Tag Archives: David Hood

05.25.18
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Hood’s Loss Could Be Part of Trend

Getting ready for work on Thursday morning and had one of the little-known treasures of television—the Buzzr (correct spelling, not Buzzer)—on in the background.

This is the network known for broadcasting some classic early TV game shows, like What’s My Line and To Tell The Truth, complete with the early commercials of the day.

As I was about to hit the off button on the way out the door, a commercial came on about the “brand new 1953 Sylvania” television.

Color television wasn’t even on the table in 1953 and did not make a widespread appearance until the NBC Television Network introduced it with a Peacock logo 10 years later.

Driving to work, that got me to thinking.

People in 1953, even with the newest televisions, had no idea of what the future held in the industry—certainly color wasn’t in the cards.

People living 100 years ago at the end of WWI probably never realized that television would exist, let alone something called the internet.

People living now probably think football as we know it is going to exist in 2118, but I have serious doubts after what happened with two of Temple’s promising players—linebacker Jeremy Atoki and running back David Hood—over the last few months.

Atoki became the first scholarship disc jockey in Temple history, playing the tunes at the practices, while Hood—the team’s leading rusher a year ago—is giving up football at the advice of his doctors because of too many concussions. Hood is also going to pursue a career in music. A few years ago, quarterback Kevin Newsome—a one-time top Penn State recruit—had the same idea. I completely understand and support the decisions of all three guys and it might be an indication of a changing culture.

We’re not talking about football to music as much as parents steering their kids away from contact sports like football. An Indy car driver appeared on the 1210 AM (WPHT) morning show and said when asked about crashes: “I’m giving each of my kids a set of golf clubs.”

We don’t know what will happen in 100 years and we won’t be around to find out, but I would not be surprised that football on the NFL level or college does not exist anymore.

Maybe someone will dig into the archives of this blog and discover this prediction. Hopefully, they will laugh at it but I have my doubts.

Now if I could only find the guy who predicted color TV in 1953.

Monday: How Temple Stacks Up

 

08.26.15
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Running Game: Toughness Over Flash

When the Temple football coaches got together in the War Room at the E-O at the end of the season, the No. 1 topic had to have been to fix what was broken.

There can be no doubt it was the running game, the worst in the AAC and the chief reason the Owls had the worst third-down efficiency in the FBS. (The punt return game was also a disaster, but that was because the Owls decided early to use a possession receiver instead of an explosive return guy like Nate L. Smith to take back punts.)

Now, with 10 days left before Penn State, the solution appears to have been toughness over flash. Jahad Thomas, last year’s leading rusher, appears to have won the job despite strong challenges from Jager Gardner, David Hood and Ryquell Armstead. Four-star recruit T.J. Simmons also is in the mix, but someone will have to redshirt and he appears to be the odd man out.

One of the best ways to measure a player’s potential impact is comparing what that player did against similar competition.

While Simmons played perhaps against the best talent (Florida) and Gardner against the worst (Western North Carolina), Gardner’s numbers and size cannot be ignored. He might have lost the job by fumbling in a scrimmage, but if the Owls need explosiveness and flash at the position they do know where to go.

Thomas was nowhere near as dominating against some pretty good high school competition, but he’s obviously earned the coaching staff’s trust by his toughness. Would love to see the Owls attempt a more traditional running game by using Nick Sharga as a fullback to lead interference for Thomas and some of the other tailbacks and, since Sharga has gotten time as a fullback (in addition to linebacker and defensive end), that is possible—probably likely in goal-line situations.

Some red flags are involved in every player, with the possible exception of Armstead and Gardner.

Thomas does not seem to have the elite breakaway speed needed for the position. He was caught from behind in the Houston game.

Simmons had his best season as a freshman but has not played significantly since his junior year (nine games).

Of these players, Gardner’s size and speed and high school stats remind me most of Bernard Pierce and that’s the kind of player the Owls need at the position.

Player Ht./Wt. H.S. Best Year Games Yards Touchdowns
Jahad Thomas 5-10, 170 Sr. 13 889 15
Ryquell Armstead 5-10, 205 Sr. 11 1,488 18
T.J. Simmons 6-1, 195 Fr. 11 1,487 20
Jager Gardner 6-2, 205 Sr. 13 2,776 36
David Hood 5-9, 185 Sr. 12 1,651 21
09.12.14
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In Search of a Home Run Hitter

For what seemed to be forever, even in bad seasons, Temple football always had a guy who you could hand the ball off to and put the fear in the minds of the defense that he has the speed and explosiveness to take it to the house on any given down.

The Owls went from guys Anthony Anderson and Zack Dixon and Kevin Duckett to guys like Paul Palmer and Todd McNair to guys like Elmarko Jackson and Stacy Mack to Jason McKie and Tanardo Sharps to the more recent vintage of Bernard Pierce, Matty Brown and Montel Harris.

You could call Temple ‘][‘ailback U.

That really has not existed the last two seasons. Sure, getting Archbishop Ryan’s under-recruited star, Samir Bullock–whose running style is shocking similar to Pierce’s–would solve the problem, but that solution is a year away if at all.

Nobody bitched after Matty Brown switched; I have a strong feeling the same would happen if Khalif switched, too.

Nobody bitched after Matty Brown switched; I have a strong feeling the same would happen if Khalif switched, too.

It’s not like Temple is waiting to recruit the next BP, because I believe he’s currently in the house and that’s between Khalif Herbin, Jamie Gilmore, Zach Thomas and David Hood. Supposedly at least two of those players are getting a fair tryout at running the football this week. I believe all  should get at least five handoffs from scrimmage against Delaware State and whomever emerges from the pack–both literally and figuratively–should get the job going forward. For some reason, whether they are banged up or not, Temple’s other backs have not shown the speed to get to the corner.  I don’t know what happened to Zaire Williams but seeing him getting caught from behind at SMU on a sure touchdown last year was an eye-opener. That wouldn’t have happened to Pierce or Brown.

To me, the offensive line is not a great concern. They had a bad game against Navy, but they pushed around a defensive line at Vanderbilt that had some success last year in the SEC.

The big concern on the offense is finding a true Temple Tailback U guy to follow the blocks of that offensive line (and  maybe even fullback Kenny Harper) to explosive gains downfield. Establishing the running game would open up the play-action passing game of P.J. Walker. Right now, Temple’s passing game seems to be locked into throwing little flares out of the backfield and into double-coverage in the  end zone.

Herbin won the New Jersey State Player of the Year Award in 2011–a year before P.J. Walker won it–for his ability to run the ball from the line of scrimmage, yet the Owl coaches insist on putting him at receiver, a position he’s had no success in the past. That was Al Golden’s plan for Matty Brown, to convert him from successful running back to the new position of slot  receiver, before Pierce’s NCAA clearinghouse issues prompted Golden to use him at his more natural position of RB. Brown, who is smaller and slower than Herbin, held onto that position for the rest of his career. Temple fans were glad his talents were not wasted at slot receiver. That move helped Golden become a million-dollar coach.

All Herbin needs is the same chance. I hope he gets it against Del. State and, err, runs with it.