What the Trinidad Chambliss story tells Temple fans

On the surface, Trinidad Chambliss’ story doesn’t say much about Temple football.

Underneath the surface, though, it tells everything about the future.

Why?

Because Temple did a very much un-Temple-like thing last February in offering Ferris State national Division II championship quarterback Trinidad Chambliss $300,000 to come here and compete for a starting job.

He accepted, and the Friday press conference was all set before Ole Miss swooped in with a $600,000 backup offer.

Bad news for Temple but good news for Ole Miss because he eventually earned the starting job and put his Rebels into the national semifinals.

What does it say about Temple?

It tells you that both head coach K.C. Keeler and General Manager Clayton Barnes have keen eyes for talent. There is a Trinidad Chambliss out there–whether he’s in JUCO, Division II or FCS–and the same eyes that saw the Ferris State quarterback will identify the next Temple one.

Maybe not Chambliss good. Maybe better. Maybe worse but there are no maybes about the eyes scouting that future Temple signal-caller.

“Their quarterback is just incredible,” Georgia’s Kirby Smart said.

Yeah, that’s what both Keeler and Barnes identified on the film a year ago today.

They were excited to get Chambliss and Chambliss was excited to come here before Ole Miss swooped in and got him.

Shit happens.

One team’s shit (Temple’s) is another team’s title (Ole Miss) but that doesn’t diminish the talent evaluation skills of Keeler or Barnes and that’s where Temple is at an advantage in this transfer portal season. Another thought is that Temple is so committed to winning in football that it put its money ($300,000) where its mouth was. Keeler knew that Evan Simon needed some competition and, while he whiffed on the first choice (Chambliss), he hit a solid double into the gap on his second (Gevani McCoy). If that’s not enough, here’s another Keeler/Barnes collaboration: They almost got Drew Mestemaker to commit to Sam Houston before Mestemaker decided to follow a high school teammate to North Texas.

Eye for talent indeed.

Four eyes to be exact.

They made a significant investment (roughly $100,000) in McCoy. They didn’t ask me for a contribution to cover the NIL but, if had the extra cash, I would have forked it over. That’s how much confidence I have in them.

Think about this: If Simon went down, Temple goes from 5-7 without him to 1-11 without a McCoy. If Simon goes down, and McCoy is the backup, Temple wins the same number of games.

That’s how this thing is supposed to work with a great head coach. One injury to a key player shouldn’t take out your season.

Nobody knows more than the CEO and the GM that Temple needs a Chambliss, Simon and McCoy.

Nearly getting Chambliss last year but getting thisclose means they will get someone good enough to compete for an American Conference title thisyear.

Those are the guys working the film room and that’s enough for me.

It should be for every Temple fan.

Monday: Reviewing Our Predictions

11 thoughts on “What the Trinidad Chambliss story tells Temple fans

  1. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – I hate that player transfer portal and the NIL! As was the case here, schools are paying promising recruits hundreds of thousands of dollars to come to their programs and compete for a starting position. College football and basketball no longer amateur sports. Sad!

  2. The QB portal market for G5 schools made a hard shift to the right. BC signed McKenzie. Temple offered Tyler Hughes and he signed w/Wyoming. No realistic shot at Landen Clark. And, UNLV ($$$$) will probably land Jackson Arnold.

    Unlikely Temple will be able to afford an all conference type, or above average QB. Put trust in the recruiting process and play one of the freshmen. Use the saved money elsewhere, and build a roster made of brick.

    PJ Walker started as a freshman. It was painful in the beginning but paid off w/a conference championship in the end.

    • There are soooo many really good quarterbacks still in the portal they will get one. Looks like they have a focus on DII and FCS now, but I expect them to reach up and get a FBS guy–maybe one proven sfarter and one backup type like the Rutgers’ kid.

      • I don’t want the Memphis backup QB who they brought in today. I would hope their sights are set much higher than that. Based on what they got last year (McCoy, the Oregon State starter) that kind of talent should be the floor and not the ceiling this year.

  3. SI.Com reporting that BC signed Mason McKenzie

  4. I’m not in charge, but if I was, there’d be a transfer fee paid to the school losing a player from the school getting the player. Even if it’s just $150,000.

    • Great idea. A better one would be one transfer per after your first school unless the coach changes aid you get one more. Period. 1/3 of the players are in the portal now. That’s ridiculous. Let’s get that down to 1/10th or less.

  5. What happens to the players in the portal who garner no offers once the window closes? Do they join the regular working stiffs here punching the clock every day, or can they secure a walk-on situation somewhere with a possible old-time scholarship if they make the team?

    • more drop out of college football than find new homes. 60 minutes needs to do a story about that aspect of this new reality.

      • I was afraid you were going to respond that way. Truth hurts.

        In other words, these agents rolled the dice with their clients future and got a “7.”

        Harsh lesson.

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