Shock: Apologies to coach Rod Carey

Thanks to Zamani Feelings for this great and rare footage of Paul Palmer against Bama.

The newest headline on Youtube by some content creators is the word shock followed by the topic of choice.

Algorithms dictate that using the word shock creates an uptick in page views but, in this case, it’s appropriate because Temple head coach Rod Carey has received (I believe) a lot of fair criticism during and after a 1-6 season.

The shock is simply this: I have scheduled my apology column to coach Carey and it will appear in this space on Nov. 28, the day after the final against Navy. As I see it now, Carey will have to pull a Jesus and turn the very few impact players he has on defense (in terms of sacks, interceptions, and fumble recoveries) into Loaves and Fishes.

Don’t even get me started on special teams.

The best thing I can say about Rod Carey right now is he has a nice hoodie.

I don’t expect to have to write it, but I hope I do.

For it to appear, though, the requirements are simply this: An eight-win regular season, not even a championship or a bowl win.

Why eight?

That’s pretty much the standard we’ve been used to around here since Al Golden went 9-3 in the 2009 regular season. Since then, the Owls have had more eight-win (or more) seasons than not and that’s the standard Temple fans have both enjoyed and expected.

The shock was 1-6 precipitated in some part by a COVID outbreak, sure, but in larger part by poor preparation. In my mind, there is never an excuse to give up 31 points to a triple-option team when you have nine months to prepare for a triple-option team and especially since two prior opponents showed your defensive coaching room how to hold said team to 7 and 3 points, respectively.

To me, a win over Navy would have been the confidence-builder needed not to get to a 2-5 season but potentially a 4-3 season but we will never know that now. Early season wins are so important not just for the psyche of the team but the psyche of a fan base.

That’s water under the dam.

Damn.

Right now, a new dam is being build at Temple football spring practice and we will see if it holds water.

If it does, a 500-word apology will appear in this space on Nov. 28 and it’s something I fervently hope to write.

Shock.

Monday: Keeping it Between the Boards

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8 thoughts on “Shock: Apologies to coach Rod Carey

  1. At this point, I will settle for 6 & 6, and we go to the “ANY SUSPECT BOWL” sponsored by Slap Ya Mama Cajun Sauce! (Sorry Mike, I was watching a cooking show)

  2. If nothing else, I expect Temple Football to consistently be bowl-eligible. Between the Transfer Portal and the number of talented players in NJ, PA, and Maryland, Temple should be able to compete on the field, not just with the other members of the AAC, but also with the lower tier members of the Big Ten. Carey needs to prove alot of fans wrong this fall.

  3. Love means never having to say you’re sorry (cough). So we don’t need to apologize to Paul Palmer and his OL for posting the awesome footage with Carey’s name in the headlines.

  4. TUFB Director of Player Personnel/Recruiting: Bad to worse.

    Carey came onboard and gave this program building job to an NIU guy. The guy had ZERO experience in the Northeast/Mid-Atlantic area. After two predictable horrible years, the guy just went back to his roots in Illinois.

    So how did Carey fill the vacancy? He hired a Fran Brown type to get more home grown talent on the roster-NOT!!!

    He hired another geographically mis-placed guy who has ZERO relationships w/area HS coaches.

    Diamonds in your own backyard…..,

    How many months now has Carey collected the biggest check on campus? And, he still doesn’t get TUFB and Philly.

    If it looks like a duck…., Carey is a lame duck in waiting, just like the AD and Uni Pres.

    • Pretty darn good analysis right there. Every other successful Temple coach realized you needed to recruit your geographic area surrounding the school and he’s shown little respect for this area and the high school coaches get that vibe.

  5. Thank Goodness for Jr College acquisitions ???
    That’s the only lane left, right ?
    Bobby Wallace can be a really good source of info there.
    Carey, just smiling and ‘cashin’ in dose checks’, yes sir.

    They just may drop TUFB to level 2 after all.

  6. This will be a huge season for the future of TU football and Carey, but assuredly, TU will screw it up even if Carey does the same (meaning he’ll still be here another 3 seasons) … and those 2 10 win seasons? Had good chances to break the school wins record and remain ranked except for coaches leaving before bowl games – and now we’re pissed at the players leaving thru the portal? In some ways we’re all justified hypocrites. And…boy after reading that Inky article about the long and laborious new city/Phillies/Eagles stadiums of yesteryear redoes, it’s no wonder Temple couldn’t get anywhere for doing an OCS – altho TU’s lousy planning decisions were
    a big part of it.

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