Coaching job evaluation: Temple
For two decades, Temple was forced to replace coaches for the normal reasons: not winning enough games. Over the last three seasons, however, Temple has needed to reenter the coaching poll for a different reason altogether: Al Golden and Steve Addazio were lured away, to Miami (Fla.) and Boston College, respectively, because of the solid work they put in over their time with the Owls.
While his tenure was short, only two years, Addazio did a nice job building upon Golden's foundation-building run from 2006-10. Addazio won nine games in 2011, setting a program record for wins by a first-year coach, and then helped the Owls break into the Big East in 2012.
"Steve Addazio has done a tremendous job with Temple Football in his two years at the University, and we wish him nothing but the best," said athletic director Bill Bradshaw. "Temple Football has never been stronger, and I am confident we will be able to attract a high-level pool of candidates for the position and the program will continue its upward momentum."
Temple won only four games this season, in large part due to the increased level of competition. (The Owls played only 11 games after being unable to locate a 12th opponent following the move to the Big East.) But the team was young enough, especially on offense, to expect improvement in 2013.
Addazio's fairly abrupt departure shakes up a program that hoped for increased coaching continuity. More than anything, the hope was that the move to the Big East would make Temple a destination for coaches like Golden and Addazio, not a steppingstone to other, more big-name leagues.
Finding a coach who will view Temple as his "last job" might be high on the school's list of priorities. What does Temple offer? Let's take a look.
What's good about the job:
Most of the hard work has already been done. Temple is no longer the one-win school Golden inherited in 2006; due to Golden and Addazio, the Owls are now a team that will compete for six wins and a bowl berth every season.
The Owls are also in a good spot in terms of conference affiliation. While the Big East has lost several key teams over the last year-plus, the league still retains several longstanding members – for now, perhaps – while adding teams like Boise State, San Diego State and UCF for the 2013 season.
As noted, the Owls are young enough to expect a stronger team in 2013. Temple started only one senior on offense for the season finale against Syracuse; in comparison, the Owls started three freshmen. The youthful growing pains of 2012 will pay dividends in 2013.
What's bad about the job:
Temple plays at Lincoln Financial Field, home of the Philadelphia Eagles, and the lack of an on-campus stadium is a drawback. It's not crippling, but the Owls are behind the eight ball when it comes to drawing tremendous fan support at home games. What impact does that have on Temple's next coach? Put simply, it makes recruiting kids to your program just a bit more difficult than at Temple's Big East rivals.
Temple has an issue on offense: it needs one. Addazio's run-first system worked well in 2011, but the lack of a passing attack to provide balance was the Owls' Achilles heel in 2012. Temple could use a coach with a strong offensive background to help get this offense up to speed.
It just comes with the territory, but Temple's players, especially the seniors, will need to deal with a third coaching change since 2010. What impact does this have on a team? When things are going poorly, sometimes a change can be tremendously beneficial. Temple's stuck in the middle, when things are neither going wonderfully or terribly.
Who are the likely candidates:
It would be nice for Temple to find that sign-me-up candidate – the coach who jumps at the opportunity to call the school home not just for two years but a decade, if not more. (Every school wants this, obviously.) Where does the school look for answers?
The Owls should look for someone just like Addazio, actually, but with one small change. While Addazio's motivational ability and recruiting acumen were major assets, the school could use someone with more offensive ingenuity. Here are a few names Temple should consider:
New York Giants assistant offensive line coach Matt Rhule
Ball State coach Pete Lembo
Miami (Fla.) defensive coordinator Mark D'Onofrio
Navy coach Ken Niumatalolo
Ohio coach Frank Solich
Louisville offensive coordinator Shawn Watson
Michigan State defensive coordinator Pat Narduzzi
Notre Dame defensive coordinator Pat Diaco
Florida International coach Mario Cristobal
The ideal candidates:
Rhule stands out. He coached at Temple for six years, from 2006-11, and was in the mix for the job in 2010, when Addazio replaced Golden. He was one of the key recruiters throughout his time with the program, and helped bring in the players who turned Temple's fortunes around in 2009 and 2010 and those who help form the backbone of this year's current team.
But if Temple wants prior experience as a head coach, it could turn to Ball State's Pete Lembo, who's done fantastic work with the Cardinals, or Navy's Ken Niumatalolo. Florida International's Mario Cristobal would be a great hire despite his team's 3-9 finish, though Temple would need to convince Cristobal to leave Florida.
If Rhule's the pick, the Owls would get a coach familiar with the program and local recruiting base who could give the team an immediate boost on offense. He'll also have the support of the current roster, which can't be overstated.
