Temple University Athletics
Adam DiMichele: Thanks for 1,000 Days
12.2.08 | Football
Dec. 2, 2008
Complete DiMichele Feature Story in PDF Format 
by Cathy Bongiovi
Quarterback Adam DiMichele has always been very athletic. Throughout his childhood and prep career, he played football, basketball, and baseball.
But as a seven-year-old pee wee player, he almost gave football up forever.
"I was the starting running back. My first game I scored three touchdowns, and I couldn't train anymore after that," DiMichele shared. "It took too long to put the pads on. I was so small, When you're that young, the pads are just killers. Everything just took too long, I was so used to playing baseball and basketball where everything was so quick. So after the first game, I just gave it up. I'm not a football player. At that young age, I didn't think football was for me."
Thanks to an English teacher-- Ron Butschle--who happened to also be the football coach at Sto-Rox High School, DiMichele was lured back onto the gridiron.
"I didn't play legitimate football until eighth grade," DiMichele said. "I kind of got forced into playing by my English teacher. He said he wanted me to be the quarterback. I came out to play, but I really didn't want to do it. He asked me to do it as a favor to him. It just grew on me."
DiMichele had an outstanding high school career. He finished as all-time WPIAL passing leader with 6,471 yards, surpassing legends Dan Marino, Joe Montana, and Joe Namath. One of the most accomplished high school athletes in the history of Pennsylvania, DiMichele earned first-team All-State honors in three sports, while being cited as the state Player of the Year in both football and basketball. Sto-Rox went 105-15 during his four years on the hardwood and played in three WPIAL title games, winning two state championships.
After signing to play football with Penn State, DiMichele had a change of heart. He wanted to play baseball. Because he wasn't released to play at another Division I school, he decided to go to Okaloosa-Walton Junior College in Niceville, Fla.
"Well, I don't want to sound selfish, but it was the quickest way to the professional ranks," he shared. "And with my size coming out of high school, I wasn't the biggest. I know I could have gotten stronger, but I thought it was my best opportunity. It was where my gut led me."
After just one season, DiMichele's dream came true--he was drafted in 2005 by the Toronto Blue Jays.
"It was exciting during the whole process. There were five or six teams calling me," DiMichele recalled. "My parents and my family were excited about it. But I figured I wasn't going to sign. The money situation was different from what I wanted and what they wanted to give. And it was later in the draft, which was understandable. But I can always tell people that I've been drafted. It was an exciting time for me and my family, but obviously it led me to a different sport, a different route."
Thanks to his younger brother Alex, Adam took a different route alright, Interstate 95 north to Philadelphia, the City of Brotherly Love.
"Alex is probably three-fourths of the reason why I'm here," DiMichele said. "Once I told him I wanted to get into football again, his eyes lit up. He gave the coaches my film. He was looking out for me."
One of Dominic and Natalie DiMichele's seven children, DiMichele landed on the North Broad Street campus during Al Golden's first year. He is a three-year starter at quarterback for the Owls and two-time team captain. Last fall, DiMichele threw three fourth-quarter touchdowns to lead Temple to a come-from-behind win at Akron. He guided the Owls to three consecutive wins, their most in the three prior seasons combined, before suffering a season-ending broken leg in the win over Miami.
"I heard it snap. I know it sounds gruesome," DiMichele said of the injury. "But when you hear something like that and you feel pain that you've never felt before, there are a whole lot of thoughts racing through your mind. You're thinking about your future; I didn't know if it was my last game."
After successful surgery and months of grueling rehab, the 2007 team MVP returned as the starter under center again this fall--his final season in the Cherry & White. In the season opener at Army, DiMichele senior looked like he hadn't missed a step, finishing 15-of-22 for 159 yards and two touchdowns, en route to the coaches' offensive player of the game honor.
On the opening drive at nationally ranked Penn State, DiMichele was sacked and sustained a shoulder injury that would force him to miss the next three games.
He made a triumphant return against Ohio. Down 10-0 in the fourth quarter, DiMichele orchestrated a come-from-behind victory with two scoring drives. He threw a five-yard pass to TE Steve Maneri with 1:51 remaining for the game-winning touchdown.
