07.18.24
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5 Questions that need to be asked at Media Day (but won’t)

A little over a month until this happens … or not

For about six months, five questions about Temple football have been rattling about in my head.

I expected some to be asked after the Cherry and White Day game by the assembled Philadelphia media, but did not hear a single one.

Maybe next week as AAC Media Day is July 22-23 in Texas.

Stan Drayton will be there.

I suggest the biggest stress that came from two Stan Drayton 3-9 seasons was not on Stan but on the Temple fans who were expecting him to better Rod Carey’s last 3-9 season.

I don’t expect the Philadelphia media to ask him one of these questions (they’ve pretty much kissed his ass for three years) but since I won’t be there, I hope some of the AAC Media does.

The key to asking good questions is the phrase them in a way that cannot be answered with a yes or no so, with that in mind, here are my top five:

One, you seemed to have gotten what you needed in Clifton McDowell, a proven championship level FCS starting quarterback. After he left, why wasn’t there an attempt to grab a proven FCS or FBS starter–instead relying on backups to replace a Temple record-setter at the most important position on the team?

Everett Withers gave up 35.7 ppg last year. He was retained.

Two, at the end of last season, you said you’d re-evaluate everything in the program, including the coaching staff. How is it that a defensive coordinator who allowed a record 35.7 ppg be evaluated as having done the kind of job that suggested he be retained?

Three, in the transfer portal, you seemed to have gone heavy on JUCOs and light on proven FCS starters and P5 backups. What was the thought process behind that approach?

Four, in the three years you’ve been here, you’ve seen five single-digit Temple players leave for other schools. One solution might be to limit those single digit honors to players who are in their final year of eligibility at Temple? Why have you not implemented that rule?

Five, the NIL and the transfer portal have changed the game but other schools with similar or less resources than Temple have been able to attract a higher-level of player with the promise of playing time. Why haven’t the Owls leveraged that advantage?

Important questions that have not yet been asked but need to be answered. If not by the press, then at least by the new Temple administration. Surely there has got to be one press guy with the courage to ask these questions next week.

We’ll find out.

Monday: Setting The Table With Honest Answers

Friday: Analyzing The Real Answers

4 thoughts on “5 Questions that need to be asked at Media Day (but won’t)”

  1. Mike, there’s trouble in Paradise here at home. Can’t decide if I want Temple Tixx this year. My wife said she’s had enough for ever as games were no fun, for years now? What’s a mother to do ?

    Shame but I feel the same, after 30+ years of support with season tixx. Oh well….

    Reply

    • I don’t blame anyone. I had season tickets through all the losing seasons after the 7-4 team in 1990 and then when Golden came in and stopped the bleeding I said going back to those losing seasons would not be acceptable going forward. What have we seen since Collins left? One 8-5 season followed by a 1-6, 3-9, 3-9, 3-9. Unacceptable. Temple should be able to flat-line around 6-8 wins every year. I went to individual game tickets last year and probably doing it again. Not expecting anything in the opener but please don’t give me 80-7. Somewhere around 28-10 or 35-14 would suggest that better days are ahead in the AAC.

      Reply

  2. Hi Mike – I saw you tag me with this post on Facebook but I figured I should come to your house to respond. Regarding your five questions, the answer to the first is that Drayton did say he was planning to pursue another QB this spring/summer. He was asked that question just a few days after McDowell departed. The takeaway now is that they must not have found one that they liked enough to bring in. And that’s definitely a question I’ll ask him on Tuesday in Arlington.

    The second question about Withers is subjective and I think there are two clear answers. First, the defense was decimated by injuries last season, and that’s first and foremost why they performed so poorly. Second, it would have been asking a lot to switch to a different defensive coordinator and a different scheme for the third straight year.

    For your third question, I would argue with the basic premise. This year’s recruiting class has 16 transfers from FBS/FCS and 12 transfers from JUCO. And two of those JUCOs are FBS bounce-backs, so they might just as well be considered FBS/FCS.

    Your fourth question about single digits presents an interesting and creative idea. I’m not sure it would work well that way, but it is something I’ll be asking Stan about.

    And then the fifth question about NIL, I think it just is what it is. And I think the answer there is winning and sending guys to the NFL.

    Thanks Mike

    Reply

    • Thanks, Shawn. You are my only hope for getting answers to those questions. That’s why I tagged you on Facebook. Good answers but I’ve maintained from like the day after Clifton left (bullet probably dodged) that there were better options left in the portal than what was at the E-O but one by one they were picked off by other schools. I will be closely following General Booty’s year at UL-Monroe and will bet his TD passes are more than anyone at Temple. The 2022 New Mexico Bowl winning quarterback is still in the portal as well.

      Reply

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