What Temple coach Geoff Collins is saying ahead of Saturday’s game vs. Buffalo

Here are some key points that Temple football coach Geoff Collins made Tuesday during his press conference leading up to Saturday's game against Buffalo at Lincoln Financial Field.

On losing, 19-17, to Villanova: 

"Still disappointed. The whole thing going into the game was playing with a high level of effort and executing at a high level. I thought the first part we did really well. We had a good process. The guys attacked the day and played with tremendous effort. They were flying around, but there were some key moments in the game we just didn't execute. Some third-down situations, fourth-down situations, a couple of run plays when we got behind the sticks, we did not execute in the critical times of the game to win the game. Down in the red zone executing a [missed 29-yard] field goal, didn't get that done, as well. That has been the whole focus all week is to do our job."

The Owls trailed by 10 before taking a short-lived 17-13 lead. Collins talked about the slow start: 

"For a while, historically this program's been prone to slow starts. Slow starts in the seasons, in games, and we saw that again on Saturday and we are working hard to fix that. We want to start fast and play fast in beginning. So that has been a big thing with us. Even though bad things happened early, we fought back, we pulled together as a team, we fought, clawed and scratched to get back in the game, to get the lead. One thing we addressed yesterday, once we got the lead, I think we hit a slight lull. We fought so hard to get ahead in the game, we relaxed a little bit, and against a good football team, you can't do that."

On why offensive coordinator Dave Patenaude was on the field calling plays instead of in his usual spot in the press box: 

"The headsets weren't working [the entire game]. Dave had to come down and be on the field because there was no communication to the press box to the field, so he had to be on the field."

On if the opposing team also had to go without headsets: 

"In conference games, yes.  In conference games, you have to take them off; that was the thing that was frustrating at times. That was the adjustment we had to make to get that done."

On Buffalo (1-0), which will visit Saturday (3:30 p.m.): 

"Buffalo is big, physical and fast. They have a Biletnikoff Award nominee at receiver, a tremendous player [Anthony Johnson]. Their quarterback [Tyree Jackson] is 6-foot-7, has a cannon for an arm, and runs their offense very efficiently. Their backup quarterback [Kyle Vantrease] is really good because he had to play a bunch last year [when Jackson was hurt].

"They have a trio of running backs as talented as any in the country. They have a big, physical offensive line, where I think three of their starters are back and another guy started some last year, and the tight ends are really good. Defensively, they are very similar to us schematically. Their middle linebacker, No. 4 [Khalil Hodge] has, I believe, 277 tackles over the last two years; he flies around, plays hard and plays the game the right way. They are a good, quality opponent."