Temple University Athletics
Owls Staying The Course After Toledo Setback
10.1.11 | Football
By Kami Mattioli, Owlsports Columnist
PHILADELPHIA -- The first day of October brought with it a cool breeze in South Philadelphia -- enough to cool the Owls offense down after its red-hot showing in last week's 38-7 overpowering of the University of Maryland Terrapins.
Even in the wake of today's 36-13 loss to preseason MAC-favorite Toledo, Temple fans shouldn't fret. There is still ample time to right the ship, according to Owls head coach Steve Addazio.
“College football is fragile,” Addazio said. “One game doesn't define anything. Just like last week, one game didn't define anything -- nor does this week.”
Addazio insists the solution to today's offensive woes is simple: take care of business one week at a time.
“We've got to line up, have a great week of practice, get on the road and play Ball State on the road.”
Consistency is something that Addazio stressed in his post-game press conference. He was adamant that both his and the team's goals have not changed since day one.
“Our goal always has been the same,” he said. “Every goal that has been there since the beginning of the season is flat in front of us.”
“There's nothing gone away.”
Though the team's overall record falls to 3-2 after today's loss, Addazio urges fans and the Temple community to take that statistic for what it is: just a number.
He refuses to let a statistic define his team's performance over the course of a season, and for good reason.
“The entire season is still ahead of [us],” Addazio said.
“We have to understand that nothing's as good or as bad as it seems. Somewhere in the middle is reality.”
What is the reality, then, for Temple?
Next Saturday, the team will take on Ball State in its' first-ever trip to Muncie, Indiana, but between now and then, they'll prepare with a “chip on [their] shoulder[s] and with an edge.”
That's the Temple way.
