Former Temple coach Al Golden excited about Owls' success
Current coach Matt Rhule says he's grateful that Golden, who was fired by Miami Sunday, gave him a job on Owls staff in 2006.
TEMPLE COACH Matt Rhule talked to his former boss, Al Golden, on Monday, some 24 hours after the former Owl coach was let go by Miami before completing his fifth season.
"He was just fired up for us," Rhule said. "Sometimes, like everything in life, (it's) wrong place, wrong time or just not the fit. I'm unbelievably grateful for the opportunity Al gave me (by putting him on his staff in 2006). Temple should be unbelievably grateful for what he did when he came here. From when I first got here to when Al left (in 2010), it was like night and day. He put the structure in place. We all kind of did it together. It was a fun time in my life, to build this.
"Steve (Addazio, now at Boston College) kept it going, and I'm proud to be here now. Al will be a head coach again, and he'll win at a high level. It will just be a better fit for him."
The Owls went 3-31 in the three seasons before Golden arrived. His last two seasons they were 17-8. He was 32-25 at Miami, where he had to deal with probation sanctions that happened before he got there.
Rhule was also asked the inevitable question about his name starting to pop up in relation to possible job openings at Power-5 programs.
"A couple of (players) even asked me," he said. "I've been here nine years. It's not like I just came and am trying to win and get out. We're redshirting like 18 freshmen right now. I don't pretend to know what life's going to bring. But it's not like I make promises I can't keep. I'm not one of those guys. I really love it here.
"My kid, who runs like a 9.0 40, dressed up like (defensive back) Tavon Young for Halloween . . . No one's called me about anything."
Not yet anyway.