Tag Archives: Temple football

03.17.15
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Football Must Now Help Basketball

This kind of student turnout is mandatory if the Owls ever want to be treated fairly.

This kind of student turnout is mandatory if the Owls ever want to be treated fairly.

The entire Temple campus is still stinging from the latest proof that college basketball is now as corrupt as college football.

The old terms used to be RPI, strength of schedule, injuries, how teams play down the stretch. Now the only thing that’s meaningful is the vague “eye test” which means, if you are not a Power 5 team, we cannot see you.

I created an open group in the Fox Sports bracket called "Temple Got Screwed." Anyone is invited to join.

I created an open group in the Fox Sports bracket called “Temple Got Screwed.” Anyone is invited to join.

The best way for Temple to become a Power 5 team is to win in football. No longer will 6-6 be acceptable. No longer will losses to Penn State be acceptable. A win over Notre Dame would hasten the call, as will filling the stadium for the other games. None of this is easy, but nothing worthwhile is.

By all NCAA criteria, Temple’s resume was superior to that of both UCLA and Indiana in every respect except the one that should not have mattered at all: Its athletic program was not a member of the Power 5, which has taken over the NCAA and remade it into its own playpen.

The NCAA’s No. 1 criteria is RPI, and Temple’s RPI of 34 was better than the RPI of Georgia, Ohio State, Texas, Iowa, UCLA and Oklahoma State, along with six other teams in the tournament. Another factor the NCAA says weighs heavily is how the team plays down the stretch, and Temple won 10 of its final 12 games, a superior run to most of the schools in the 68-team field, let alone the Power 5 schools.

Temple has a 25-point win over a No. 2 seed, Kansas, and none of the other bubble teams had a win like that on their resume. Only Kentucky has beaten Kansas by a bigger margin.

UCLA getting in over Temple was particularly galling. Temple’s record was 23-10, while UCLA’s was 20-13. Temple’s RPI was 34, while UCLA’s was 47; Temple’s record against the RPI top 100 was 8-8, while UCLA’s was 5-10. Temple’s best win against the RPI top 100 was Kansas (No. 2), while UCLA’s was against Utah (No. 20). Temple’s conference record was 13-5, while UCLA’s conference record was 11-7.

Most bracketologists dismissed Steve Alford’s team from the field altogether, but UCLA comfortably made the field of 68 while also avoiding a First Four game in Dayton. Most of those same bracketologists had Temple comfortably in the field.

Those experts assumed that the selection committee would follow its own guidelines, but failed to consider the fact that the Power 5 gets what it wants. That’s the reason why Sunday was a sad day not only for fans of Temple, but for all fair-minded sports fans.

Hmm. No mention of a stadium.

Hmm. No mention of a stadium.

03.10.15
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Jennings Should Sue If Not Granted Hardship

Adonis Jennings, Temple football, Pitt football,

Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

There are plenty of double-standards that make college football less appealing to the average fan, but none more unfair than the double-standard involving players and coaches and that is why the case of Temple’s Adonis Jennings is particularly interesting.

Jennings officially committed to Temple on Monday with this tweet:

A coach can sign a contract with one FBS school and then “transfer” by taking a job at another without sitting out a year, while in most cases, a player trying to transfer and, in effect, take a job playing football at another FBS school has to sit out a year.

Jennings should be able to do the same thing head coach Paul Chryst did when he jumped from Pittsburgh to Wisconsin for the same job. Jennings was recruited to Pitt by Chryst in good faith and was one of the main reasons why he accepted a scholarship offer there. Chryst, in turn, burned Jennings’ red-shirt in a few late November games. Now that Chryst had a change of heart with Pitt, the NCAA should give player Jennings the same opportunity it did with coach Chryst. Jennings signed to play both at Pitt and for Jennings; now that those circumstances have changed, Jennings should be allowed to move just as freely.

A player like Jennings, a four-star wide receiver recruit who initially committed to Rutgers and then changed his commitment to Pittsburgh, should not have to go through the red tape he is now by reversing field and coming home to Temple. Philadelphia is just 15 minutes across the river from Jennings’ home in Timber Creek, NJ, and that will be the crux of his hardship waiver appeal, saying he wanted to be closer to his family. Temple is the closest FBS program to Timber Creek and that could be enough for his waiver appeal to be approved.

Still, if Chryst doesn’t have to sit out a year before taking over at Wisconsin neither should Jennings nor any other player caught up in those kind of coaching staff changes. If the NCAA balks, Jennings has what appears to be a great case for a class-action suit.

03.02.15
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Complete Coverage of the On-Campus Stadium Announcement

An empty Howard Gittis Room at the Liacouras Center yesterday where university exterminators spent the afternoon looking for crickets.

An empty Howard Gittis Room at the Liacouras Center yesterday where university exterminators spent the afternoon looking for crickets.

