The Owl's Nest

FINAL POST: Thank You, Everyone.

noreply@blogger.com (Owlified) — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 20:53:00 +0000

I posted before on Twitter that the show must come to an end.

I wanted to take a moment to thank everyone for making this site such a pleasure to run. I started making YouTube videos for Temple football in 2008 when I was 14. A few months later I began this site and took my work to another level. This site, Temple, and Fran Duffy have given me an opportunity that I can't pass up on, so the blog must cease.

We've been through the 2009 EagleBank Bowl, 2008/2009/2010's NCAA Tournament runs, and much more. It's been awesome. There have been some exciting times and bad times on the site.

THANK YOU to everyone who has read my site. THANK YOU to everyone who has spread the word to others about my site. THANK YOU to people who have gotten in touch with me through emails, tweets, or talking to me in person. THANK YOU to all the bloggers who I've collaborated with and talked with over the years.

I have two requests: one is that you check out the BEST Temple football blog out there, Temple Football Forever. Mike Gibson is as dedicated a Temple fan as it gets and I'm sure wouldn't mind the increase in following.

Second request is to all Temple fans: GO TO THE GAMES! We all want the same result in every aspect and it all comes down to our attendance. Who wouldn't want to see a filled Linc? Head to LFF on September 1st and catch the Owls in action.

I will continue to use my Twitter and would love to continue talking with you all. You can follow me at @Owlified.

Who knows, we could be back in the future.

Thank you once again, and GO OWLS!

E/O Hall Expansion Project Deadline Extended

noreply@blogger.com (Owlified) — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 02:43:00 +0000

Last week we mentioned the $2 million dollar pledge that Temple needed to begin immediate construction on the Edberg-Olson Hall expansion project. The deadline for this was originally set as August 1st in order to break ground starting this month.

That has been changed.

Timeline: If by August 31, 2011, Temple receives $2 million in private gift commitments, including multi-year pledges, construction will begin immediately with expected completion by August 2012 – in time for pre-season practice.

August 31st is the target time, Owl fans.

There are a number of ways that you can contribute to this. Click this link for more detailed information about the project. For more information about the Edberg-Olson Hall Expansion, contact Athletics Advancement at 215-204-2582 or OwlClub@temple.edu.

This is big time football. Let's make it happen.

(VIDEO) Coach Addazio's Hype Up Speech

noreply@blogger.com (Owlified) — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 06:32:00 +0000

Check out Coach Addazio's speech in front of a packed Temple crowd of season ticket holders. If this doesn't fire you up, I don't know what does.

Questions to be Answered During Training Camp

noreply@blogger.com (Owlified) — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 17:57:00 +0000

Believe it or not, Temple football training camp is less than a week away. Fans anticipate another successful season despite the major changes that have gone on over the past eight or nine months:

- Coach Golden Heads to the University of Miami
- Temple Hires Coach Steve Addazio

In one way, we're back at square one with the uncertainty of Temple football's future. Following the hiring of Al Golden, nobody knew what was going to be with this program. Five years later we've experienced one of the greatest turnarounds in college football history.

Here we are in the Steve Addazio era. Here's a look at the timeline of events:

Dec. 22: Steve Addazio Named Temple Head Coach
Jan. 4: Owls Hire S&C Coach Piraino and OL Coach Frye
Jan. 13: Heater Named DC/DB Coach, WR/ST Coach Smith, DL Coach Cronin
Jan. 20: Sean McGowan Named ILB Coach
Jan. 25: Ben Albert Joins Owls as OLB Coach
Feb. 3: 2011 Temple's National Signing Day Class
Feb. 9: Scot Loeffler Named Offensive Coordinator/QB Coach
Apr. 16: 2011 Cherry and White Spring Game
Aug. 5: BEGINNING OF TEMPLE FOOTBALL TRAINING CAMP

We've seen almost everything from Coach Addazio except for in-game action. The Owls now have a full coaching staff in place as well as a year and change's worth of recruiting completed. In addition we've been hearing about quite a few additions and renovations being made to Temple's facilities.

So all that remains to be seen is the Owls in action. Simple, right? Not at all.

There are quite a few questions that will be answered as training camp progresses, and we've put together a list of things to watch out for:

Who will the starting quarterback be?

Whether it was DiMichele-Charlton, Charlton-Stewart, or Coyer-Stewart-Gerardi, there has always been some uncertainty going into the summer as to who will be the starting quarterback. It doesn't look lke anything will change this season. Coach Addazio says that he wants the best quarterback on the field and would like to make that decision early on in training camp.

