Temple University Athletics
TEMPLE FOOTBALL 2006 SPRING OUTLOOK
3.24.06 | Football
"It allows you to look into a player's soul."
-- Al Golden, when responding to an inquiry about a drill during the team's off-season strength program. In the drill, two players grab opposing sides of a truck tire placed between them. To complete the drill, a player must move the tire 10 yards in his respective direction, while the competing player works to achieve the same result.
The 2006 Temple spring football outlook began on December 6, 2005, when the University named Al Golden the 24th head coach in the 112-year history of the program. A Colts Neck, N.J. native and Penn State gridiron alumnus, Golden arrived on North Broad Street after having spent the previous five seasons as defensive coordinator at the University of Virginia. He enters his first season on the Cherry & White sideline as the third-youngest head coach in Division I-A football.
"To all the football players in the room, I don't care what's transpired in the past," said Golden at the media conference. "Tomorrow at 4:00 p.m., when we meet, we are going to start a new era. You are going to begin with a clean slate. For anything that may have gone wrong in the past, I certainly can't apologize for what happened, I wasn't here. But I promise that you'll the get the best that I have and you'll get the best that our staff has."
Golden wasted little time assembling that staff. Within 24 hours of his hiring, five new assistant coaches resided in Edberg-Olson Hall. Shortly thereafter, the remainder of the staff was in the fold. It is a group that boasts both youth and successful experience. With an average age of 35.8 years that the 10 full-time coaches will have on opening day, a combined 51 bowl games of experience resides among them. The coaching staff also has a distinct local flavor. Five played at Penn State, two call Pennsylvania home, two are natives of New Jersey and one hails from Delaware.
The initial focus of the staff was National Signing Day. With a defined perimeter stretching north to Boston, south to Virginia and west to Pittsburgh, Temple hit the ground running, given its strong ties to the region. Fifty-eight days after his hiring, Golden announced a recruiting class comprised of 24 student-athletes, 12 who played their high school football in the Garden State. Fifteen served as team captains. The Owls' recruiting class was rated the best in the Mid-American Conference by CollegeFootballNews.com.
As the final national letter of intent arrived via fax on February 1, the program's focus shifted inward, toward a larger, more encompassing goal that had already been of a primary concern since day one; to change the "culture" of Temple football.
"It's starting to change," said Golden. "There is still a lot of work to be done. We have increased discipline and unity and are becoming closer as a team. A defined approach to education, time management and personality is being instilled and the players are learning to trust the staff."
Some of that change is already tangible and can be readily witnessed with a trip to the football complex. The interior of the building has undergone a visual upgrade. Floor to ceiling murals highlighting the city of Philadelphia and the Temple Football experience adorn the lower and upper lobby walls, respectively. The pool table in the players' lounge has been removed and replaced by 15 additional computer work stations. On the walls in the lounge, large recognition signs highlighting the team's "Community Service Leader of the Month" and Student-Athlete of the Month" greet visitors. Large signs projecting the program's spring goals are located in the team meeting room and outside the locker room. A state-of-the-art surface rests upon the weight room floor.
More important, however, is the revolution that can be witnessed upon the SprintTurf surface of Chodoff Field when the team undergoes its off-season program that began on January 17. Not only do the players look physically different under the direction of first-year strength and conditioning coach Tony Decker, an enthusiasm radiates. The speed and tempo of the drills have an infectious effect.
"The players are not afraid to work hard," said Golden. "They are excited about the opportunity to put on the pads in the spring. It's also very encouraging to see that we are developing a collective mentality and unselfishness. Several players have changed positions for the betterment of the entire squad."
Despite the team's tangible accomplishments to this point, spring ball presents the opportunity to determine several unknowns. The coaching staff needs to measure the competitive toughness of the team and to see who the true leaders are. Can the Owls develop the stamina and endurance necessary to sustain a high level of performance over an extended period of time? Does the team have a quarterback on campus that can win a game down the stretch?
"We talk to our guys about finishing every rep 'Philly Style," said Golden. "We use the term because it refers to being street tough and street smart. Not a cheap shot artist, not a talker, but a physically, mentally and competitively tough team on every play. We want to be known around the country and the MAC for being a physical team that will play anyone, anytime and anywhere."
