a joke.

    Reply

    • But John, listening to some of the nutty MRAs on Owlscoop, why would you want a guy like Pelini here? He was a jerk!!!! Temple is fine at HC because everyone knows that it takes time to implement your program and recruit the right players to your scheme. Trouble is they seem to accept it taking a lot more time here than most other programs tolerate.

      Reply

  14. After watching Penn St & Cincy games the OL struggles are really focused on 71 & 75. Friend played decent, Quinn played very good and should have been starting all season, and Dawkins is solid. The other two were open gates for the DL. On numerous plays the scheme had Quinn (R – OG) doubling the NG and then sliding out to the LB. This left Lofton 71 1:1 with the DT/DE and he was getting his ass kicked ALL game.

    They should move Quinn to L OG and run the ball left behind their 3 best OL – Quinn, Friend and Dawkins. Just have the other two seal the edge and pass block.

    Reply

    • excellent observations. p.j. was running for his life and when temple went empty backfield—like I predicted earlier this week they would—it resulted in a sack or a turnover. the costly fumble came when temple went empty backfield and tuberville sent the house. looked like p.j. was thinking about throwing the ball but the action of fumbling came before the thought was completed. wish this kid would have max protection a few plays a game to see what he could do. these coaches are laying him out to dry with this ridiculous no-blocking scheme.

      Reply

    • Good points, especially regarding Quinn who I think is a prime example of what I think is not the huge problem the MRAs paint of this team being so young and second another example of a head scratching coaching decision. You have a player in Quinn who at least started 1 game and played in 4 at OG in the 2013 season but apparently a converted DE, Ahmed is deemed to be a better starter at OG. As you point out hasn’t been the case and Quinn probably would have been the better choice. Also, much like the Robbie Andersen case, while I don’t know all the details or why he is no longer on the team, there appears to have been a similar situation on the offensive line with Zach Hooks who started 10 games in 2013. Funny how this staff can’t seem to find ways to keep the kind of starters that other programs have no problem doing. So potentially you would have been looking at an offensive line this year with 3 juniors anchoring the middle of the line along with Dawkins. In that case probably able to cover up Lofton’s deficiencies a lot better.

      Reply

      • Last year, the MRAs were saying the offensive line is going to be great because all of these guys were returning; now they are saying we stink not because of MR but because of the offensive line not being great. can’t have it both ways. Wonder what next year’s excuse is going to be?

Leave a reply to John Belli Cancel reply