Temple University Athletics
2010 MAC Media Day in Detroit
Temple Predicted to Finish First in MAC Play
7.30.10 | Football
Owls Open the 2010 Season with Villanova on Sept. 3
Photo Gallery
DETROIT – The Temple Owl football team has been selected to finish first in the East Division of the Mid-American Conference this fall. The preseason poll, determined by 20 members of the league's media contingent, was announced at the annual MAC Football Media Day on Friday at Ford Field.
Temple garnered 17 first-place votes en route to the top of the poll in the MAC East Division. The Owls return 56 letter winners and 16 starters from last year's 9-4 team that finished 7-1 in the MAC. The East Division Co-Champions earned a bid to the EagleBank Bowl.
Leading the way on offense for fifth-year head coach Al Golden is sophomore All-American and Heisman Trophy candidate Bernard Pierce at running back. Pierce, the 2009 MAC Freshman of the Year, led the conference with 1,361 yards rushing while rewriting the school records books in several categories, including rushing touchdowns with 16. Temple also has three All-MAC offensive linemen in junior center John Palumbo, senior right guard Colin Madison, and senior right tackle Darius Morris.
The defense returns five All-MAC selections from 2009 including the MAC Defensive Player of the Year, senior defensive end Adrian Robinson. Robinson racked up 13 sacks last year and is joined by returning All-MAC players junior tackle Muhammad Wilkerson, senior linebackers Elijah Joseph and Amara Kamara and senior safety Jaiquawn Jarrett. All-MAC kick returner James Nixon is back on special teams with kicker Brandon McManus and punter Jeff Wathne.
Temple also received 11 votes to win the Marathon MAC Football Championship Game.
The Northern Illinois Huskies were selected to win the West Division.
Following the Owls, Ohio was tabbed second, followed by Kent State and Bowling Green. Miami was fifth, while Buffalo and Akron rounded out the East Division selections.
In the West, Central Michigan was selected second. Western Michigan was tabbed to finish third, while Toledo was picked to end the season in fourth. Ball State and Eastern Michigan rounded out this year's poll in the fifth and sixth slots, respectively.
Temple opens the 2010 season on Friday, Sept. 3 with Villanova at 5 p.m. in the second annual Mayor's Cup at Lincoln Financial Field.
Temple football season tickets are on sale now for as low as $90, and can be purchased by calling the Temple Ticket Office at 215-204-8499. Fans are encouraged to visit www.OwlsTix.com for full season ticket pricing information
2010 MAC FOOTBALL PRESEASON POLL
EAST DIVISION
1. TEMPLE (17) 137
2. Ohio (3) 116
3. Kent State 94
4. Bowling Green 74
5. Miami 53
6. Buffalo 48
7. Akron 38
WEST DIVISION
1. Northern Illinois (15) 115
2. Central Michigan (3) 183
3. Western Michigan (2) 77
4. Toledo 75
5. Ball State 50
6. Eastern Michigan 20
Marathon MAC Championship Game Winner
Temple 11, Northern Illinois 5, Ohio 1 (three voters did not choose a winner for MAC Championship)
TEMPLE QUOTES
Al Golden, head coach
On being the favorite to win the MAC:
“It means we're relevant. That's all it means. We have to prove it on the field. I know that this is our most talented team. But the best players don't always make the best team. The best team always wins. We have to make sure that we're not just a bunch of talented individuals, and that we come together as a team. I think our kids have done a good job with that.”
“If I have to reflect back on the program, I would have to say that the two things that stand out for me and the five core coaches that have been with me since ground zero have been pivotal in success of recruiting in the local area. Without them, we don't turn this program around. Then the players themselves. I think the student-athletes-- to buy in and to have belief without evidence is not easy, and I think a lot of the credit goes to them.”
