Temple's rolling to a bowl

POSTED: November 3, 2009

By MIKE KERN

kernm@phillynews.com

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James Nixon (center) celebrates 100-yard kickoff return.
Associated Press
James Nixon (center) celebrates 100-yard kickoff return.
Temple won five games a year ago, in Al Golden's third season. The Owls pretty much gave away two more.

They lost another in overtime. Two others were decided by four and three points.

So it shouldn't really come as much of a shock that they've won their last six, and are the lone unbeaten left in the Mid-American Conference's East Division.

Guess that opening last-snap loss to Villanova wasn't just more of the same old, after all.

The Owls (6-2, 4-0) play Miami (Ohio), which just won for the first time in 14 games, Thursday night in South Philly. Then they go to Akron, which also has won once. So the run doesn't figure to end any time soon. They'll be in a bowl, for the first time in 3 decades. They might get there with a championship ring.

"Our goal wasn't to win six games," Golden said. "Our goal is bigger than that."

The Owls also have beaten 0-8 Eastern Michigan and 1-8 Ball State, whose only win was over Eastern Michigan. Yet the last 2 weeks they went on the road and beat Toledo, which had defeated Colorado by 16, in the Glass Bowl, and Navy, which had won five in a row itself. And they had to rally from a touchdown down in the fourth quarter.

It was their most defining on-field step under Golden. There might not be a close second. There figure to be more, maybe even sooner than later.

"It feels good, but you just have to get ready for the next game," said senior running back Lamar McPherson, who is playing behind true freshman sensation Bernard Pierce. Yesterday, Pierce was selected as MAC East Division offensive player of the week after gaining 267 yards and two touchdowns on 29 carries in the Owls' 27-24 win at Navy.

"We've been through a lot. But the staff has been the same way. They knew what was coming. We still didn't get to where we want to go."

Instilled by Golden, it's their unwavering mantra.

"We're just doing what we have to do, working hard," echoed senior defensive tackle Andre Neblett. "It's a great feeling, a different feeling in the locker room, something we haven't felt in a long time.

"All this spring and training camp, we talked about leadership, a lot of guys doing the right things. We believed in the coaches, trusted them. This was going to be the year, especially for the seniors.

"There was no turning point. Just grinding. We put [Villanova] behind us . . . just stay humble."

From afar, it could seem like a revelation. Anyone paying close enough attention could sense something like this coming. It was mostly a matter of how high was up, and how quickly.

Now the task is to treat success not as an unknown, but simply as the next part of the journey.

It didn't just happen. It seldom does, when you inherit a mess. Golden only won one of his first 16 games. Since then, his guys are 15-12. No, they don't play in the Big East anymore. Or even a BCS league. It's still a whole lot better than being irrelevant. You steer situations around and people notice. From near and beyond.

Even some of the same folks who wouldn't have tossed them a life preserver not that long ago.

"It was hard in the beginning, because there was so much negativity," Golden said. "But I asked the guys to ignore it, to learn the process and stay with the process. And I think now, I'm asking them as it swings the other way, to have that same focus on their preparation as I did when things weren't going well. Because [dealing with] this environment is equally as challenging.

"The ego, when faced with adversity or ridicule, will displace it. The ego, when faced with praise, will welcome it.

"Part of the job description when you take over a program like Temple . . . is to build a program with the bricks that others throw at us. And that's the truth. That's not easy to do. I'm a professional, and it's trying and it's difficult at times. But I'm asking the players to do the same thing now, [only] in a positive sense."

Stay the course. Isn't that what an Owl basketball coach once implored? Who knew it could apply to more than one of the sports North Broad Street had to offer?

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Comments   
Posted 07:56 AM, 11/03/2009
PHILLY76
I am a Temple grad living among the Bulldogs and yellow Jackets. SEC and ACC territory. I am proud of what Golden abd the team has done. Kudos to Bradshaw for picking Golden. Who would have believed that we have a better record than GA or OLE Miss
Posted 08:41 AM, 11/03/2009
lancersuck
Can't believe they're not in the BCS rankings yet!
Posted 09:03 AM, 11/03/2009
Frito1
Yay! An article about Temple in its home town paper! Thanks Philly.com!
Posted 09:07 AM, 11/03/2009
Scorekeeper
Baby steps. Golden was a brilliant move, even if he plans to bolt when Paterno's job opens up.
Posted 10:02 AM, 11/03/2009
phillyceltic
Good work by Golden. Bluebonnet Bowl here come the Owls.
Posted 10:18 AM, 11/03/2009
DickAllen4HOF
After the Penn State loss, Joe Pa complimented Temple's talent. Many wrote him off as just being a gacious winnier. Now we know he knew what he was talkin' about.
Posted 10:42 AM, 11/03/2009
HandNik
Temple has a vote in both the USA Today and AP polls. Also, there is now way Golden will get the PSU job.
Posted 11:46 AM, 11/03/2009
papreps
Wow. Owls should realistically be 8-2 in two weeks. If they were 9-1 (with BP playing the entire game against Nova, they would have), they'd be looking at a bowl rematch with Penn State and wouldn't it be a hoot to win that one?
Posted 12:14 PM, 11/03/2009
johnnydomino
Play your way out of North Philly for a trip to Detroit? If the MC Bowl is first prize, what's second?
Posted 02:24 PM, 11/03/2009
owl87
Great job Coach Golden and the Owls. I attended every home game as a student in the 80s and am glad to see the Owls finally winning and doing with class. Also, kudos on the focus on education! I'm proud to be an Owl!
Posted 08:08 PM, 11/03/2009
ILUVPHILLYCITYOFLOSERS
NO JOHHNY THE 1AA PLAYOFFS ARE WHAT WE HOPED FOR.....CHUMP.....
Posted 07:48 AM, 11/04/2009
Tannhauser
Great to see Temple winning and doing with class, honor, and dignity. Traits that are alien to many who dumped on the program when it was down.
Posted 08:52 AM, 11/04/2009
Kent.Jacocks
The University community needs to do a better job of supporting the Owls. Do you get the feeling that the University leadership is not really committed to the football program? Academic and athletic excellence can co-exist. Why not make a long-term commitment to Coach Golden? It would send a powerful signal for the future of Temple football. The student body needs to 'show-up' an be heard!
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