To be a fly on the wall of the Edberg-Olson Football Complex and hear what the Temple football coaches really think about the recent changes in college football would be a fascinating experience.

My guess and it’s only that is a lot of the guys who were here for the success under Al Golden, Matt Rhule and Geoff Collins are cursing the transfer portal and the NIL rules but they are living with it.

Others, like long-time defensive coordinator D.J. Eliot, probably had enough of the college game and left for the NFL where there is no such red tape.

Meanwhile, the show must go on and the next viewing of the Temple football Owls will be on Saturday, April 8, 3 p.m. on campus.

Head coach Stan Drayton has done what I think is a remarkable job keeping most of the team together for a run at the AAC title, if not this year, then next.

Had this been, say, the last guy there is no doubt that half the team would have left.

What do we know now about the team is that Drayton hasn’t been pleased with the tackling so far on defense but the run game has looked a lot better than we expected. Maybe one has something to do with the other.

We probably won’t know a whole lot about the Owls even after the spring game but we do know that Drayton wasn’t pleased with the quarterback room after spring ball last year and went out and acquired a former P5 starter, Virginia Tech’s Quency Patterson. The Owls are down to three scholarship quarterbacks but I guess, in a pinch, former 4* recruit Dwan Mathis can be moved over from wide receiver.

We should know by Saturday if the running game is really improved or that Drayton feels the need and gets a former P5 starter at RB, if one indeed becomes available. The Owls will enter this season knowing they have one of the best quarterbacks in the country in E.J. Warner, a guy who definitely has the “it” factor. They have guys with similar ability at wide receiver, defensive end and pass rusher so the known factor going into this season is a plus.

Meanwhile, the team itself showed significant improvement over the last dozen months and if that improvement is the same a winning season should be the minimum expectation.

Friday: 5 Cherry and White Players to Watch