On Heisman Trophy candidate Bernard Pierce:
“He's an excellent player. He's also been the benefactor of coming into a very experienced, very strong offensive line. I can remember three years ago when we had tackles that weighed 260 and our guards weighed 280. We average 324 (lbs.) up front right now. We're strong, and we're long. He knows he's the benefactor of that. But it's well-deserved. When you have this type of talent, all we're doing is what you should be doing when you have this type of talent. He's a special running back. Obviously, if you want to be the type of program we want to build, you want to be on these lists. Jaiquawn Jarrett hopefully will be on the Thorpe Award list. Adrian (Robinson) and Muhammad (Wilkerson) have already made national lists. We want to be TCU. We want to be Utah. We want to be one of those types of teams.”
On defense:
“We built the program on defense. We felt that was the quickest way for us to turn the program around and most particularly to compete in this conference was on the defensive side. Hopefully this is the first year our offense catches up to our defense. That would be great if that happens, because then we'd have all three phases cone together. We haven't had that.”
Jaiquawn Jarrett, DB
What does it mean to go through this program from the beginning and now be picked to win the MAC:
“Going through the seasons all four years has been really tough. We suffered some heart-breaking losses to now being picked to win the MAC. It's an honor. It feels good to be picked to win the MAC. But I also know that games aren't won on paper. I've been around a while, and there have been games we were picked to win and we lost. We just have to take it one game at a time.”
Bernard Pierce, RB
On Heisman hype:
“It's an honor to be a candidate for Heisman. I never thought I would come to college and see myself be a candidate. The hype in Philadelphia and all around is big. If it does happen, it happens, and I'll be very grateful for it. As far as the season goes, I'm not letting it get to me. I'm just staying focused on my team and the season.”
The 2009 season was successful but didn't end the way you wanted. What are your goals for this season?
“We did want to win that bowl game (against UCLA) real badly and that last game of the year (at Ohio) to play in the MAC Championship. Saying that, I could have contributed a little bit more. I had been out. I've been worried about staying healthy. I've been doing a lot more shoulder work and a lot of extra work to keep my body in shape and durable for this year. It would be nice to get to the MAC Championship game this year.”
DETROIT – The Temple Owl football team has been selected to finish first in the East Division of the Mid-American Conference this fall. The preseason poll, determined by 20 members of the league's media contingent, was announced at the annual MAC Football Media Day on Friday at Ford Field.
Temple garnered 17 first-place votes en route to the top of the poll in the MAC East Division. The Owls return 56 letter winners and 16 starters from last year's 9-4 team that finished 7-1 in the MAC. The East Division Co-Champions earned a bid to the EagleBank Bowl.
Leading the way on offense for fifth-year head coach Al Golden is sophomore All-American and Heisman Trophy candidate Bernard Pierce at running back. Pierce, the 2009 MAC Freshman of the Year, led the conference with 1,361 yards rushing while rewriting the school records books in several categories, including rushing touchdowns with 16. Temple also has three All-MAC offensive linemen in junior center John Palumbo, senior right guard Colin Madison, and senior right tackle Darius Morris.
The defense returns five All-MAC selections from 2009 including the MAC Defensive Player of the Year, senior defensive end Adrian Robinson. Robinson racked up 13 sacks last year and is joined by returning All-MAC players junior tackle Muhammad Wilkerson, senior linebackers Elijah Joseph and Amara Kamara and senior safety Jaiquawn Jarrett. All-MAC kick returner James Nixon is back on special teams with kicker Brandon McManus and punter Jeff Wathne.
Temple also received 11 votes to win the Marathon MAC Football Championship Game.
The Northern Illinois Huskies were selected to win the West Division.
Following the Owls, Ohio was tabbed second, followed by Kent State and Bowling Green. Miami was fifth, while Buffalo and Akron rounded out the East Division selections.
In the West, Central Michigan was selected second. Western Michigan was tabbed to finish third, while Toledo was picked to end the season in fourth. Ball State and Eastern Michigan rounded out this year's poll in the fifth and sixth slots, respectively.
Temple opens the 2010 season on Friday, Sept. 3 with Villanova at 5 p.m. in the second annual Mayor's Cup at Lincoln Financial Field.
