Temple University Athletics
Kyle Friend Added to NFLPA Collegiate Bowl
1.20.16 | Football
PHILADELPHIA – Temple senior offensive lineman Kyle Friend has been selected to play in the 2016 NFLPA Collegiate Bowl. The game will take place this Saturday, January 23, from California State University Dominguez Hills' StubHub Center in Carson, Calif. Kickoff is set for 3:00 p.m. (6:00 p.m. ET) and the game will air live on ESPN2.
Friend was a four-year starter and three-time captain for Temple. The Carlisle, Pa., native held the team's longest streak of starts (41) and games played (43) through eight games of the 2015 season before suffering a knee injury in the second quarter of the Owls' nationally-televised game against #9 Notre Dame. Despite an injury that would keep him sidelined for the next four games, Friend finished that game on a torn MCL. He returned to the starting lineup for the American Athletic Conference Championship game at #19 Houston and the Marmot Boca Raton Bowl against Toledo.
Friend earned first team All-American Athletic Conference honors in 2015 and had back-to-back years on the Rimington Trophy Watch List. His performance off the field was also noteworthy, as he was a three-time conference All-Academic honoree, a Senior CLASS Award finalist, and a semifinalist for the National Football Foundation's Campbell Trophy (given to the nation's top scholar-athlete) while completing his degree in business management in three and a half years.
Friend was selected to play on the NFLPA's "National Team" led by former Rams' coach Mike Martz. Martz was the head coach in St. Louis from 2000-2005 but is perhaps best known for being the offensive coordinator behind the Rams' "Greatest Show on Turf" Super Bowl-winning season in 1999. He also served in a variety of NFL offensive coaching and coordinator roles with the Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams (1992-1996, 1999), Washington Redskins (1997-1998), Detroit Lions (2006-2007), San Francisco 49ers (2008) and Chicago Bears (2010-2011).
Coaching Friend on the offensive line will be Hall of Famer Jackie Slater. Slater capped a 20-year NFL career (all with the Rams) in 1995 and was selected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2001. The seven-time Pro Bowler had his number "78" retired by the Rams. He is currently the offensive line coach at Azusa Pacific University.
Friend was a four-year starter and three-time captain for Temple. The Carlisle, Pa., native held the team's longest streak of starts (41) and games played (43) through eight games of the 2015 season before suffering a knee injury in the second quarter of the Owls' nationally-televised game against #9 Notre Dame. Despite an injury that would keep him sidelined for the next four games, Friend finished that game on a torn MCL. He returned to the starting lineup for the American Athletic Conference Championship game at #19 Houston and the Marmot Boca Raton Bowl against Toledo.
Friend earned first team All-American Athletic Conference honors in 2015 and had back-to-back years on the Rimington Trophy Watch List. His performance off the field was also noteworthy, as he was a three-time conference All-Academic honoree, a Senior CLASS Award finalist, and a semifinalist for the National Football Foundation's Campbell Trophy (given to the nation's top scholar-athlete) while completing his degree in business management in three and a half years.
Friend was selected to play on the NFLPA's "National Team" led by former Rams' coach Mike Martz. Martz was the head coach in St. Louis from 2000-2005 but is perhaps best known for being the offensive coordinator behind the Rams' "Greatest Show on Turf" Super Bowl-winning season in 1999. He also served in a variety of NFL offensive coaching and coordinator roles with the Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams (1992-1996, 1999), Washington Redskins (1997-1998), Detroit Lions (2006-2007), San Francisco 49ers (2008) and Chicago Bears (2010-2011).
Coaching Friend on the offensive line will be Hall of Famer Jackie Slater. Slater capped a 20-year NFL career (all with the Rams) in 1995 and was selected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2001. The seven-time Pro Bowler had his number "78" retired by the Rams. He is currently the offensive line coach at Azusa Pacific University.
Players Mentioned
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