SI actually has the Owls going 9-2 this year. I think a little over estimated given their QB situation. Players are better
then those on any recent Owls squad, but without the big armed stud at QB they will most likely come in a 7-4.
Temple is a classic trap game for PSU. I could easily see them being overconfident and being upset.
As for Chester Stewart, he's 6'3" 215, so he's hardly a little twig...he's also looked sharp in camp and in srimmaging, and Steele named him to his all-MAC preseason team.
I think 9-2 is very realistic for Temple...they will lose two of thse three games: PSU, UConn, or Northern Illinois. They'll beat everyone else on their schedule and almostr certainly fave NIU again in the MAC Championship.
Temple has a QB issue for sure, but that can be resolved with Pearce in the backfield. PLus, Al Golden has shown he can coach talent. The QB has talent, though he is raw. The defense will bear down and you can expect another 9 win effort from Temple this year. Additionally, the MAC is weak in the bottom end. Ball State, Central MIchigan and even Northern Illinois are not what they have been, while Temple is the class of the MAC. Look for a better bowl bid as Golden continues to make his mark on North Broad Street.
NIU isn't what they have been(?) - guess not since they used to beat teams Alabama and Maryland. But they had enough for Temple, and by the end of the game, Temple was gassed.
Blowfish's comment was fairly accurate. Temple was "gassed" by the end of the game and certainly NIU has a competitive schedule. I thought Temple's defense would have been more aggressive, but they lost a tough one. Now, Temple has to focus on Buffalo, Akron, etc.
With each passing game it becomes more evident that Golden is riding at the string at Temple and looking toward his ultimate objective of obtaining a BCS head coaching job. Al has done a great job of getting the program back on the map, however his coaching reveals what we all know, the real gig for Al is where can I get myself to . Al basically has ruined Pierce through his over use of the Soph and playing him when injured. Take a look at his carries per game last last year before he got hurt. No coach would run a frosh over 40 in a game , yet Al did. He was riding Bernard to his pay day. Golden tried to do the same in the Bowl game last year, and Temple was actually winning and in control of the game until Pierce was injured once again. Last week it was time to play with the QB as his named starter was placing his future in jeopardy. Yes Temple is back. Hopefully , when Al leaves to try and replaicate what he did on Broard St. at a bottom feeding BCS school we can bring in a quality coach who will continue to build the program,without an agenda of what can Ido to get out of here. The man is being paid over $550,000 / year at Temple and still he seeks more. The players understand what is taking place as do potential recruits who now will shy away from the Owls until stability returns.
IDP NUT, you are so wrong on this post, I'm not even sure where to begin, but I'll try.
1st, Al Golden doesn't need to ride on Pierce's back to ride off into the sunset, as you define as caching a BCS team. If that is really his only goal, he'd be there already and has already done enough to get there when this season ends.
2nd, maybe Pierce was over-used last season, but if anything, he has been under-used this season. For example, against Bowling Green the consensus among the Temple faithful was, "Why doesn't Pierce get the ball more often?" Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think he only had two carries in the 1st half. Finally, in the second half, on one drive, they finally decided to give him the lion's share of the carries, and Temple marched straight down the field, completely on the ground, for an impressive touchdown drive. How can you blame him for using him during the Bowl game, when you even admit that they were in control until Pierce got injured.
3rd, he (finally) replaced Chester Stwart at QB after throwing a terible int. to start the game, gifting Bowling Green a TD. One might argue that replacing Chester Stewart at QB was long overdue after he nearly cost the team victories early in the season with costly fumbles at the end of games where they were nursing leads or consistently missing wide open receivers, such as the one he missed to Rod Streeter in the 4th quarter agaist NIU that would would have tied the game up and possibly cost Temple a victory. I would say that he changed the starting QB because the guy playing wasn't getting the job done for the team, rather than trying to land himself a better caching job next season. What's wrong with wanting his team to win?
Lastly and most importantly, how can anyone in their their right mind think that Al Golden is concerned only with getting himself a better coaching position? All you have to to is look at the guy, listen to him speak and look and listen to his players that are in no way shying away from coming to Temple because of AG, but rather are considering coming to Temple over BCS schools because of him. BTW, what's wrong with him getting $550K especially when you know he will get many offers for more glamorous positions for even more money?
