Temple University Athletics
Page Turner
10.30.06 | Football
Oct. 30, 2006
PHILADELPHIA - By John Di Carlo
When Chris Page arrived at Temple prior to the 2005 season, he didn't waste any time asking questions.
Specifically, he targeted a fellow defensive back, Ray Lamb, to pick his brain.
And when it came to asking questions, he got his money's worth.
"I just remember the first time I came out here, I met Ray, and I was bugging him," Page recalled. "I was saying that I knew the defense when I really didn't, and he'd tease me and say, `If you really know the defense, why do you keep bugging me?' But it was all in good fun, and he was definitely a mentor to me. He taught me a lot about myself, a lot about God, a lot about everything, actually. I remember that, and I always appreciated that."
A year later, Page is the mentor that Lamb was to him last year. No one is bugging him, per se, but the senior is accepting --and enjoying--his role as a leader.
"I would say I'm a leader on the defense, not because of the experience, but because of who I am," Page said. "With me being an outgoing person, I don't mind leading vocally. At the same time, I'd much rather would be one who would lead by example. I guess you have to be the right combination of both."
Page does have two years of junior college football--he played at Glendale (Ariz.) Community College before coming to Temple--under his belt. He did start seven games last season at cornerback, but he's still doing some learning of his own now that he's playing strong safety for the first time.
"It has been a bit of a challenge, but it's the stuff you look forward to," Page said. "The biggest challenge at first was just learning the position, learning certain aspects of the game from a new position. Part of the passing game, it came easier, because of the experience I have in pass coverage. With the running game, it's different. Knowing the proper angle to take, being disciplined, all of that stuff. And all the while, we have some new guys back there, and we had some problems communicating at first, but I think we're doing a better job of that now."
Page missed three games last season with a high ankle sprain, but he made an impact in the eight games in which he played. He collected 40 tackles, and he had his best game of the season at Virginia with eight tackles and an interception.
Temple head coach Al Golden was Virginia's defensive coordinator at the time.
"We knew of Chris," Golden said, "but we really didn't know the situation in the secondary until we started spring ball, and that's when we decided to move Chris to safety. And I'd bet you that he's a natural corner. And if he has the opportunity, God willing, to play in the NFL, I think he'll be a corner or nickel back prospect. But the things they ask you to do at safety, the tackling and everything else, is something everyone in the NFL has to do."
Page was a first team preseason All-Independent selection by CollegeFootballNews.com, and he's one of just two returning starters--linebacker Ryan Gore is the other--on a young defense. Heading into last Saturday's game at Northern Illinois, Page had 28 tackles (19 solo), two pass breakups, one forced fumble and a fumble recovery.
Golden appreciates Page for what he does on the field as a player, but he appreciates him just as much for what he's done to build the type of program he wants.
"Chris has been one of our leaders," Golden said. "Chris has really made the move to safety because it was the best move for the team. He's been good about it, and he hasn't really complained about it. We ask Chris to do a lot. He's played a lot on special teams, in addition to all the defensive snaps, and he's one of the guy's who's really helped us a lot with the transition with our program.
"I wish we had more like that, in terms of buying into the program. Chris has been great in the offseason program and great in the voluntary workouts in terms of rallying some guys. He's just a kid that's really in tune with what we're doing, and he'll be missed. Chris Page will be missed."
Page will proudly tell you that he's graduating in May with a degree in criminal justice. He also writes a fair amount of poetry when he's not in class or on the field.
"I've done that for about three or four years," Page said. "It's just a way of expressing yourself. It's one way to take out your frustrations. You're happy, you're sad. Walter (Mebane) and I, we read it to each other, or I'll read it to my girlfriend. It's very deep. It's very real, comes from the heart."
Ideally, Page would love to be part of a team that's competing for a MAC championship and a spot in a bowl game. But he knows, realistically, that the Owls are fighting through some significant growing pains this season in order to get there. The Owls will enjoy full-fledged membership in the MAC next season, and the true freshmen and other first-year players, Page hopes, will be a year older and wiser.
In the meantime, he's trying to bring along some of Temple's defensive backs, doing the same thing Lamb did for him a year ago. He sees a tough, physical player in redshirt freshman Dominique Harris, the current starter at free safety. He sees a ball hawk and playmaker in true freshman Wilbert Brinson, Harris's backup. He's excited about the development of sophomore cornerback Evan Cooper Jr., the team's leading tackler with 42 heading into the Northern Illinois game. And he sees bright futures for cornerbacks Georg Coleman, a sophomore, and Dy'Onne Crudup, a freshman.
"I think when it boils down to it, we just realize how close we are to really getting this thing going," Page said. "We want to win as bad as anyone, but it's not based on wins and losses. We got a new weight room, we had a team GPA of 3.02 in the second summer session, we gave our per diem money to (Clemson defensive back) Ray Ray (McElrathbey, who has set up a trust fund for his younger brother). It really boils down to stuff like that.
"Everybody's more disciplined. When you get a group of guys who are disciplined, you're going to move forward and do some good things. Last year's team was a bunch of individuals. This year, the coaches stress team so much that you have to worry about the guy next to you and how he is. And if you screw up, there are consequences. People realize that. People realize how hard it is to win, and I think they're gaining an appreciation for that. One by one, people are buying in, and we're headed in the right direction."