This season the battle for the starting spot is once again wide open. Mike Gerardi and Chester Stewart are the two most experienced guys on the roster. Chris Coyer saw several snaps during his freshman year, and Connor Reilly has a redshirt season under his belt. Another name to look out for is Juice Granger, who joins the Owls this summer. Freshman Jalen Fitzpatrick is also expected to fight for a chance as well.

Can Bernard Pierce go a full season injury-free?

Bernard Pierce says he feels he has something to prove. He is on a mission to last 12+ games this year, which is exactly what this team needs. It's no surprise that Temple's offense is more productive when Pierce is on the field. With questions regarding Matt Brown's standing with the team, Pierce will be counted on even more in the event that the Owls are without MB's services.

Coach Addazio's number one priority when he took the Temple job was to hire an experienced and efficient strength and conditioning coach. Coach Frank Piraino went to work right away on a team that was definitely worn out by the end of the year. Guys like Pierce will benefit from Piraino's hard-nose, rigorous program and will hopefully enter 2011 looking better than ever.

Who will be handling the punting?

As of now, Brandon McManus is going to be the placekicker and punter for 2011. Coach Addazio has brought in a few walk-ons that could make a case for the spot, but I think all of us are comfortable with McManus being in control of both of those jobs. McManus is not afraid to make a play on a returner if he's able to get upfield, which raises the risk for injury. Just in case, I think the Owls need to have a backup found and ready.

What kind of offense will we see?

Temple will most likely be running something known as the spread option. There are quite a few major college football teams that do this: Auburn, Oregon, and Florida just to name a few.

The basic scheme is known as the spread offense, which has the quarterback in the shotgun most of the time and three or more wideouts. This type of offense is normally used to force defenses to cover the ENTIRE football field (you've heard Coach Addazio say this before), sideline to sideline. Using more of the field will open up multiple options for the running and passing games.

The spread option as the name says is oriented toward the run game. In this type of offense there is a slot receiver. The slot receiver in the picture above would be the second wideout over from the left. You'll see a faster pace offense that will cause a number of problems for the defense. The spread normally consists of faster wideouts that are also efficient blockers. Many consider this style of play the most difficult for defenses to cover. Check out this video for a terrific breakdown of the spread offense.

We'll see the answers to all of these questions and more emerge as training camp progresses.

(VIDEO) Robinson and Palumbo at MAC Media Day

noreply@blogger.com (Owlified) — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 17:08:00 +0000

2011 MAC Preview: Central Michigan Chippewas

noreply@blogger.com (Owlified) — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 03:52:00 +0000

Each day I will be releasing one preview of a team from the Mid-American Conference. I've taken a solid amount of time (several hours each) to analyze what each program returns and loses for the upcoming year. Each preview will contain the 2011 schedule, position breakdowns, and a prediction for the upcoming year. For fun, I've thrown in an interesting fact about each school at the bottom as well.

Today we'll be previewing the Central Michigan Chippewas.

2011-12 Central Michigan Chippewas Football Schedule:

9/1	SOUTH CAROLINA STATE	10/15	EASTERN MICHIGAN
9/10	at Kentucky	10/22	at Ball State
9/17	at Western Michigan	10/29	at Akron
9/24	at Michigan State	11/4	at Kent State
10/1	NORTHERN ILLINOIS	11/10	OHIO
10/8	at North Carolina State	11/18	TOLEDO

Last Season: 2010 was definitely an out-of-the-ordinary season for the Central Michigan Chippewas. The Chips had their first losing season since 2004. First year coach Dan Enos notched his first two wins in the month of September against Hampton and Eastern Michigan. The Chippewas then went on a six-game losing streak before getting a win at home against Western Michigan. The Chippewas finished with their fewest wins since 2004 and for the first time in five years had a below .500 record.

The Schedule: The Chippewas will definitely have plenty of television exposure with seven games on an ESPN station. CMU will play five home games and seven road games. The season will start off on a Thursday night at home against South Carolina State. Following that, they'll go onto a three game road trip to Kentucky, Western Michigan, and Michigan State. Central Michigan then hosts Northern Illinois, and after that finishes the out-of conference schedule against North Carolina State. After a home game against Eastern Michigan, the Chips will face another three-game road trip against Ball State, Akron, and Kent State. They'll finish out the regular season with home games against Ohio and Toledo.

