In college football, every year is a new year and the expectations are adjusted based on a number of variables.

The math can be somewhat complicated but it always includes a variable of this formula=returning talent + coaching – minus competition.

To me, considering all of the above variables, the minimum expectation would be for Temple to have the same eight regular-season wins next year as it did this year.

Maybe more.

Anything more than eight would be great.

Minimal is eight.

Figure it this way:

The talent level is at least as good as it was a season ago. Anthony Russo might be Temple’s first drafted quarterback since Steve Joachim was a sixth-round choice in 1975.  He has an NFL skill set and only needs to reduce the interceptions and add to the touchdowns to draw interest.

The challenge would be replacing Rock Armstead as the tailback. I was always a Jager Gardner fan but, to me, if you haven’t shown you can do it by your senior year, it’s time to look in a new direction. Gardner hasn’t shown enough.

There is no doubt in my mind that Isaiah Wright can do the job on the same or higher level than Rock did and that’s where the coaching comes into play.

The Owls spent the past two seasons misusing a lot of their talent. They had two great fullbacks, Nick Sharga and Rob Ritrovato, who the last coaching staff refused to use and they had a great defensive end, Karamo Dioubate, that they insisted on using inside. Dioubate, when he was recruited, was ranked by one scouting service as the No. 5 high school DE in the nation. When was the last time Temple recruited a position player ranked that high? Maybe Paulsboro quarterback Kevin Harvey, but that was it. Dioubate deserves a chance to be unleashed on the quarterback from his more comfortable position.

So maybe a full FBS staff–like the one Rod Carey already has in the fold–is able to come to these conclusions quicker than the heavy FCS staff Geoff Collins had.

We shall see.

Competition?

There’s no doubt in my mind that Cincinnati–which brought 35 true and redshirt freshmen with them on the travel squad to Philly–will be favored this year and UCF should not miss a beat with Brandon Wimbush at quarterback.

That leaves Temple No. 3 in the East and that’s a fair minimum goal for the Owls to achieve.

That would be the first indication that Carey is a solid choice.

If they can somehow win the league title, Carey will be a better choice than even I thought he was and I thought he was the better of the two coaching choices Pat Kraft made in December.

Thursday: Carey’s Cliff Notes