Offense
The Temple offense has five returning starters among 19 letterwinners. The unit is under the direction of veteran mentor George DeLeone, who has 35 seasons of coaching experience and 12 postseason bowl games on his resume. Visiting coaches are often seen in his office listening intently and taking notes while he diagrams plays on dry erase boards. To passers by, it appears an adult coaching episode of "Mr. Wizard's World." Most recently the run game coordinator and offensive line coach at Ole Miss, DeLeone will instruct the quarterbacks in addition to serving as coordinator. Philly sports fans are already familiar with one of DeLeone's prized pupils, Donovan McNabb. McNabb led Syracuse to two Big East titles in DeLeone's pro-option offense. At Temple, DeLeone will install a multiple system designed to create balance, so as to force defenses to defend the run and pass equally on every down.
"With a multiple system, in any given year, we can utilize the talent we have available," said DeLeone. "With a great quarterback, we can emphasize the pass game. With a great offensive line and running backs, we can employ our multiple run game. If a system is one dimensional and limited, you are unable to utilize your strengths."
The quarterback spot will be as competitive as any on the team in the spring as the Owls seek to find their primary field general among several capable candidates. Three sophomores -- Colin Clancy, Joe DeSanzo and Shane Kelly -- saw action under center as true freshmen in 2005. The trio will compete with Jarrett Dunston, a mid-year transfer signee that was the top rated postgraduate quarterback in the nation by Rivals.
DeSanzo saw the most extensive action in 2005, playing in four games and earning three starts. He is penciled-in atop the depth chart after completing 24 of 54 passes for 212 yards. Clancy played in five contests, connecting on 10 of 19 aerials for 121 yards and a score. Kelly competed in one game, completing two of six passes for 18 yards at Wisconsin.
The quarterback will be behind an offensive line that has a pair of returning starters in senior OT Elliot Seifert and sophomore center Alex Derenthal. Seifert, a two-year starter, has proven himself a leader both on and off the field. A biology major that is very active in community service, he was a 2005 Philadelphia Inquirer Academic All-Area selection after earning Big East All-Academic Team honors in 2003 and 2004. Derenthal earned Honorable Mention Freshman All-America accolades from The Sporting News last season after playing virtually every snap as a redshirt freshman.
First-year offensive line coach Bob Bicknell, a former Boston College tight end who spent the past five seasons as an offensive coordinator in NFL Europe, is looking forward to seeing which players display a "nasty streak" and a sense of urgency. He expects to see it from senior Tariq Sanders and sophomore Jabari Ferguson. Sanders, a projected starter at guard, was sidelined all of last season with a leg injury after serving as a starter in 2004. Ferguson played in 10 games as a redshirt freshman in 2005 and is being counted on to be the primary protector of the quarterback's blind side.
Sophomores Dwavon Battle, Brison Manor and Sean Satchell are former defensive linemen that will be given every opportunity to display their wares as competitors. Junior Evan Margulies, who sat out last season after transferring from Kansas State, and redshirt freshman Carl Spitale also figure in the mix on the offensive front. Senior Leigh Denman, who missed last season with a hip injury, is unlikely to practice in the spring while rehabilitating the injury but expected to return in the fall.
Temple enters spring drills with just two scholarship tight ends on the roster, as sophomore Leyon Azubuike has returned to the defensive side at outside linebacker. Sophomore Ben Hendy, who started six games as a true freshman last season and made two catches for 26 yards, is primary playmaker at the position. He is joined by redshirt freshman Bill McGrath. Andrew Dees, a former Syracuse captain who spent the past five seasons as tight ends coach at the University of Buffalo, directs the unit slated to receive additional reinforcement with the arrival of two highly-touted recruits in the fall.
The backfield looks to be one of the strengths of the offense with the return of experienced performers Tim Brown, Josh Bundy and Mike Neal. The ball-carriers are under the tutelage of former West Virginia and Penn State running back Jeff Nixon, who spent the last three years at Tennessee-Chattanooga, directing the running backs and special teams. Nixon can't wait to put on the pads in the spring and find the player "who identifies himself as our big play guy."
Brown is a prime candidate. After starting 10 games in 2004, he sat out all of last season under academic guidelines. A shifty runner with a low center of gravity, Brown carried 108 times for 432 yards and two touchdowns as a first-year junior. He also proved valuable in the passing game, making 33 catches for 199 yards and one score. He is joined at running back by mid-year postgraduate transfer Jason Harper, a New Jersey native who was the seventh best running back prospect in the state of Virginia according to Scouts, Inc.