The Team:

** TO BE UPDATED WHEN MEDIA GUIDE COMES OUT **

Pointless Prediction: 4-8 (3-5) There's plenty of potential for this Central Michigan team that returns plenty of veteran leadership and football talent. The Chippewas should be able to open the season up with a win over South Carolina State. It would be a major plus if the Chips could get a win over one of their first three road game opponents. I believe the most success can come in the month of October against Eastern Michigan, Ball State, and Akron. I think that CMU could really build some momentum and could make some noise when the season really winds down. It's just a matter of finishing football games.

Bloggers: Fire Up Chips

Interesting Fact: CBS and Emmy-winning sports broadcaster Dick Enberg is a graduate of Central Michigan University.

Tomorrow's preview: Eastern Michigan Eagles

2011 MAC Preview: Buffalo Bulls

noreply@blogger.com (Owlified) — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 00:51:00 +0000

2011-12 Buffalo Bulls Football Schedule:

9/3	at Pittsburgh	10/15	at Temple
9/10	STONY BROOK	10/22	NORTHERN ILLINOIS
9/17	at Ball State	10/29	at Miami (Ohio)
9/24	CONNECTICUT	11/12	at Eastern Michigan
10/1	at Tennessee	11/19	AKRON
10/8	OHIO	11/25	BOWLING GREEN

Last Season: Buffalo did not exactly know what to expect this past season with the new coach and system being put in place. The Bulls earned their first and only out-of conference win of the season in the opener against Rhode Island. The Bulls went on a three game skid against Baylor, UCF, and Connecticut before securing their only other win against Bowling Green. Buffalo was unable to win a game after October 2nd and finished the season 2-10 (1-7) overall.

The Schedule: In 2011, the Bulls will start off against a tough opponent in the Big East's Pittsburgh. Buffalo will go home and away every other week up to October 29th. Following Pitt, the Bulls host Stony Brook and then head into conference play against Ball State. UB welcomes Connecticut and then heads down to play the final OOC game against Tennessee. Following this, Buffalo will face the meat of the Mid-American conference. Buffalo will face Ohio, head out to Temple, and then return for Northern Illinois. Buffalo will also go out to Easter Michigan after visiting Miami (OH) on the 29th of October. The Bulls finish out the regular season with back to back home games against Akron and Bowling Green.

The Team: Buffalo returns 47 total letterwinners for the 2011 season. 23 of these players are on offense, 21 on defense, and three from special teams. The squad loses 22 letterwinners with 10 on offense, 11 on defense, and one on special teams. There are 12 starters coming back this season with nearly all of them on the offensive side. Nine offensive starters are back, while a mere three return on defense.

The Buffalo are Bulls are lead by second year head coach Jeff Quinn. His overall record at the university is 2-10 (1-7). The Bulls will have a new offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach in Alex Wood. The new offensive line and run game coordinator is Adam Shorter. Jappy Oliver joins Buffalo as an assistant head coach and defensive line coach. Coach Quinn has also brought on a new quarterbacks coach in Don Patterson and new running backs coach Matt Simon.

The quarterback position, as it has been for many MAC teams, is up in the air as training camp goes under way. The Bulls have at least two potential starting quarterbacks in Jerry Davis (Jr.) and Alex Zordich (So.). Davis went into last season as the starter for the first six games but eventually lost i5 to Zordich. He later returned to the starting spot when Zordich suffered a season-ending rib injury. Cory Jorgensen (Sr.) is another name to throw out there despite not seeing the field at any point. Freshmen signal callers Tony Daniel and Joe Licata should stir things up a bit as well, but it looks like one of the first three mentioned will grab the spot. As of now it looks like Davis is the starter, though who knows what could happen during training camp. This will be a battle to watch out for all the way up to week one.

The Bulls are taking an entirely new approach to the running game this year with the addition of a new offensive coordinator and running backs coach. The two backs who will see most of the action this season are Branden Oliver (So.) and Jeffvon Gill (Jr.) Both of these guys were productive last year and are expected to produce just as much in 2011. Oliver is the team's top rusher from last season, and Gill is number two. The Bulls are looking forward to James Potts (R-Fr.) making some noise in the summer as well.

