Cherry and White Day (but not Game)

 

 

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Plenty of room for a football stadium here and it will be one for at least a day tomorrow.

As many of you have noticed over the last few years, the Cherry and White game we’ve all known and loved has pretty much devolved into a glorified practice.

Sometime after Brandon McManus left, we did not see any field goals and that was followed by no kick returns after Matty Brown left and no punts after Alex Starczyk left.  There hasn’t been a real sack in one of these games in 20 years with the quarterbacks off limits.

 

The game never really meant anything even before that but it was football and looked pretty much like the real thing.

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Each time, though, the reminders were that the Cherry and White game was not a Cherry and White game but a Cherry and White day.

Getting rid of the game is one thing but getting rid of the day would be unacceptable.

That’s why what new head coach Rod Carey has done is a good thing, not a bad one. It’s been a practice for at least a good decade now so why not call it what it is? The goal of this whole exercise of spring ball is to get ready for the bad guys and having game conditions exacerbates the risk of injury to the good guys, something Carey found out early in his career at Northern Illinois.

Still, by going tomorrow (11:30 a.m., err, kickoff) at the Sports Complex we can learn a few things:

  • What is this new offense for which Anthony Russo speaks? Just about every article talks about Russo and his teammates learning a “new” offense but not a single one I’ve read (and I think I’ve read them all) says just what the new offense is? Wishbone, triple option, spread, run/pass option, pro set?  You think at least one reporter would have asked that question by now. We should get a good look on Saturday.
  • Wouldn’t that be a nice spot for the new stadium?  There will be thousands of Temple fans there and not one protester that they are there. The neighbors on the Broad and Master area are used to Temple hosting nearly 100 games in three sports at that site and the world did not end. They probably would not object to putting a football stadium there and having the uni use it only a half-dozen times a year.
  • What will Mayhem be replaced by? There were a lot of defenders woefully out of position, particularly on gouging running plays by opposing offenses the last two seasons. That will always be Mayhem to me and not the good kind. Temple fans should get a new appreciation for the term “staying home” on defense with the first clues coming tomorrow.

After that, though, it’s a long time before we see Temple football players in full uniform so appreciate the day, if not the game.

Monday: Cherry and White Answers

Wednesday: Spring Recap

Friday: Checking Some Temple Boxes

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9 thoughts on “Cherry and White Day (but not Game)

  1. I would guess the offense will be a run/pass option for at least the 1st season. I say this for 2 reasons. First this is what Carey has run at NIU the last 2 seasons . Leopards don’t change their spots. Second, Russo threw a lot of picks last year. Half which were careless throws. Carey will want to establish the run, b4 he lets Russo air out the football.

    My big question is will Carey use Centio more often in the offense. Will be nice to see how he develops as a dual threat QB.

    • this RPO stuff is a fad.., where is the beef, where is Temple TUFF, and Mike’s posting of MR’s comment stands tall…,

      Carey quote in 2022, “for the first two years I was stupid and ran the same RPO from my days at Northern. We started winning championships when I finally listened to the AD and the fans, which was to run the football with a lead blocking fullback. THAT’S WHAT TEMPLE DID UNDER AL (GOLDEN) and MR.

      THAT’S WHAT MAKES TEMPLE TUFF. HOW DO WE DIFFERENTIATE OURSELVES? HOW DO WE MAKE OURSELVES HARD TO PREPARE FOR? PUT TWO BACKS ON THE FIELD. PUT TWO TIGHT ENDS ON THE FIELD. THIS IS WHAT YOUR ROOTS ARE. THESE KIDS HAVE MADE THEMSELVES REALLY TOUGH. AND THAT’S THE ONLY WAY TEMPLE WILL EVER WIN–BY BEING A REALLY, REALLY TOUGH FOOTBALL TEAM AND ESTABLISHING THAT IDENTITY.”

  2. Honestly, this is disappointing. My dad and I really looked forward to the Spring Game the last few years. Yea, it wasn’t a “real game” but it was satisfied a football fix and while you can’t always tell from a spring game, you get a better look than a practice when all these guys are gonna do his tackle dummy pads and run soft seven on sevens. Sorry Coach Carey, I appreciate what your idea is, but this isn’t NIU and this isn’t “Temple Tuff”. Think I’ll stay home and watch the Sixers.

    • On one hand I see his point but on another I don’t. Injuries can happen just running around without contact and also, the more live action a player sees the better he’ll be in my estimation. This is just another example of trying to lessen the danger. It can’t be done and in fact males it more likely a kid will get hurt on a game because of the lack of live practices where safe blocking and tackling techniques are learned. Hell, NJ just limited live drills to 15 minutes PER WEEK. The essence of the game and the proper way to protect yourself cannot be taught in just fifteen minutes. Using dummies never captures what really occurs and also leads to bad habits. Frankly, I’d rather they ban the sport than see it cut to pieces with these rules changes that have destroyed the essence of the game. Until the 80’s spring ball consisted of 20 practices in 35 days and there was live hitting at every one. There were 4 scrimmages the last one being the Cherry and White game. Now they are limited to 15 practices and can only go live at a few of them. One more thing. How many people are going to show up tomorrow and be disappointed that there is no game? That may have a detrimental effect on attendance in the Fall.

  3. any buzz on Kareem Ali leaving TU for W Michigan ? Did it have to do with WM possibly having a good year or a new TUFB coach he didn’t like ?
    I wonder…

  4. Temple’s all time football record .448 470-585-52 ALL-TIME RECORD 114th out of 130 Matches the Phillies.

  5. The Stars whipping the Denver Gold was the best Spring game ever.

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