That’s it, an empty Howard Gittis Room on a Sunday when nothing was happening in Philadelphia sports and an announcement of an on-campus stadium would have been front-page news in all three Philadelphia daily papers and right at the top of all the sportscasts.
It would seem to me that the uni should now give up this pipe dream and begin to negotiate in good faith with the Philadelphia Eagles because the other options–Franklin Field and Chester–would be a Doomsday Scenario for Temple football.
Maybe the Phillies will move to Oakland and the Owls can slide into a more fan-friendly Citizens Bank Park.
That seems to be a scenario just as plausible as coming up with $300 million of private funds to plop a stadium down at 15th and Norris before 2018.

02.24.15
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Giving “Matt” a Contract Extension Would be Insane

matt rhule, temple football,

Howard Smith-USA Today Sports

If the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result, Temple University giving a contract extension to third-year head football coach Matt Rhule would certainly come under that rather large umbrella. Temple, in the past, has extended non-winning coaches like Jerry Berndt, Ron Dickerson and Bobby Wallace and those extensions have set the program back at least 30 years.

Granted, the man has endeared himself to many influential alumni with his effusive personality and perceived commitment to his job. He has also been a very good recruiter. One important item on his resume is lacking: A winning season. Until then, the Board of Trustees would be wise to refrain from offering him a contract extension. It is believed that Rhule signed a five-year deal in December of 2012 that gave him a $1.2-million per season.

If so, he is being handsomely paid to go 2-10 and 6-6. Lately, some Temple people—maybe overly impressed by two consecutive No. 4-ranked recruiting classes in an 11-team American Athletic Conference—clamored for an extension. One post on a fan website made by a Philadelphia tavern owner who may have been sampling too much of his own product was entitled: “This kid Matt Rhule” and was particularly amusing because he wrote that Rhule was getting it done with no stadium and the worst facilities in the entire conference. … “if this admin (administration) isn’t staying up late to extend him, I hope he takes one of the many offers on his table.”

On that website, the editor there does not refer to him as Rhule or as the Temple head football coach but only by “Matt.” It’s almost like David Muir on the ABC Evening News saying, “after this message, we will have some excerpts from Barrack’s press conference.” Or Walter Cronkite back in the day saying, “here’s what Lyndon had to say about the Selma march.”

First of all, Rhule currently is 8-16 with the best, not the worst, facilities in the entire conference. In 2014, Temple added a $10 million wing to its already existing $7 million football practice facility. The school bent over backward to refurbish a $4.2-million building three blocks away for a football-dedicated indoor practice facility. (Other sports use it, but football gets first dibs.) Bruce Arians almost passed out when he saw the lay of the land last year. Temple plays in a $521 million stadium, Lincoln Financial Field, which is, by about $400 million, the most expensive stadium in the AAC. Many of these so-called great recruits Rhule was able to attract have gone on record as saying that being able to play in the same stadium the Philadelphia Eagles play sealed the deal.

Second, there are no offers on the table for an 8-16 coach who has on his resume a loss to 2013’s worst FBS team, Idaho, and an FCS team, Fordham, which in the same season lost to a horrid Lafayette program located 40 miles directly north of Philadelphia. I can just picture the Notre Dame President, the Rev. John I. Jenkins, saying, “geez, if Brian Kelly leaves for the NFL, let’s get this Matt Rhule guy from Temple.” Or not.

Third, giving an extension to a non-Power 5 coach makes no sense. If the guy wants to leave before the contract is up, he’s going to leave for a Power 5 job. That’s what happened to Temple when Al Golden left for Miami. It’s what is going to happen to any Group of 5 school. No G5 coach has ever said they cannot leave their job for an SEC or Big 10 job because they already have an existing contract.

If Temple finally makes a decision for a long-term commitment to Rhule, it should be after at least one winning season and probably two but not before. Anything less is just bad business at best and pure insanity at worst.

02.19.15
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Thoughts on the 2015 Schedule

fifteensked

There is an accepted process in the business world of annual evaluations based on the creed of “up or out.” That usually applies to everyone but the job performances of meteorologists and Temple football head coaches over the last 30 or so years.

The 2015 football schedule was released this morning and the first thought those in charge at Temple has to be start running football like the multi-million dollar business it is. Six and six after 2-10 was up and now anything less than seven should be out.

There is no one on that schedule Temple cannot beat, there are a couple of teams on that schedule that Temple probably will not beat and the rest of the schedule largely consists of teams Temple can and should beat. Another positive is the fact that there is only one bye on the schedule. Three byes were way too much last season.

I think the talent is in place to win at least eight games but, given what I’ve seen from my seat in the stands the last two years, seven should be acceptable. Six wins again definitely is not.

There are going to be a couple of times teams Temple should beat win and, hopefully, at least that many times the other way around.

There is a Dec. 5 AAC championship game and the goal should be no less than to make that game in Philadelphia and win it.

02.07.15
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Solving the Jet Pack Mystery

"Yeah, but what about the Jet Pack quote?"

“Yeah, but what about the Jet Pack quote?”

Groundhog Day was on Monday, but it has been the last four days for me.