The wide receiving corps should be a good one as three starters are back this year. In fact, the team's top five receivers are all returning. Marcus Rivers (Sr.) led the team with 50 catches for 690 yards and five touchdowns. Terrell Jackson (Sr.) was second with 43 catches, 397 yards, and three touchdowns. Alex Neutz (So.) was the number three player with 26 catches for 414 yards and four scores. Devon Hughes (R-Fr.), Cordero Dixon (R-So.), and Rudy Johnson (R-Fr.) are all expected to compete for some playing time this year as well.

The tight end position will be battled for through training camp. Aaron Connacher (Sr.), Jake Reeder (So.), and Jimmy Gordon (So.) all saw some sort of playing time last year and will fight for the number one spot. This is the one area on offense that needs to be solidified by the time that training camp is over.

Buffalo returns quite a talented offensive line in 2011. The two seniors that will lead this group are Josh Violanti and Matt Ostrowski. Violanti was the starting center for every game last season. Ostrowski had the starting right tackle spot for three games last year and hopes to earn it back during his final year. Another upperclassmen to watch for is Graham Whinery, who started nearly every game last season at right guard. Pat Wilson (So.) will once again get the starting nod at left tackle, which means the only question that remains is the left guard spot. Two players that are expected to compete for the final spot are Gokhan Ozkan (R-Jr.) and Jasen Carlson (So.).

There is one giant question mark that will linger around the Bulls, and that has to do with the defensive side of the ball. There are just three starters that are back this season for the Bulls, which means that there are plenty of openings to be filled during training camp.

Buffalo loses two of the top safeties in the country in Davonte Shannon and Domonic Cook. It will be tough to replace both of these guys. In addition, cornerback Josh Thomas also will not be back. They will expect players like Carlos Lammons (So.) to step up. Lammons has the most experience after seeing the field in 10 games last season. One of the players that Buffalo will turn to is Josh Copeland (Sr.). At the cornerback position, JoePetit (Sr.) and Najja Johnson (So.) will most likely lead the campaign. Cortney Lester (R-Sr.) has an impressive spring and will make his case as well. The safety position in all likelihood will be occupied by Okoye Houston (So.) who saw plenty of time during his freshman year. Isaac Baugh (Jr.), and Copeland will battle for the starting safety spots as well.

The most experienced part of this defensive unit is the linebacker position. What of the MAC's top backers is sophomore Khalil Mack, who will most definitely have the starting nod. Last season Mack had 68 tackles, 14.5 tackles for loss, and 4.5 sacks. He was an absolutely animal in his first year at Buffalo and will continue his dominance in round two. The other linebacker who is expected to starter is Jaleel Verser. John Syty, Scott Pettigrew, Dalonte Wallace, and Mark Richardson will compete for an inside linebacker spot.

Buffalo's defensive line for the most part is a young group. The only returning starter from this unit is Steven Means. Last year he managed to finish with 50 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, two forced fumbles, and 4.5 sacks. He is an animal that the Bulls are definitely happy to have back. Seniors Richie Smith and Gordon DuBois would like to cracking the starting lineup. There are a few younger players such as Colby Way and Dalton Barksdale who could quite possibly see the field this year.

Buffalo will have Peter Fardon (Sr.) control both the punts and placekicking. It is expected that Patrick Clarke (Fr.) will battle it out for a starting spot somewhere.

Pointless Prediction: 1-11 (0-8) Unfortunately I believe a lack of defensive experience is what will hold Buffalo back. The defensive side of the ball (unlike offense) can prevent and provide scoring for a team. If there is no stability on this side, there will be a number of problems. Buffalo will need at least eight new starters to emerge and gel by the time fall rolls around. The most realistic win in my opinion would be in week two of the season against Stony Brook. I believe the Bulls have the opportunity to knock off Akron or Bowling if they can unify defensively as the season winds down. This season will all come down to how the defense comes together.

Bloggers: UB Bull Run

Interesting Fact: CEO and President of A&E Television Networks/History Channel founder Abbe Raven is a graduate of the University of Buffalo.

Tomorrow's preview: Central Michigan Chippewas

What's the Hoot? Leadership, Baseball Hiring & More

noreply@blogger.com (Owlified) — Sat, 30 Jul 2011 15:33:00 +0000

One of the major questions surrounding Temple football this year is who will step up and take a leadership role. Check out several great articles on future Temple guard Will Cummings and former Owl Ryan Brooks. Also, Temple baseball had hired its new head coach. Check out the latest Temple headlines.

