Somewhere, Dave Patenaude, err, Patenfraud, is lighting up a cigar figuring he did a great job getting 27 points on the board for the Owls (remember seven came as a result as a fumbled kickoff).
Nothing could be further from the truth.
Nobody in Philly likes him and he doesn’t care
Saturday’s 45-35 loss to Boston College was a team loss, no doubt, but one man who does not understand Temple football is getting in the way of greatness for this team and that’s Patenfraud.
Not only was his play-calling abysmal–now the ESPN announcers are seeing what we have been all year and hammered him for it–his personnel groupings are horrendous.
We won’t get into names here but Nos. 80 and 81 should be disqualified from the field for the rest of the season, not for targeting, but for being targeted in any play package going forward. Both not only dropped touchdown passes in each of the last two weeks but committed the exacta of having balls bounced off their hands and chests into drive-killing interceptions. Those two dropped certain beautifully thrown touchdown passes from Anthony Russo at BC. Isaiah Wright and Ventell Bryant should be the permanent wide receivers, period, end of story.
Nitro should be the
full-time fullback
leading the way for
Ryquell Armstead.
Russo, Armstead,
Nitro, Bryant and
Wright are by far
… BY FAR … your
best offensive players.
Keep them on the field.
There’s no need for
backups unless the
starters get hurt
Imagine if the two dropped passes were thrown to either Wright or Byrant, instead of 80 and 81?
We’d be talking about two touchdowns and a Temple win right now, and two touchdown passes by Russo in addition to four touchdown runs by Ryquell Armstead.
How is it that Rob “Nitro” Ritrovato makes a great play in special teams that results in a touchdown and he doesn’t see the field except for six more plays the rest of the game?
Nitro should be the full-time fullback leading the way for Ryquell Armstead. Russo, Armstead, Nitro, Bryant and Wright are by far … BY FAR … your best offensive players. Keep them on the field. There’s no need for backups unless the starters get hurt.
So far, they haven’t gotten hurt.
Put your best players on the field and accept the consequences, which probably will be quite good. Don’t lose the game messing around with backups and that’s what Patenaude has done all season in addition to a scatterbrained offensive scheme that doesn’t in the least resemble what Temple did in double-digit win seasons.
You want facts? How is it possible that Towson–with freaking TOWSON talent–scores 45 points on Villanova, Stony Brook 29 points and Temple scores only nine offensive points on that FCS team? How it is possible that a team with a terrific young quarterback in Russo, a great tailback in Armstead, a great fullback in Nitro and two great wideouts in Bryant and Wright gets ranked 112th in total offense (out of 127 teams)?
Patenaude, err, Fraud, that’s how.
Those are the facts, Jack.
Is the Towson offensive coordinator available?
Collins should be able
to see that the good
of organization must
supersede professional
coaching friendships.
Matt Rhule saw that
with his OC,
Marcus Satterfield,
and only by demoting
him after Year Two
allowed Temple to play
for a championship in
Year Three and win one
in Year Four. These Temple
kids are too talented
to wait that long
this go-round
Run Rock behind Armstead getting lead blocks from Nitro, control the clock and keep the sticks moving with the occasional play-action toss to either Bryant or Wright. Football isn’t rocket science. Those guys are your money players on offense. Keep them on the field for all four quarters. Give them the ball. No need to give it to anyone else, with the possible exception of the tight ends or the sure-handed Branden Mack.
That way, the game is managed with long drives, scores and that helps your defense.
If Geoff Collins doesn’t realize by now that Patenaude is the problem, then HE is the problem. Collins’ job is not nor should not be in jeopardy, but athletic director Pat Kraft can nudge him to put Ed Foley or Adam DiMichele in the OC role. Patenfraud is killing Temple. The coordinators are on year-to-year contracts and Temple won’t be out any money replacing them. Collins should be able to see that the good of organization must supersede professional coaching friendships. Matt Rhule saw that with his OC, Marcus Satterfield, and only by demoting him after Year Two allowed Temple to play for a championship in Year Three and win one in Year Four. These Temple kids are too talented to wait that long this go-round.
Defensive coordinator Andrew Thacker should also be on notice. Everybody and his kid brother knew Boston College tight end Tommy Sweeney was that team’s best receiver all week. How do you not stick your best safety, Delvon Randall, on him and tell him to be in his face all afternoon?