At Navy, DiMichele went 21-of-28 for a career-high 340 yards and three touchdowns. He opened play with a perfect six-for-six in passing, including a four-yard touchdown reception to TE Steve Maneri in the opening drive. He also threw two 49-yard TD passes to WR Bruce Francis in the third quarter, the longest this season. Once again, he earned the coaches' offensive player of the game honor. "When you sit back and think about how your career was in doubt and now it's winding down, and all the things you've been through with this program and the coaching staff, the guys that have left and the seniors we have now, being named the team MVP and captain is something really special to me, and I`ll carry with me my entire life," he reflected.
On Temple's career charts, DiMichele will finish third in 200-yard passing games and fourth in passing yardage. But his heart and dedication will be reflected far beyond the record books.
"I know there are guys on this team that I'll be friends with for the rest of my life. Just being around these guys the last three years, being with them the last 1,000 days, I keep telling them the last 1,000 days, that's pretty crazy and pretty different. They've grown on me. I'm really going to miss a lot of people here, and I hope the feeling's mutual"
But the accomplishments DiMichele is most proud of during his tenure at Temple can't be reflected in statistics or in the team's record.
"Just seeing this team grow as people, and as a team, really caught my eye," he said. "There were guys who were childish and young-minded that have grown into men. When you see the transformation of a team that went 0-11 before we got here to four wins last year and then this year--I don't want to say we should have or we could have, but people do know that we could be and should be 7-3 right now and on be on our way to a bowl game. We just couldn't finish the season out."
"This could be the first year-- as Coach Golden has told us-- in the history of the program where we've been competitive. I know it's not about competitive; it's about performance and wins and losses in this game. We've been competitive in every single game, winning or losing by 10 points or less (except for Penn State). That's never happened before. I just hope that carries over to next year's team. I think it will."
While DiMichele's collegiate football career will end against Akron, his leadership and influence will remain at Temple.
"I can't say it strongly enough - I love Adam DiMichele," head coach Al Golden said. "He's a special person."
Offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Matt Rhule, who has worked with DiMichele throughout his career, agrees.
"Adam will go down as one of the great leaders in the program," Rhule said. "I think he's done everything he can every single day since he's been here to turn this program around and to bring leadership, to bring energy, to bring enthusiasm, to instill a work ethic. Every great thing you see from this team from here on out will be a direct result of his influence."
Even Penn State coach Joe Paterno, who recruited DiMichele, agrees that DiMichele is the Owls' energetic signal caller.
"He's the leader, he's the guy that runs show, he makes the plays. He creates the tempo of the ball game for them. This kid's a good football player. I liked him in high school. I watched him play football; watched him play some basketball. Good student. The whole bit."
Now that football is over, one question remains-- will DiMichele ever return to baseball?
"I don't know what my plans are, and I don't know what the future has in store for me," DiMichele shared. "It's a possibility. I'm never going to close the door on that, because I think I can still throw a baseball."
While he won't graduate until May, the sport & recreation management major has already started thanking everyone involved with his Temple experience, beginning with his younger brother Alex.
"He was actually one of the main reasons I'm here, and I can't thank him enough."
But DiMichele doesn't stop there.
"I've met a lot of great people here," he said. "Those people have obviously played a pivotal role in my life, and I'll remember them."
And the people who helped him get back to the playing field following his injuries.
"The training staff here-- Dwight Stansbury, Dr. Ray Moyer, and Mike Paglia who rehabbed my leg--brought me back in the time that they said and maybe a little early. I can't thank them enough throughout this whole process."
And, of course, his family.
"They are who I play for; they're my drive and why I try to do so well on the field and why I want to succeed in the classroom, why I want to be looked upon as a leader."
"It's been a long road, and it's dwindling down," DiMichele continued. "You look back at all the different moments you've spent here at Temple University, and all the things you've been through, the ups and the downs, the ups and the downs, all the people you've met, and it all comes down to family. I know my family has my back and the guys here and the coaching staff here would do anything for me."
And DiMichele would do anything for them, too. Thanks, No. 13, for 1,000 days.
