The New Run Game Coordinator

Miami Dolphins 2010 Headshots

George DeLeone  poses for his 2010 NFL headshot. (Photo by NFL via Getty Images)

 

In a slow news month for Temple football, arguably the biggest news in February for the Owls was the addition of George DeLeone as run game coordinator. That was a position in college football that didn’t exist 20 years ago, but a quick google search indicates that there are plenty of current RGCs.

gardner

 

DeLeone, a former offensive coordinator at Temple, is a good person to be the first Temple football RGC in history.

When Al Golden hired DeLeone to be OC, I thought it was an ingenious move for a couple of reasons. First, Al was the youngest head coach in college football at the time, 35, and it does not help a young head coach to have an “old head” around to guide him through some of the rough spots.

Nothing was rougher than the tail end of the 20-game losing streak, but DeLeone was as responsible as anybody for it coming to a sweet end. In a 28-14 win over a Bowling Green team that had dropped 140 points combined on the Owls in consecutive seasons, the key play was a flea-flicker. Quarterback Adam DiMichele handed off to halfback Tim Brown, who pitched the ball back to DiMichele, who found a streaking Travis Sheldon for an easy touchdown. Mix in a Sheldon kickoff return and, wala, the streak was over.

DeLeone, I assume, is doing some diligent film study. If he does, he’s got to like the fact that Jager Gardner has the biggest upside in the running game and moving Jahad Thomas from tailback to the slot has to be intriguing. A guy just like Thomas, Jalen Fitzpatrick, caught a game-tying touchdown pass against DeLeone’s UConn team in 2012. Gardner could be the AAC’s most dominating back in 2016 if he is able to establish a rhythm.

Plus, there is always the flea-flicker.

I sincerely hope that DeLeone injects some of that same innovation to the Temple offense this fall.

Related:

Jager Gardner Key To 2016 Run Game

Friday: Why We Should Follow Tennessee Tech.

Sunday: The Saquon Barkley Narrative

Tuesday: Setting Time Aside for Triple Option