Speaking of that, can Collins please stop calling his defense The Dark Side Defense? No defense that gives up 45 points to anyone can be called a Dark Side defense. Until they shut someone out, like Chuck Heater’s defense did in back-to-back games in 2011, call them the Light Side Defense.
Stop the gimmicks and nicknames and play hard-nosed Temple football. If Collins and Patenfraud don’t know what that looks like, just pop in the tapes of the consecutive 10-win seasons, start taking notes and devising game plans that look somewhat like we all saw not that long ago.
It’s not that hard. It’s football, not rocket science.
Monday: Fizzy’s Corner
Tuesday: Where Have We Heard This Song Before?
Temple Football Forever 
Given his previous stops just don’t understand how these guys are the best Collins can get for his staff. For all of his bluster at least Addazio was able to bring Loeffler and Heater with him to Temple. And while I questioned Snow’s hire, primarily based on his recent track record before joining Rhule’s staff, he had a sold FBS career. Plus the Satterfield debacle was more a result of Rolovich backing out of the job on Rhule and that was corrected when Thomas took over OC duties.
Right now I think this program is in trouble with this staff, don’t see Collins making any moves to get better coordinators after this season and as of now I’m not sure how good of a recruiter he is. Also don’t see Patenfraude changing his play calling or offensive scheme to better fit the talent he has.
Outside of UCONN and ECU I’m not sure where this team picks up any more wins. Navy, Houston and UCF all run the ball even better than BC. Our we capable of beating USF and Cincinnati here, at this point I really don’t know.
To me there are no excuses for going 4-8 this season, I don’t care how the apologists on the other TUFB boards try to sugar coat it
I don’t think this team goes 4-8 since there are beatable teams on the schedule. With that being said the coaching staff as constructed won’t produce more than 6 maybe 7 in any season, they are fcs level. Temple had over 400 yds of offense but the two picks by Russo were killers just before half. The qb play has killed this team for the past two years. None of the qbs are getting better, this is on the offensive coaching staff. Those 6 and over the middle routes are terrible because you are throwing consistently into crowded space. Russo has too much zip on those 5 and over the middle. Finally watching Villanova lose to other fcs teams in and of itself is an indictment of Collins and his staff.
That last sentence is the key… these kids are not being coached well. It’s up to Collins as the CEO to fix it by hiring better coordinators or he is complicit.
You can’t be referring to that “they could be an FBS team”, “one of the top FCS teams” Villanova squad…..LOL
Right, wrong or otherwise, I saw a good dose of lack of concentration and discipline by the players, starting with off side penalties and dropped passes. And whose fault is that? To me, Russo made only one interception because when the ball hits the reciever on the hands/numbers and the ball goes flying up in the air, it’s not the QB’s fault (incompletions and interceptions should not always be dumped on QBs). This was ANOTHER “winnable loss” – that’s 3 so far this season, every one of them! Patenaude stinks but Collins is the real problem by not “adjusting.”
Dropping passes goes to Mike’s point of throwing these passes to 80 and 81. No need for those two players to be in the game. They dropped passes all over the place against Tulsa and they are allowed to even see the field and drop passes (one a sure TD) against BC? What is this, T-ball, where everyone gets a chance to play? This is big-time college football. Only the good guys should play and Temple has plenty of good guys. You don’t see Bryant, Wright and Mack dropping passes.
