First Look: Temple Owls

With this coaching staff, Penn State really needs to schedule Temple as its homecoming game. Really, Temple Head Coach Al Golden was one of the great Penn State tight ends (’91), Defensive Coordinator Mark D’Onofrio was his team mate and an outstanding linebacker for the Lions, and even the offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach, Matt Ruhle is a former lion (’97). I think the biggest draw for this game is already being set up--the pupil vs. the mentor. But the underlying story line--one PSU fans may overlook--is the amazing job Golden has done in Philadelphia since his arrival in 2006. Five years ago, if you said “Temple” and “bowl game” in the same sentence, it was part of a joke. Now, it’s a real possibility. Scary, huh?

Three things you should know about Temple:

1. Could be the best staff in the nation -- That’s not an understatement. If Golden and Co. pull of the once-impossible and take the Owls bowling, this will turn into the new Rutgers-type feel good story. The results may not blow your mind, but this staff has changed the attitude of a program. In Golden’s first year, the Owls were outscored by 365 points. Last year that margin shrunk to 118, and won four games! Those four wins were the most since 2002, and the three-game win streak was Temple’s longest since 1990!

2. Everyone returns -- Temple returns every single starter from 2007, and some have moved to backup spots to make room for some new young talent. That will translate into crucial depth if this team has to finish strong to gain bowl-eligibility. Quarterback Adam DiMichele (PSU Transfer) enters his senior season behind a veteran offensive line, with big play threats like Bruce Francis and Jason Harper, and a shut-down defense. If the Owls can win the turnover battle (broke even in ’07), this could turn from a promising year to a special one.

3. A challenging, but not impossible schedule -- Temple gets only five home games this season, but only one of them is probably out of reach (UConn). The away games set up nicely with trips to Army, Buffalo, Miami (OH), Central Michigan, Navy and Kent State. I figure only Central Michigan and Navy should pose real problems for the Owls. But if Temple could have a winning road record this year, a bowl is certainly reachable, with the final two games at home against Eastern Michigan and Akron.

That wraps up the non-conference slate for First Look. Penn State has every chance to arrive here at 4-0, but that doesn’t guarantee much after last season’s disappointing Big Ten campaign. What purpose these first four games will serve may not be realized until October, as the early schedule will allow Penn State to work in its new quarterback(s) and gain some identity on both sides of the ball. Don’t expect these teams to go quietly. Just ask Michigan how easy I-AA teams are. Just ask Syracuse if they’re going to be jacked up to play a bitter old rival. Just ask Oregon State if they’re going to take their 2,000-mile journey lightly. And just ask the Temple Owls if they want to help their coach beat his old team.

And you thought the non-conference games weren’t that interesting.

Next week’s First Look: Illinois Fighting Illini.

-First Look: Syracuse Orange(men)
-First Look: Oregon State Beavers
-First Look: Coastal Carolina Chanticleers

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Article of the day: The Future Penn State Coaching Staff?

I generally try to feature an article each day from another site. Usually they're from Penn State or Big Ten blogs, sometimes from other sites. Please check out the author's Web site. I always supply the link in the introduction.

I'm feeling like crap today, so I may only get an AOTD up. So, here it is. It's very interesting how quickly the Temple football staff is gaining recognition for their work, and Head Coach Al Golden is rewarding them accordingly. Even more interesting is the fact that most of them are Penn State graduates. This begs the question, "Is this the future of Penn State football?" We can only wait and see.

Three assistant football coaches receive promotions after DeLeone resigns
By Tyson McCloud

Longtime Penn State football coach Joe Paterno recalled Mark D'Onofrio as a strong leader when the former Nittany Lions linebacker played for him from 1988-1991. He also remembered that D'Onofrio, Temple's defensive coordinator last season, wasn't the easiest player to handle.

"D'Onofrio used to drive me nuts because of his temper," Paterno said after the Nittany Lions defeated Temple in November. "I was kidding him before the game . . . I said, 'Mark, you're the only guy I threw out [of practice] before stretch.'"

The 39-year-old North Bergen, N.J. native has come a long way since then.

On Friday, D'Onofrio was promoted to assistant head coach, while retaining his role of defensive coordinator and gaining additional administrative duties.

Two days later, quarterbacks coach Matt Rhule and Andrew Dees, the tight ends and offensive guards coach, also received promotions. Rhule, who will continue operating as quarterbacks coach, was named offensive coordinator, replacing George DeLeone, who resigned after two seasons as the Owls' offensive architect to become tight end coach for the NFL's Miami Dolphins. Dees will be in charge of the offensive line after serving as tight ends and offensive guards coach the past two seasons.

Under D'Onofrio, the Owls led the Mid-American Conference in five defensive statistical categories in the team's inaugural season in the MAC.

"What Mark has done with our defense between years one and two is truly exceptional; considering that we did not have any seniors on the depth chart," coach Al Golden said in a statement. Golden and D'Onofrio were teammates at Penn State and coached together at Virginia.

"Coach D'Onofrio is a brilliant coach, a tremendous motivator of young men, and widely considered amongst the best recruiters in the business," Golden said.

Rhule, who played at Penn State from 1994-1997, has a "tremendous overall conceptual knowledge of football," DeLeone said.

"He can continue and exceed the foundation that has been laid in the prior two years on the offensive side of the ball," DeLeone added.

Dees, 38, a three-year starter at Syracuse from 1988-1991, also received praise from the former offensive coordinator.

"Without question, he is the right choice to move Temple's offensive line to championship level play," DeLeone said.

Tyson McCloud can be reached at tyson@temple.edu.

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