Temple University Athletics
Temple Talk Series
6.14.22 | Football
PHILADELPHIA – This spring, under the direction of newly minted head coach Stan Drayton, the Temple Football team began a speaker series to educate, motivate and engage the current student-athletes.
"Everyone has a chance to see the work these young men do on the football field each Saturday in the fall," said Drayton. "Our job as coaches, though, is to mold them not just on the field but off the field as well. I've worked with national champions and Hall of Famers, but I'm just as excited to see these young men grow into husbands and fathers and family providers. It's important to me to provide all the tools and experiences to succeed in life."
Some speakers had previously walked in their shoes. Some have been around the program in recent years and the players were familiar with their stories. All had valuable messages, and all had the undivided attention of everyone in the room.
Paul Palmer, who has been the Temple radio color analyst for the past nine seasons, is a familiar face. He also knows this program as well as anyone, following it closely since his playing days in the 1980s. He is also the most decorated player in school history as a 1986 Heisman Trophy runner up and the only player in Temple history to be enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame.
"It's not easy doing what we do," was Palmer's message to the team. "If it was easy, then anybody would do it!"
This spring Haason Reddick returned to Philadelphia signing a three-year deal with the Eagles. A former first-round selection of the Arizona Cardinals in 2017, the NFL Draft that was held on the Art Museum steps right here in Philadelphia, Reddick played four years in Arizona before spending the 2021 season in Carolina. One of the best edge rushers in the NFL, Reddick honed his skills at Temple and his return to the city has made him a fixture at 10th & Diamond.
Reddick has been around the team regularly but during his Temple Talk session his message was clear. "You gotta work hard. It's that simple. You can't say you want to go do something and not dedicate yourself to it."
"I sat in these same seats that you are all in right now. The culture that I came from, we work hard."
Vad Lee was the quarterback at James Madison University from 2014-15 where he played for head coach Everett Withers, now the chief of staff at Temple Football. In his first season at JMU, Lee led the Dukes to a 9-3 record and a berth in the 2014 FCS Playoffs. Along the way, Lee would go on to set JMU's single-game passing, completion percentage, single-season touchdown, passing and total-offense record. In 2015, Lee set a Division 1 record by becoming the first player to both run and pass for 275 yards in a single game. After a 7-0 start to the season, Lee suffered a broken foot during the fourth quarter of a 59-49 loss against Richmond. During the game, Lee tied JMU's all-time passing touchdown record with 51 career touchdowns, across just 21 games. Lee was forced to undergo surgery for his foot, ending his final college season.
Lee talked to the team about the importance of seizing the moment and making each day count. "Your character is on the line daily. You can live your life building up your character and then make one bad decision and all of a sudden your character is in question. That proves it's on the line every single day."
Former Temple football player Dan Van Norton's message resonated with many of the players in the room. Van Norton was an Owl from 2009-13 and has gone on to work as the Senior Manager, Football Development for the National Football League. He currently leads the NFL's college relations efforts and works with many team son their initiatives that drive youth and high school football participation.
"Everything that I learned on that football field, I apply to my job now. Being responsible, taking ownership, being accountable and delayed gratification," was Van Norton's message. "You're number will be called at some point. Will you be ready?"
Another former Owl, Keien Williams, led a financial fundamentals session with Kevin Crosby, a financial advisor. While the two work for Merrill Lynch, the session focused on financial literacy and was not a sales pitch for the company. The intent was to make the current Owls aware of how to balance a budget and what their individual financial responsibilities might be when they graduate and are on their own.
This eye opening segment explained how to set goals, create a budget, manage debts and credits, prepare for the future, and build an emergency fund. For many it won't be long before they are making financial decisions for the first time as the head of household.
The players had the chance to hear from three members of the Temple Athletics' staff who specialize in some of the hottest topics surrounding college athletics right now. Dr. Stephany Coakley, Senior Associate AD/Mental Health, drove home the point that you cannot separate your mind and body, that mental health affects your physical performance; Alyssa Drachslin, Coordinator for Leadership and Professional Development, continued educating them on what is important in their transition from student-athlete into the professional business world; and Vaughan Moss, Assistant AD/Digital Media & Branding, who dove into the topic of Name, Image, and Likeness.
Temple's current student athletes enjoyed the interactive speaker series and feel that it was educational and entertaining. Drayton plans to continue providing these opportunities and will make it a signature event in the offseason program.
"Everyone has a chance to see the work these young men do on the football field each Saturday in the fall," said Drayton. "Our job as coaches, though, is to mold them not just on the field but off the field as well. I've worked with national champions and Hall of Famers, but I'm just as excited to see these young men grow into husbands and fathers and family providers. It's important to me to provide all the tools and experiences to succeed in life."
Some speakers had previously walked in their shoes. Some have been around the program in recent years and the players were familiar with their stories. All had valuable messages, and all had the undivided attention of everyone in the room.