The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result. That adage surely applies to TU’s coaching staff. For what seems like the hundredth time in his TU coaching coaching career, Collins screwed up 3rd and short. Yesterday took the cake because he twice threw two passes instead of running the ball either with a blocker or by QB sneak and also on the same series not kicking a field goal when it would have reduced the lead to seven. . On D, instead of bringing mayhem, they rushed 3 on third and long and refused to cover a tight end. In each case, they did the same thing expecting a different result. When the announcers recognize that the coaches are dopes, which has happened numerous times with Collins as coach, it’s time to make a change either in philosophy or the coaches. Unfortunately, this is TU where the only time a coach is fired is when the program hits absolute rock bottom. TU and its fans deserve better. I watched Pitt-UCF and UCF’s new coach did not change a thing and they remain a juggernaut. They will score 60 on the Owls. TU would not have missed a beat either had Collins simply stuck with the program. One more thing. He’s got to stop with above the has to get into the game. The numerous drops yesterday and last week puts those kids who dropped catchable passes below the line especially because they are partly responsible for costing TU the game. I disagree that TU needs a better QB. If all of the drops had been catches, Russo would have three or our more td passes and hundreds more passing yards. The only solace I had watching football yesterday was that PSU lost and it was Franklin’s fault. Once he should have kicked a field goal and failed on 4th and one and then he screwed up the call at the end of the game on 4th and short. That play was out of Patenfraud’s play book.happened numerous times with Collins as coach, it’s time to make a change either in philosophy or the coaches. Unfortunately, this is TU where the only time a coach is fired is when the program hits absolute rock bottom. TU and its fans deserve better. I watched Pitt-UCF and UCF’s new coach did not change a thing and they remain a juggernaut. They will score 60 on the Owls. TU would not have missed a beat either had Collins simply stuck with the program. One more thing. He’s got to stop with above the has to get into the game. The numerous drops yesterday and last week puts those kids who dropped catchable passes below the line especially because they are partly responsible for costing TU the game. I disagree that TU needs a better QB. If all of the drops had been catches, Russo would have three or our more td passes and hundreds more passing yards. The only solace I had watching football yesterday was that PSU lost and it was Franklin’s fault. Once he should have kicked a field goal and failed on 4th and one and then he screwed up the call at the end of the game on 4th and short. That play was out of Patenfraud’s play book.
he is 44 – 94 with wit about 46 drops
true… the kid has delivered more balls on the money in three real games than many quarterbacks at Temple have delivered in four-year careers. Should have had two touchdown passes this week and four last week if Patenaude did not have him throwing to backups. You saw real receivers in the two passes Bryant and Wright caught to get to the 1.
Not even close, to say it is solely on the WR’s is unfair, as the announcers stated he is throwing way to much heat on shallow crosses and does not lead them. He leads them on deep balls, but on anything intermediate they always have to adjust their body position instead of catching in stride.
Solely on the wide receivers IMHO. “Way too much heat on the shallow crosses” poor receivers .. They can’t catch a hot ball? This is big-time college football. You see receivers all over the NCAA at all different levels catching balls with heat on them over the middle.
“Don’t get your dauber down.” – Roger Craig. “Teams that win in November go to the playoffs” (bowl games). – Buddy Ryan “Don’t Panic!” – Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy
“It ain’t over until the fat lady sings” and Patenaude is the fat lady. Don’t let him grab the microphone anymore.
This can actually traced back to Rhule , AD Kraft & the BOT.
Rhule bolted for Baylor the day after AAC Championship game. Leaving Foley as the interim coach. After the loss to Wake Forest, they hired Collins within a week.
Collins had a month to get a staff in place, b4 signing day.
Under these circumstances, all the good OC were taken, and we were stuck with Patrnfraud!
Yes Matt rule is to blame for some of this but the asshole that is the athletic director is the guy you should be blaming for this send his ass back to Indiana where he belongs and get somebody in here that can hire football coaches and basketball coaches because they’re tearing that program down also
At one time I thought very highly of Kraft. What has he accomplished?
He hired Collins and gave him way too much rope.
The B-Ball program needs a miracle…, who is putting heat on Kraft? The interim school president, NOT.
Bball should have opened the search nationally and hired either the umbc guy or the Loyola Chicago guy; like Aaron, but hiring assistants is a crapshoot
I agree with you, Mike, but Patenaude did a really good job against Maryland. He pulled out all the stops and kept the Terps guessing. The trouble is that he did not do this in the other games. Against Villanova, they used a lot of razzle dazzle, but our offense was predictable and vanilla as can be, plus he kept Frank in at QB when it sure looked like something was wrong with his arm or shoulder. Yes, the drops by our receivers (that one against BC that led to a tying TD for them was clearly the play that changed that game) is maddening, to say the least. Put Sean Ryan in there; it looks like he can catch the ball. Boy to we miss our great receivers from last year. Rabbi Dick White
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Ryan, Bryant, Wright and Mack. … those are the only receivers who should play (along with the tight ends, of course)