November 8, 2005
Search continues for a new Temple Head Coach
So it’s time for an update on the Temple Owls heading coaching search. As of right now, it looks as if the hiring of a head coach could go in two, completely different directions. Two the names on the list are proven, veteran head coaches near the end of their coaching careers. And the other half are assistants at big name programs who have yet to have a head coaching job. To date, it looks as if the Temple Athletic Department is doing their best to keep this search as low profile as possible.
Bruce Arians - Arians hold the special distinction of already being the Temple head coach - a position he held from 1983 to 1988. During that span the Owls were 28-38. Arians is the currently an Assistant Coach for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Sources today told the Philly Daily News that Arians has since withdrawn his name from the candidate list.
Todd Bowles - Currently working for Bill Parcells on the Dallas Cowboys staff as the Secondary coach. Bowles was the played for Temple from 1982-1985, and was the defensive coordinator of Grambling for two seasons.
John Latina - The Notre Dame O-Line coach has been mentioned in several articles as a potential candidate.
Rick Neuheisel - The former Washington and Colorado coach has been the favorite of apparent big name boosters, but supposedly a source close to the Philly Daily News told them that Neuheisel is no longer a candidate for the job. Neuheisel is really the only member of this group who doesn't easily fit into either of the two categories. He's a veteran head coach, but his young age is a striking contrast to the other long time head coaches on this list. Neuheisel is currently being pushed hard by a couple of Southern California sports talk DJs as the next coach for San Diego State, but as of right now, the Aztecs still have a head coach.
Ron Prince - The Virginia offensive coordinator and O-Line coach has been contacted by Temple officials.
Bob Pruett - The former Marshall Head coach has apparently in recent days vaulted into the mix. Somewhat bizarre to see Pruett's name so soon in a hunt for a new job, after he retired in March from the Marshall job rather suddenly, which was attributed at the time to a desire to spend more time with family.
George Welsh - Longtime Navy and Virginia head coach's name has popped up in several spots. Welsh has expressed an interest in getting back into coaching at age 72.
Brian White - The current co-offensive coordinator for the Wisconsin Badgers, according to reports has already interviewed for the job.
Comments:
posted on November 9, 2005 9:36 AM — 68.35.231.61 — link — abuse?Mike Boone said:
I think they are going to have a difficult time finding a legitmate coach that wants to take over a program that is in such obvious confusion. It would be more work than almost any other place in the nation.
bry422 said:
posted on November 9, 2005 10:12 AM — 152.50.0.194 — link — abuse?
I'm not sure why one would want this job. Moving to the MAC (or are they going to C-USA?) next year will help.
I guess I can envision a scenario where a coach could come in and get the program to a level of being respectable (5-7, 6-6). Let's face it, if you can get Temple to 6-6 two years in a row, bigger fish are going to come knocking on the door.
Here is what I'd do. Pad the first four games of the schedule (2 Sunbelt teams, one WAC team and one DI-AA team), then play your conference schedule. Win those 4 and 2 conference games, and you got 6-6, right?
It's one thing to have Miami, Clemson, and Virginia on your non-conf. schedule, but at this point, you needs wins, you need bodies on the team and in the stands. Go 6-6 for a few years, then put a BCS school back on the schedule.
jeff thomas said:
posted on November 13, 2005 12:33 AM — 24.15.46.36 — link — abuse?
Everyone seems to be forgetting Kieth Armstrong former Temple Alumni. Former Special Teams coach for the Chicago Bears and currently Miami Dolphins Special team coach. Kieth has over 15 years of coaching exp. I am suprised his name hasn't been thrown in the mix of these coaches.
posted on November 13, 2005 7:54 PM — 66.188.105.196 — link — abuse?
Another to add to that list is Penn State defensive coordinator Tom Bradley. Paterno mentioned that Bradley was pretty interested and Temple was courting him.
Also, just a thought on the appeal of this job:
This team is clearly a fixer upper. And as such, it has the best potential for a good coach to prove his worth. Anyone could go to a great football program and win. A coach who can pull a "bad news bears" however (especially a young coach) will have a ton of oppertunities in the future. Of course the flip side is failure in which case there would be no really great opportunities, but a confident young coach would look at this like a diamond in the rough.
By the way, I don't think padding the schedule with the sisters of the poor is going to be a likely tactic of any coach who is interested in this job.Derrick Flowers said:
posted on November 27, 2005 1:24 PM — 65.60.198.124 — link — abuse?
Temple Football is fixable. In order to build a solid program here's what has to happen:
1. Hire an assistant from a solid program like Virgina Tech to be head coach.
2. Recruit players with speed (and more speed) and players from winning high school or JDCO programs.
3. Schedule cream puffs for the first four games of the season for the next 3 years. No more of playing the big boys for the free paycheck.
4. Get out of that Lincoln Financial Field contract and see if Penn will let you use Franklin Field for home games. That $15 million a year could be used better elsewhere.
5. Change the uniform and helmet colors to mostly black. Let's face it, we need an intimidation factor.
6. Pass these recommendations on to the Temple A.D. and President.
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Jeff Quinton said:
posted on November 9, 2005 7:47 AM — link — abuse?John Latina and Rick Neuheisel.