Paul Palmer, who has been the Temple radio color analyst for the past nine seasons, is a familiar face. He also knows this program as well as anyone, following it closely since his playing days in the 1980s. He is also the most decorated player in school history as a 1986 Heisman Trophy runner up and the only player in Temple history to be enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame.
"It's not easy doing what we do," was Palmer's message to the team. "If it was easy, then anybody would do it!"
"It's not easy doing what we do. If it was easy, then anybody would do it!"
— Temple Football (@Temple_FB) February 25, 2022
A snippet of Owl legend @PaulPalmer_6's Temple Talk with the team about what it means to be a pro.#TempleTUFF pic.twitter.com/G31jB3FFFr
This spring Haason Reddick returned to Philadelphia signing a three-year deal with the Eagles. A former first-round selection of the Arizona Cardinals in 2017, the NFL Draft that was held on the Art Museum steps right here in Philadelphia, Reddick played four years in Arizona before spending the 2021 season in Carolina. One of the best edge rushers in the NFL, Reddick honed his skills at Temple and his return to the city has made him a fixture at 10th & Diamond.
Reddick has been around the team regularly but during his Temple Talk session his message was clear. "You gotta work hard. It's that simple. You can't say you want to go do something and not dedicate yourself to it."
"I sat in these same seats that you are all in right now. The culture that I came from, we work hard."
Work hard. That was the message from Temple Alum @Haason7Reddick to the team today 😤
— Temple Football (@Temple_FB) March 21, 2022
#TempleTUFF #FlyEaglesFly pic.twitter.com/lTOOGOfeAq
Vad Lee was the quarterback at James Madison University from 2014-15 where he played for head coach Everett Withers, now the chief of staff at Temple Football. In his first season at JMU, Lee led the Dukes to a 9-3 record and a berth in the 2014 FCS Playoffs. Along the way, Lee would go on to set JMU's single-game passing, completion percentage, single-season touchdown, passing and total-offense record. In 2015, Lee set a Division 1 record by becoming the first player to both run and pass for 275 yards in a single game. After a 7-0 start to the season, Lee suffered a broken foot during the fourth quarter of a 59-49 loss against Richmond. During the game, Lee tied JMU's all-time passing touchdown record with 51 career touchdowns, across just 21 games. Lee was forced to undergo surgery for his foot, ending his final college season.
Lee talked to the team about the importance of seizing the moment and making each day count. "Your character is on the line daily. You can live your life building up your character and then make one bad decision and all of a sudden your character is in question. That proves it's on the line every single day."
#CHARACTER ….It Matters!!!! Especially in the face of adversity! We all have our breaking points, but it's important that we evaluate our character EVERY SINGLE DAY!!!! 🗣 @Temple_FB #PurposeOverPosition #VadTalk #FromTheInsideOut #Character #PopTour #TempleTUFF #SpeakLife pic.twitter.com/tVi5RhJC6g
— Vad Lee (@_VL2) April 1, 2022
Former Temple football player Dan Van Norton's message resonated with many of the players in the room. Van Norton was an Owl from 2009-13 and has gone on to work as the Senior Manager, Football Development for the National Football League. He currently leads the NFL's college relations efforts and works with many team son their initiatives that drive youth and high school football participation.
"Everything that I learned on that football field, I apply to my job now. Being responsible, taking ownership, being accountable and delayed gratification," was Van Norton's message. "You're number will be called at some point. Will you be ready?"
Another former Owl, Keien Williams, led a financial fundamentals session with Kevin Crosby, a financial advisor. While the two work for Merrill Lynch, the session focused on financial literacy and was not a sales pitch for the company. The intent was to make the current Owls aware of how to balance a budget and what their individual financial responsibilities might be when they graduate and are on their own.
This eye opening segment explained how to set goals, create a budget, manage debts and credits, prepare for the future, and build an emergency fund. For many it won't be long before they are making financial decisions for the first time as the head of household.
The players had the chance to hear from three members of the Temple Athletics' staff who specialize in some of the hottest topics surrounding college athletics right now. Dr. Stephany Coakley, Senior Associate AD/Mental Health, drove home the point that you cannot separate your mind and body, that mental health affects your physical performance; Alyssa Drachslin, Coordinator for Leadership and Professional Development, continued educating them on what is important in their transition from student-athlete into the professional business world; and Vaughan Moss, Assistant AD/Digital Media & Branding, who dove into the topic of Name, Image, and Likeness.
Prioritize the mind. That was part of the message from Dr. Stephany Coakley, Senior Associate AD for Mental Health during her Temple Talk with the team last month.#TempleTUFF @TUOwlsWellness pic.twitter.com/UVKQoaUhDl
— Temple Football (@Temple_FB) April 25, 2022
Temple's current student athletes enjoyed the interactive speaker series and feel that it was educational and entertaining. Drayton plans to continue providing these opportunities and will make it a signature event in the offseason program.
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