TU football: After recruiting blitz and uni reveal, no rest for weary

.

If the Owls get to a bowl game, the “Keeler Cheesesteak” will be Richie’s most popular.

The days of a Temple football coach heading to a far away state for a vacation in the middle of the summer are over.

Apparently.

While Stan Drayton spent the two weeks around July 4th last year at his home in Houston, Tx., this year’s new head coach K.C. Keeler is from here so he’s not going anywhere.

Keeler spent the day after July 4th catching a Cheesesteak at Richie’s on 12th Street. That “vacation” lasted about an hour and it was back to work.

Oklahoma fans are already making plans for being in Philadelphia.

I don’t know about you but it’s a refreshing change for this Temple fan.

Before Drayton’s jaunt to Texas, the prior coach, Rod Carey, spent the last two weeks of every July in Indiana with his family. Before that, Steve Addazio spent a week in Gainesville every June.

Drayton felt guilty enough about his Houston jaunt to mention on his own without prompting to Temple reporters that he wasn’t worried about not being in Philadelphia because he was “in constant contact” with his “senior leadership council” and that they were putting in the required work.

Can’t imagine how those phone calls went.

Drayton: “You guys lifting every day and getting in the sprints?”

Council: “Yeah, coach, we’re cool.”

Drayton: “What’s that music in the background? Are you guys having a party?”
Council: “No, coach, that’s music to lift by.”

Drayton: “OK, I’ll go back to watching my daughters at this gymnastics’ meet.”

Council: “Have fun coach.”

Drayton: “See you in two weeks.”

If anyone deserves a vacation, it’s Keeler. The month of June included a blitz of recruiting that saw the Owls sign the largest 2026 class in all of FBS ball. That was capped by a July 1 announcement of new uniforms.

Keeler apparently believes that whatever rest he can get is after the season because the preparation for 2025 begins now. The season includes a home date against Oklahoma and, while few Temple fans are expecting a win, it’s reasonable to expect that this won’t be another 51-3 game. After all, Oklahoma lost to a Navy team in 2024 coming off a 32-18 loss to Temple in 2023.

That you to the TFF community for a great month of June.

A lot can change in college football in a year, especially with the transfer portal.

The current Owls are undergoing rigorous drills in typically hot Philadelphia summer heat, supervised not by a “senior leadership council” but by a staff of proven winners, led by the winningest FCS head coach of all time.

Since college football is a 365-day-a-week job, it’s comforting to know that the people in charge realize that, too.

For now, a signature Cheesesteak and an hour away from the office will have to sub for a vacation.

2 thoughts on “TU football: After recruiting blitz and uni reveal, no rest for weary

  1. “A lot certainly can change in a year” especially when the Temple higher ups make (finally) good coaching hires. I’m still in a “seeins,” believin'” frame of mind, but everything about this is looking great. Go Owls!!!!

    • I especially like the fact that the signing of Tylik Mitchell to play wide receiver (although an elite RB recruit) gives the Owls a weapon to go deep. He’s got Olympic-type 100-meter speed and is the kind of athlete playing the exact position where he can make an impact as a true freshman. That was with the June group of 2026 eligibles, but Mitchell just graduated from high school and I expect him to be here any day now.

Leave a comment