The latest Temple news:

Owls Still Seek On-field Leader

Coach Addazio said at the MAC Football Media Day that he would like to decide on a quarterback sooner rather than later. Coach Addazio also comments on how Bernard Pierce has looked/where he needs to be.

Philly.com: "We'll get that [quarterback call] made in a couple of weeks," said Addazio, the former Florida associate head coach and offensive coordinator. "We've gotten some good play, but I don't think anybody has grabbed the horns and become a leader."

"My expectations for Bernard is to become an every-down, every-day, every-month player," Addazio said. "He's got to learn to handle mentally and physically the rigors of toting the rock and being 'the guy.' ''

Owls Freshman Guard Cummings Sets Sights High

A great article by Ryan Feldman on incoming Temple guard Will Cummings. Cummings discusses his style of play, his expectations for himself, as well as for this year's team.

CSNPhilly: “National championship,” Cummings said about his expectations for Temple this season. “I wouldn’t play the game if I didn’t expect to go all the way. I know a lot of people are saying Sweet 16, but that’s cutting it short. We’re going to shoot for the national championship. That’s what I’m looking forward to.”

There’s a lot of excitement among the Temple faithful this year. Whether it’s a national championship, Sweet 16 or just another NCAA tournament berth, Cummings is joining an Owls team with perhaps its highest expectations in a decade.

Big 5's Brooks, Williamson Reunite on Hardwood

Another Ryan Feldman article makes the list, but this one involves former Temple guard Ryan Brooks and an old teammate/opponent of his.

CSNPhilly: It’s almost unethical for Temple and St. Joe’s players to be teammates and friends. But Ryan Brooks and Garrett Williamson were best friends and teammates long before they were Big 5 rivals.

“It’s fun,” Brooks said. “We had a lot of success when we played together in high school. We had a lot of fun. To have the chance to come out here and play together again is something we wanted to do and we look forward to, so it’s a good time.”

Baseball Assistant Ryan Wheeler Named Head Coach at Temple

Temple baseball recently announced the hiring of its new baseball coach. Ryan Wheeler, a former assistant at Richmond, will now be at the helm for the Owls.

RichmondSpiders.com: University of Richmond associate head baseball coach Ryan Wheeler has been named the next head coach at Temple University, bringing 15 years of Division-I coaching experience to the Owls.

"We are thrilled to be able to bring on board a high-caliber person such as Ryan Wheeler to take over the reins of the Temple Baseball program," said Temple Director of Athletics Bill Bradshaw. "Ryan is one of the most respected assistant coaches in the East, and has the skill set and passion to take our program to new heights."

Marquise Liverpool Signs with the Detroit Lions

noreply@blogger.com (Owlified) — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 15:20:00 +0000

According to KFFL, former Temple cornerback Marquise Liverpool has signed with the Detroit Lions.

The Detroit Lions signed undrafted free-agent CB Marquise Liverpool (Temple). -- KFFL

He is the tenth Owl this season already to have been picked up by a pro team.

Other Owls that have found homes include Peanut Joseph (Packers), Elisha Joseph (Packers), Vaughn Charlton (Steelers), Amara Kamara (Chiefs), Darius Morris (Texans), Colin Madison (Ravens), and Michael Campbell (Jets).

Muhammad Wilkerson (Jets) and Jaiquawn Jarrett (Eagles) were the two Temple players to be drafted.

More Temple Owls Find Homes in the NFL

noreply@blogger.com (Owlified) — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 17:54:00 +0000

Now that the NFL lockout is officially over, drafted and undrafted players can be signed. It's the beginning of free agency for the NFL. Quite a few Temple Owls have already been picked up.

Here's an updated list of the players that have made it onto teams:

Muhammad Wilkerson -- New York Jets (RD. 1)
Jaiquawn Jarrett -- Philadelphia Eagles (RD. 2)
Amara Kamara -- Kansas City Chiefs (UDFA)
Vaughn Charlton -- Pittsburgh Steelers (UDFA)
Michael Campbell -- New York Jets (UDFA)
Elijah "Peanut" Joseph -- Green Bay Packers (UDFA)
Elisha Joseph -- Green Bay Packers (UDFA)
Colin Madison -- Baltimore Ravens (UDFA)
Darius Morris -- Houston Texans (UDFA)

Congratulations to these Owls!