Bundy, a local product from Ambler, Pa., is a physical player who started six games at fullback last season, while playing in all 11 contests and on special teams. He carried 16 times for 39 yards and three touchdowns while also catching three passes for 22 yards. Bundy is joined by junior Mike Neal, who is experienced at both fullback and tailback. Neal played in the first three games in 2005 and had just eight touches before being sidelined with a leg injury.
The receiving corps, which returns six experienced letterwinners, must be playmakers in Temple's spread offense concepts. First-year coach Ryan Day, a record-setting quarterback at New Hampshire who served as a graduate assistant coach at the University of Florida last season under Urban Meyer, directs the unit. Day is looking for complete players who can not only go up and get the ball, but also excel at completing their assignments in the run game.
Senior Domerio Hamilton and sophomore Travis Shelton enter spring drills having made the most positive impression. Hamilton played in all 11 games as a first-year junior last season and made three starts en route to six receptions for 90 yards and one touchdown. Shelton was redshirted last season to concentrate on academics after making four grabs for 77 yards and a score as a true freshman in 2004, while also returning kickoffs. A "sudden" player with explosive capability, Shelton possesses rare speed for any program.
The most experienced wide receiver on the roster is senior Jamel Harris, who started all 11 games last season and made 20 receptions for 241 yards. Harris has made 44 career receptions for 558 yards in 31 contests. Fellow upperclassmen Mike Holley and Nick Santa Cruz also bring experience to the position. Holley, a former starting cornerback, has not seen game action since 2003. Santa Cruz, a mighty-mite who also functions as a return specialist, had six receptions for 76 yards as a first-year junior in 2005.
Sophomore Bruce Francis and redshirt freshman Maurice Clark are also in the mix. Francis, a native of Sicklerville, N.J., played in the final five games as a true freshman last season and caught 14 passes for 133 yards. Depth will be added in the fall, when three freshmen signees arrive.
Defense
The Temple defense has three returning starters among 20 letterwinners. It is under the leadership of New Jersey native and former Penn State letterwinner Mark D'Onofrio, who spent the past two seasons as a defensive assistant coach at Virginia. A former recruiting coordinator at Rutgers, D'Onofrio not only has strong ties in the region, but to Golden as well. The two were roommates at Penn State and served as team captains on the 1991 squad before working together for the past two years in Charlottesville.
With D'Onofrio calling the shots, Temple will run a 3-4 defense with multiple fronts and coverages.
"We like the flexibility it gives us," said D'Onofrio. "The 3-4 helps us to adjust to all offensive formations. We have the ability to rush three to seven men on every down. It is difficult for the offense to know who is coming."
Despite the fact that the Owls' lost four starters from last season's defensive line it is the area where Golden feels the most confident at the onset of spring. The defensive front is under the leadership of yet another State College product, Matt Rhule, who spent the past three seasons as assistant head coach at Western Carolina. Rhule is seeking to build a foundation this spring based on aggressive play, pride and accountability.
Three players with game experience return at defensive tackle to compete at nose. Second-year senior Neil Dickson has emerged as a leader this winter after playing nine games and making one start last season. He will compete with a pair of sophomores, Terrance Knighton and Alston Smith. Knighton is an imposing figure with a big upside. In his first career start last year, he made 11 tackles and 2.5 TFLs at Navy. Smith played in eight games in a reserve role in 2005.
Sophomore Philip Simpson, who was redshirted last season in order to concentrate on academics, is the only defensive end on the roster with game experience. A former Dade County (Fla.) high school player of the year at quarterback, he played in eight games at end as a true freshman in 2004 and offers great athleticism for a player of his size. He will compete with seniors Doug Morris and David Fatherly and redshirt freshman Devin Tyler. Morris, a former Auburn recruit, was one of Temple's most touted signees in 2005 but was sidelined by injury last year. He has one season of eligibility remaining. Tyler has added 35 pounds since his arrival on North Broad Street and is penciled-in as a starter opposite Morris.
Senior linebacker Ryan Gore is the most experienced player on the roster, having played in all 34 games over the past three seasons. In 2005, the Philadelphia native made 60 tackles in 10 starts. He will be counted heavily upon by first year linebackers coach Mike Siravo, a former Boston College linebacker who spent the past three seasons as an assistant at Columbia. Siravo is expecting his players to out-hit and out-hustle their opponents while creating turnovers.
