Temple University Athletics
Spring Football Practice Gets Underway
3.26.07 | Football
March 26, 2007
Al Golden Audio | Adam DiMichele Audio
PHILADELPHIA - The Temple football program held its first practice of the spring season today on the Sprint Turf surface of Chodoff Field at the Edberg-Olson Hall Football Complex. The Owls held an 18 period session in helmets in shorts under the supervision of second-year head coach Al Golden.
Today's session officially marked the team's first official practice as a full member of the Mid-American Conference. The Owls will compete in the MAC's East Division with Akron, Bowling Green, Buffalo, Kent State, Miami and Ohio. Against MAC foes in 2006, TU averaged 12.2 more points per game and averaged 37.7 more yards. The team also displayed significant positive differences in penalties, third down conversions, defensive sacks and red zone offense.
Forty-four players with game day experience took the field for the Owls today. Twenty-four reside on offense, with 19 playing defense and one serving as a specialist. The group has accrued 499 games played among them. As such, the average experience of Temple's returnees is 11.3 games, approximately one full season. This field experience was augmented by the team's extensive off-season conditioning program. Under the leadership of second-year strength coach Tony Decker, players were able to get a minimum of 65 workouts between Monday, Nov. 20, 2006 and today's drills. As a result, a considerable amount of strength and size has been added to the roster.
Among the team's primary objectives this spring are finishing, execution through repetition, and further developing both team power and toughness. Eighty-seven names reside on the spring roster to achieve these goals, including those of seven mid-year enrollees. For the second consecutive year, the Owls inked the top recruiting class in the MAC. After an initial class that was rated best in the league by CollegeFootballNews.com in 2006, this past February's signees received finest in the MAC recognition from Scout.com.
The Owls first contact session of the spring is scheduled for this Saturday, March 31. The annual Cherry & White intra-squad scrimmage is scheduled for Saturday, April 21 at the Ambler (Pa.) Sports Complex.