Temple football season tickets are on sale now for as low as $90, and can be purchased by calling the Temple Ticket Office at 215-204-8499. Fans are encouraged to visit www.OwlsTix.com for full season ticket pricing information
2010 MAC FOOTBALL PRESEASON POLL
EAST DIVISION
1. TEMPLE (17) 137
2. Ohio (3) 116
3. Kent State 94
4. Bowling Green 74
5. Miami 53
6. Buffalo 48
7. Akron 38
WEST DIVISION
1. Northern Illinois (15) 115
2. Central Michigan (3) 183
3. Western Michigan (2) 77
4. Toledo 75
5. Ball State 50
6. Eastern Michigan 20
Marathon MAC Championship Game Winner
Temple 11, Northern Illinois 5, Ohio 1 (three voters did not choose a winner for MAC Championship)
TEMPLE QUOTES
Al Golden, head coach
On being the favorite to win the MAC:
“It means we're relevant. That's all it means. We have to prove it on the field. I know that this is our most talented team. But the best players don't always make the best team. The best team always wins. We have to make sure that we're not just a bunch of talented individuals, and that we come together as a team. I think our kids have done a good job with that.”
“If I have to reflect back on the program, I would have to say that the two things that stand out for me and the five core coaches that have been with me since ground zero have been pivotal in success of recruiting in the local area. Without them, we don't turn this program around. Then the players themselves. I think the student-athletes-- to buy in and to have belief without evidence is not easy, and I think a lot of the credit goes to them.”
On Heisman Trophy candidate Bernard Pierce:
“He's an excellent player. He's also been the benefactor of coming into a very experienced, very strong offensive line. I can remember three years ago when we had tackles that weighed 260 and our guards weighed 280. We average 324 (lbs.) up front right now. We're strong, and we're long. He knows he's the benefactor of that. But it's well-deserved. When you have this type of talent, all we're doing is what you should be doing when you have this type of talent. He's a special running back. Obviously, if you want to be the type of program we want to build, you want to be on these lists. Jaiquawn Jarrett hopefully will be on the Thorpe Award list. Adrian (Robinson) and Muhammad (Wilkerson) have already made national lists. We want to be TCU. We want to be Utah. We want to be one of those types of teams.”
On defense:
“We built the program on defense. We felt that was the quickest way for us to turn the program around and most particularly to compete in this conference was on the defensive side. Hopefully this is the first year our offense catches up to our defense. That would be great if that happens, because then we'd have all three phases cone together. We haven't had that.”
Jaiquawn Jarrett, DB
What does it mean to go through this program from the beginning and now be picked to win the MAC:
“Going through the seasons all four years has been really tough. We suffered some heart-breaking losses to now being picked to win the MAC. It's an honor. It feels good to be picked to win the MAC. But I also know that games aren't won on paper. I've been around a while, and there have been games we were picked to win and we lost. We just have to take it one game at a time.”
Bernard Pierce, RB
On Heisman hype:
“It's an honor to be a candidate for Heisman. I never thought I would come to college and see myself be a candidate. The hype in Philadelphia and all around is big. If it does happen, it happens, and I'll be very grateful for it. As far as the season goes, I'm not letting it get to me. I'm just staying focused on my team and the season.”
The 2009 season was successful but didn't end the way you wanted. What are your goals for this season?
“We did want to win that bowl game (against UCLA) real badly and that last game of the year (at Ohio) to play in the MAC Championship. Saying that, I could have contributed a little bit more. I had been out. I've been worried about staying healthy. I've been doing a lot more shoulder work and a lot of extra work to keep my body in shape and durable for this year. It would be nice to get to the MAC Championship game this year.”
Ep. 29: Last Episode of First Semester from David & Amelia
Wednesday, December 17
MBB Press Conference vs. Saint Francis (Adam Fisher)
Sunday, December 14
MBB Press Conference vs. Saint Francis (Derrian Ford & Gavin Griffiths)
Sunday, December 14
Ep. 28: Vice President/Debbie & Stanley Lefkowitz '65 Director of Athletics Arthur Johnson
Friday, December 12