Gore will play outside and will be pressed by first-year sophomore Ryan Herting, a transfer from Pitt. Opposite Gore at the rush outside linebacker position are Azubuike and sophomore Kevin Armstrong. At the position, the pair has the flexibility to rush the passer or drop into coverage. The Owls will often show five linemen, three down with two outside linebackers up to give 5-0 and 5-2 appearances. Azubuike, who played defensive end as a redshirt in 2004, made five starts at tight end last year. Armstrong played in all 11 games, primarily on special teams.
Sophomore Keith Holt, who has gained 10 pounds via off-season strength training, has the athleticism the coaching staff wants at linebacker and will move inside after playing safety last year. The Williamstown, N.J. native played in all 11 games and earned three starts as a true freshman, making 33 tackles. Holt is joined inside by senior Walter Mebane, who has improved his conditioning this off-season after playing in all 11 games as a first-year junior in 2005. Junior Vince Yasenchak brings toughness to the position and will compete inside with sophomore Andrew Coleman, a former walk-on that earned a scholarship.
Seniors Chris Page and Garrett Schultz are returning starters in a secondary that has nine letterwinners and promising depth. The unit is under the leadership of first-year coach Paul Williams, who was a standout defensive back at Delaware and coached the secondary at Western Michigan last year. Schultz started all 11 games last season as a first-year junior and is the team's top returning tackler after making 91 stops (63 solo). He is the starter at left safety. Page made seven starts as a first-year junior in 2005, making 40 total stops, and will man the left cornerback spot.
Senior David Reese, a projected starter at corner last season before being ruled ineligible, will seek to re-gain his starting role. He will be pressed at corner by sophomore Evan Cooper, Jr., the son of the former Philadelphia Eagle, sophomore Georg Coleman and redshirt freshman Nickolas McAllister. Coleman has moved to the defensive side after playing in eight games and making one start at running back as a true freshman last season.
Senior Michael Loveland, a former wide receiver who arrived in Owl Country as a walk-on and earned a scholarship, has also made the switch. He will compete at safety with sophomore Richard Sheppard, redshirt freshman Dominique Harris and mid-year post-graduate transfer Wilbert Brinson. Sheppard, a Philadelphia native, played in all 11 games, primarily on special teams, as a true freshman in 2005.
Special Teams
Special teams, most notably the kicking game, are areas of concern entering spring drills. The Owls lose their primary kicker, two experienced punters, holder and long snapper from last season. Special teams coaching responsibilities are divided amongst the staff. Golden acknowledges that the specialists have been working hard but he is on the lookout for players that will impact the game in a positive manner for the Owls.
Junior Danny Murphy, a former walk-on, is the only kicker with college game experience. He has played in six contests over the past two seasons but has attempted just one field goal, a missed try at West Virginia in 2004. He will compete with Jake Brownell, a South Jersey native who both punts and kicks. Brownell transferred to Temple last fall from Navy and sat out under transfer rules. Senior walk-on Mike Pettinelli from West Chester, Pa., is also in the mix.
Temple has multiple options in terms of return men, as several players on the roster have plied the trade in past seasons. Auditions for returners should provide some of the most heated competition in the spring. Shelton averaged 20.4 yards on 13 kickoff returns as a true freshman in 2004 and Coleman returned 14 kickoffs last year. Brown, Page, Santa Cruz and Schultz are also experienced on kickoffs. On punt returns, both Brown and Santa Cruz have proved effective in game action.
The Final Word
Temple will hold 15 spring practices per NCAA guidelines, beginning on Monday, March 27 and culminating with the annual Cherry & White game on Saturday, April 22, at the Ambler Sports Complex. In addition to the spring game, three sessions will be open to the public. Practices are open to the media with prior arrangements through the Office of Sports Media Relations. Temple football alumni, Xtra Point Club members and high school coaches are welcome at all sessions, provided they check-in at Edberg-Olson Hall before arriving on the field.
"We have quite a few potential leaders on this team, but few are battle-tested at this point," said Golden. "Some have risen to the top during the latter-stages of the off-season program. We are looking for many others, however, to step up during spring drills. Our players need to learn to expect more from themselves and their teammates. We need to develop leaders at every position and in every class."
