Parents of star Temple Owls football player turn up at ESPN College GameDay
Before he got injured in his senior year of high school, Temple University's star linebacker Tyler Matakevich could have gone anywhere to play college football - to coin a well-known former Temple advertising tagline.
Before he got injured in his senior year of high school, Temple University's star linebacker Tyler Matakevich could have gone anywhere to play college football - to coin a well-known former Temple advertising tagline.
But after he broke his foot, the college recruiters stopped calling, his mother, Kim, said Saturday, at ESPN's College GameDay at Independence Mall with Tyler's father, David, and other freckled family members.
As it turned out, Matakevich couldn't have gone anywhere.
But Temple recruited him, and he chose Temple, and left home in Stratford, Conn.
Owls football Coach Matt Rhule took a chance on Matakevich.
"I think things happen for a reason," she said, sporting a red T-shirt, as her husband listened.
"He's taking the path he's supposed to take," she said. "He's right where he's supposed to be."
And Tyler is enjoying Temple and playing football to the max, his father, David Matakevich said.
Tyler's "living in the moment," his father said, as Temple's band played in the background.
So what will happen at the prime-time game Saturday night against Notre Dame at Lincoln Financial Field?
"They have a good chance of winning," he said of Temple. "This is great for the city."
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