Keeler’s bowl presence mattered and here’s why

This is about as good a preview to what Temple’s offense and defense will look like in 2025.

Anyone who saw Sam Houston’s State’s 31-26 bowl win on Thursday night over Georgia Southern also saw that K.C. Keeler was in attendance when the ESPN2 broadcast cut away to him.

Not coaching but supporting his kids.

That matters to Temple for a couple of reasons.

One, and probably most importantly, Keeler probably was there to recruit a few key Sam Houston State players to Philadelphia.

There’s a quarterback, a running back and a few defensive backs that certainly could seriously upgrade the Owls although, in my humble opinion, Evan Simon–if he stays here–beats out any other quarterback for the job.

(Hell, he probably did the same under the old staff but they were too blind to see.)

Simon says (pun intended) that he loves Temple and I know we Temple fans love him. Keeler is too good of a football coach to see things any other way once the balls start flying in a few weeks at 10th and Diamond.

Two, Keeler’s presence at a SHS bowl game will show the Temple kids that he will care about them in the same way he cared about the Bearkats. Imagine this: Temple goes to a bowl game in two years and Keeler gets the Ohio State job. (Hey, if you think OSU won’t give the job to a 67-year-old UNC just hired a 72-year-old to replace a 73-year-old.) He won’t be working for Ohio State, but he will be there to support the Temple kids.

Sold his soul for $7.4 million and didn’t even support the Temple kids in the bowl game. Contrast that to Keeler and Temple has a gem.

That’s just the kind of guy Keeler showed that he was on Thursday night.

My feeling and this could be naive is that Keeler is too Philly a guy to leave even if a P4 program tries to lure him but we won’t know until we know.

Contrast that to this: Matt Rhule, in the same week he was preparing Temple for the AAC championship game, said there was no amount of money that could take him away from his Temple players.

Evidently, $7.4 million from Baylor was enough for Rhule to skip the Military Bowl where Temple was going for a school-record 11th win.

Instead, Rhule was out recruiting for Baylor and not supporting the Temple kids.

Now, Keeler was supporting the Sam Houston kids and, at the same time, probably recruiting for Temple.

At least we hope so.

In his first big character test as Temple coach, Keeler passed it with flying colors.

A little Orange and White but way more Cherry and White.

Monday: The Offensive Staff

13 thoughts on “Keeler’s bowl presence mattered and here’s why

  1. Out on a limb, so challenges to my best guess are welcome.

    Offensive Coordinator:

    Kirk Ciarrocca appears to be the dude. Would be a great choice, and immediate succession plan. Both the OC and DC would make great replacements when/if Keeler retires.

    Added sweetner, a return to Temple Tuff, run the football would be imminent.

    Negative is Rutgers’ bowl game is late in the season, so the entire offensive coaching staff, recruiting, portal, etc gets a late start.

    Truly a P4 level staff if Keeler can pull it off.

  2. with Ciarrocca as OC certainly would be a strong staff but but at a Rutgers salary almost 3 times what Langsdorf was paid can TUFB afford him

  3. Wishful thinking on my part based on his history and Temple ties.

    However, he is not the guy according to those in the know.

    Would have been a five star OC for TUFB.

    • I know Kirk C interviewed for the HC spot at Temple though read conflicting results as to what happened (withdrawing his name from consideration vs. being told ‘thanks but no thanks’). Even with the Keeler connection I couldn’t see Kirk C leaving an OC job in one of the biggest leagues in the country (where Kirk has been coaching for years now) where Schiano went above and beyond to get him to take the same position at Temple for likely considerably less money, especially when he interviewed for the HC spot.

      Joe P.

      • Would make sense only if they made him the head coach in waiting at his alma mater.

      • Mike I could see it if Temple comes close to his current salary (there’s definitely a draw to coaching at your Alma Mater with one of your longtime friends/mentors) though I’m not sure if he goes for say a 50% pay-cut and a promissory note to be HC at some point in the future.

        Joe P.

      • That’s fair but there is also a calculation to be made visa ve Schiano’s future at Rutgers vs. Keeler’s future at Temple. Only Kirk knows who he is more comfortable working with.

  4. it’s getting late in the yr. We can only hope/pray the new OC has his staff already lined up.

    In comparison the DC is a full talent cycle ahead of the offense.

    • Yes. This DC knows how to stop the triple option. That’s not half the battle but, in a league that will always include competitive Army and Navy teams (due to them being relatively immune from the portal), that’s at least 1/4 of the battle.

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