Wednesday wake up, turn on Comcast Sports Net, watch Neil Hartman report live from the Penn State signing day. Thursday, wake up, turn on CSN Philly and watch Neil Hartman report a recap of Penn State signing day. Friday, wake up and watch Neil Hartman interview the Penn State fax guy from Penn State signing day. Saturday, wake up and watch Neil Hartman report about James Franklin recruiting 2016 guys.

decommit

Tomorrow, I fully expect another Neil Hartman report on how Penn State fans reacted to the recruiting day. Overkill, thy name is covering Penn State football  in a town 250 miles away that already has a FBS college football team. Temple really needs to take them down.

Meanwhile, there is no coverage at all of the burning mystery of the day: What the heck was Matt Rhule referring to in his “jet pack” tweet? If it was about a recruit—as was widely rumored—it could not have been about T.J. Simmons because the time lines do not match up. Here was the original tweet, followed by Adam DiMichele’s “game-changer” tweet:

It could not have been about Simmons because three days later he was still committed to UCLA:

Also in the same day:

https://twitter.com/tjsimmons4/status/558095179308351488

Simmons did not change his mind until the NEXT day:

Unless Speedy told Rhule something on Jan. 18 he didn’t tell UCLA fans until four days later, the Jetpack tweet makes no sense. If it was supposed to be about a recruit, other than Speedy, no jetpack-worthy recruits were signed between Jan. 18 and now.

So, until Neil Hartman has a four-day story on the anatomy of Matt Rhule’s jetpack tweet, we can only assume Rhule knows something about a stadium none of us do.

02.05.15
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Finally, a Temple Fan Playing for the Owls

Every once in a while, someone says something that makes you feel like they understand exactly what another person feels and that someone yesterday was Kareem Ali Jr.

Ali said something so profound that I had to stare at the words while holding my Philadelphia Daily News: “I’m tired of seeing Temple lose. I’ve been to almost every home game since my eighth grade or seventh grade year. I know their pain. I’m tired of seeing that.”

So, for every Temple fan who wanted to go down on the field and break up that Hail Mary against Fordham or Buffalo and run a more direct route to sacking Blake Bortles, Kareem Ali Jr. is playing for us. I hope his play will be contagious and the rest of the Owls who are not from here are tired of losing, too. Many of us have the want-to for doing all of those things, Ali has the how-to.

Already, he has become my favorite Temple Owl, following in the footsteps of guys like Kenny Harper, Donny Klein, Paul Palmer and Bernard Pierce.

Temple Recruiting Last Three Years 

Year National Rank Rivals National Rank Scout Conference Rank Scout
2015 75 93 7
2014 59 74 4
2013 85 87 8

Klein might be an odd name for some, but not for me. The Temple center immediately became my favorite player when Temple played at Rutgers after getting kicked out of the Big East. The Owls trailed, 14-3, at halftime and Klein went on a profanity-filled rant: “I’ve never lost to f-ing Rutgers and I’m not about to lose to f-ing Rutgers now” pounding his helmet on the floor. Those were not empty words as Klein’s borderline fanatical blocking opened up huge holes for Tanardo Sharps in the rain and mud and Sharps gained 215 yards on 43 carries as the Owls won, 20-17. That’s the kind of fire, emotion, intensity and desire I’d like the see the Owls play with all of the time.

Those are the kinds of players Temple cannot get enough of and I have the feeling they got at least one more of those kinds of leaders yesterday.

Here are the rest:

Ryquell Armstead RB, Fr. 5-11, 205, Millville, N.J.

Jeremiah Atoki DB, Fr. 6-2, 190, Vineland, N.J.

Josiah Bronson DL, Fr. 6-5, 265, Covington, Wash.

Chapelle Cook LB, Fr. 6-1,214, Lakewood, N.J.

Jovahn Fair OL, Fr. 6-3, 283, Akron, Oh.

Jager Gardner RB, Fr. 6-2, 205, Black Mountain, N.C.

Daishaun Grimes LB, Fr. 6-2, 190, St. Cloud, Fla.

Benson Israel OL, Fr. 6-1, 316, Spring Valley, N.Y.

DeAndre Kelly DL, Fr. 6-3, 238, Hyattsville, Md.

Dana Levine DL, Fr. 6-4, 213, Hallandale Beach, Fla.

Roy Pugh TE, Fr. 6-4,196, South Orange, N.J. .

Jake Robinson TE, Fr. 6-3, 208, Haddonfield, N.J.

T.J. Simmons RB, Fr. 6-1, 195, Lakeland, Fla.

Cortrelle Simpson WR, Fr. 5-10, 175 Indian Head, Md.

Greg Webb DL, R-So. 6-1, 312, Sicklerville, N.J.

Taiyir Wilson LB, Fr. 6-2, 210, Collegeville, Pa.

Dawayne Young DL, Fr. 6-3, 280, Philadelphia, Pa.

MID YEAR TRANSFERS

Kareem Ali, Jr. DB, Fr. 5-11, 175, Sicklerville, N.J.

Logan Marchi QB, Fr. 6-1, 170, Bristol, Conn.

William Updegrove LB, Fr. 6-2, 230, Berwick, Pa