There will probably come a time that AG will leave Temple for a more prestegious position, and quite frankly, you can't fault him for that. I for one will be sad if or when that day comes, and I will wish him only the best, because that's what he deserves.
Perhaps the reason that Pirece doesn't see the ball as much as we would like is that his career has neen impacted by AG riding him for 40 carrries a week as a frosh. The human body can ot handle that many hits, especially at the age he was. Why isn't he playing this year, simple he is still injured. Did AG ruin a kid with NFL potentential to win, yes he did. Is that selfish on his part?
He will wind up at a bottom feeder BCS school like MN and them fade away as a "hot propertry".
IDPNut: Normally I agree with your assessments, but this time i think you are incorrect. rsternb1 has a better pulse on this one. The bottom line is Pierce wanted the ball just like Adrian Peterson or Ray Rice wants the ball. Al Golden took a kid that many other programs skipped over and showcased him as he built the program. Pierce got as much out of Golden as he gave. He got injured due to the game and its nature; he also is known by the "BCS" teams who did pass over him. Al GOlden may or may not be leaving but the school got more out of the deal. Tample is now bowl eligible for the second year in a row--an all time first in its 100 year history of football.
The reason Pierce was overlooked was that he came out of Glen Mills, which is a reform school located in Delaware County. There never was a doubt about his talent, there were character issues which Al took a shot on in bringing him tp Temple. That aside, the body of a 19 year old, even at a HS level of play can not take 40 hits a game. Reponsible coaches do not let a frosh dictate to them, it is reversed.
Ohio is a quality MAC team, but still fairly average overall. When the Owls are firing on all cylinders, they are easily a top 40, perhaps even top 25 team. They'll handle the Bobcats this Saturday night in Philly.
The MAC Championship was going to be Temple vs. NIU, and there's no reason to think that's going to change now...
IDP--Yes I have golfed at Glen Mills and the kids actually learn to run the course along with their regular classes. It's a beautiful, expensive track and we try to play it once or twice a year because all the proceeds go to the school. Having said that, Al didn't have much choice in starting Peirce because, as you said he didn't have much else. Now that he has the benefit of two more decent recruiting classes, I think he will use him more sparingly. I think you already see that in the fact that he has augmented the passing game and replaced quarterbacks. As an aside, I saw other posts that think Temple will cakewalk into the MAC championship game and beat NIU. I'm taking a more reserved approach since we already lost to them once (granted Peirce was on the mend for that game). I really hope that Temple takes it one game at a time so they can receive a bowl game worthy of their new consistent status. Let me know what you think, though we should take the games one at a time. Ohio and Temple should be a good matchup.
Now after an 8 win season, it looks like Temple will be shut of the Bowl post season. Finishing 3rd in their MAC Division, there is no spot for them in any of the bowl games, Unless a team backs out, they will be the only D1 team with 8 wins not going. Their nice wins over Ct and Army , two teams who will go with lesser records speaks to why the Owls need to leave the MAC. It still remains my belief that all of this rest on the shoulders of Golden and the way he used Pierce last year. Al never thought he would be vack on Broad St this year. in the games bernard played they looke dgreat, but just like last year when he is missing Tample turns into a very average football team.
IDP: I agree that the Owls are better with Pierce, but the real blame lies with the defense and Giannini. The new QB makes some bad decisions and the defense gets gassed at the 2nd half of the games because we are going three and out. Temple will get a second tier bowl because they are still ranked in the top 60 in the country and the bowl sponsors want a Philadelphia presence (generally), especially some toilet bowl game in the middle of December.If the Owls leave the MAC where will they go? The Big East sent our feelers for them to come back to that conference but only if The Basketball team goes with them because they are looking to dump Seton Hall and/or St. John's due to their lack of a Football team. Additionally, Villanova was invited to join the Division I Big East as well and they are "considering it". Temple has fared much better under Golden against the Big East and if they moved to a stronger conference, Golden would be more apt to stay, though I still think he wants to wait out Paterno at Penn State. We'll find out in a month whether they get a bowl game. Happy Thanksgiving by the way.
Temple is the best team in the Big East this year. Oh yeah that's right I forgot. They got kicked out because they couldn't compete. Now it's the entire Nig East who can't compete. Temple got the last laugh. Next Year the MAC may get an automatic BCS bid instead of the putrid Big East.