2011 MAC Preview: Bowling Green Falcons

noreply@blogger.com (Owlified) — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 17:28:00 +0000

2011-12 Bowling Green Falcons Football Schedule:

9/1	at Idaho	10/15	TOLEDO
9/10	MORGAN STATE	10/22	TEMPLE
9/17	WYOMING	10/29	at Kent State
9/24	at Miami	11/8	NORTHERN ILLINOIS
10/1	at West Virginia	11/16	OHIO
10/8	at Western Michigan	11/25	at Buffalo

Last Season: Following a successful 2009 campaign which featured an appearance in the Humanitarian Bowl, the Bowling Green Falcons had a ton of rebuilding that needed to be done. Last year the Falcons finished the season with a disappointing record of 2-10 (1-7). Four of those games that they lost, however, were decided by three points or less. The two wins last season came against former MAC member Marshall as well as Central Michigan.

The Schedule: Bowling Green will begin the year on the road against Idaho. After this, they'll have two consecutive home games against Morgan State and Wyoming. The next three opponents are on the road. One of these teams are out-of conference opponents in West Virginia. The Falcons open up the MAC portion of the schedule in the first game of this road trip against Miami (Ohio). Following the WVU game, they'll head to Western Michigan. They'll return home to take on two tougher opponents in Toledo and Temple. Before another two home games, Bowling Green travels to Kent State on the 29th. What's encouraging is all of the top MAC teams from last year (Toledo, Temple, Northern Illinois, and Ohio) are all home games for BGSU. The opponents are tough, but playing these teams at Perry Stadium helps out to an extent. The Falcons finish out the regular season with a trip

The Team: The Falcons ultimately return a decent amount of veterans from last year's squad. There are 38 total letter winners that will be back for the 2011 season, while 19 are finished. 12 total starters return, with six on offense and defense. 12 starters are lost (five offense/defense) including special teams.

Head coach of Bowling Green is Dave Clawson who is now in his third year at the helm. He has compiled a record of 9-16 (7-9). Along with him is a fairly young coaching staff filled with first through sixth year coaches. The Falcons have brought several new coaches in Larry McDaniel (defensive line), Chris Kappas (defensive GA), and Brandon Hourigan (strength and conditioning).

Last year's starting quarterback Matt Schilz (R-So.) is back and is expected to hold on to that spot. Schilz was the starter in 10 of last year's games, throwing for 2,223 yards and 8 touchdowns with 14 interceptions. Aaron Pankratz (Jr.) saw action in six games and started in two. He's not currently listed on the roster despite getting the mention in the media guide. There has been a ton of buzz about Trent Hurley (R-Fr.), who one would assume has the number two spot right now.

Bowling Green loses it's talented started runningback in Willie Geter, which means the spot is wide open for the taking. Returning from last season are Jordan Hopgood (R-So.), Erique Geiger (R-So.), and John Pettigrew (Jr.). Hopgood has the most experience of all of these guys, playing in all 12 games and racking up the second most yardage. He will be the expected starter going into the summer. Geiger and Pettigrew both saw limited playing time last season. The other name that has been thrown around is Jamel Martin, a redshirt freshman.

The Falcons will bring back one starter from the wide receiving corps in Kamar Jorden (R-Sr.), though at least two other players with significant experience will be back as well. The losses of Tyrone Pronty and Calvin Wiley thin out this corps for 2011. Jorden was the team's leading receiver with 1,109 yards and four touchdowns. Adrian Hodges (R-Sr.) and Eugene Cooper combined for 37 receptions, 286 yards and one touchdown. These two seniors will go into summer with the most likely chance of earning the other starting spot. Jordan demonstrated last year that he really could do it all, but it wouldn't hurt if this team had another wideout emerge as a key playmaker.

The tight end position is one of the younger areas of this Bowling Green squad. Alex Bayer (R-So.) was the most productive of the group with 22 catches for nearly 300 yards and one touchdown. He should be the starter heading into training camp. It's encouraging for the offense that he'll be around for another three years with all the success he had during his freshman season. Also competing for playing time this year will be Tyler Beck (So.), Kendall Montgomery (R-Fr.), and Clay Rolf (R-Fr.).

The offensive line is one of the most experienced parts of this team. Last season, there were a number of switches and changes made to the line. This just means that these guys more experience at different positions and are more versatile. Four starters return for the 2011 campaign, led by center Ben Bojicic. The other returning starters include guards Dominic Flewellyn (So.) and Chip Robinson (R-Jr.) and right tackle Jordon Roussos (Jr.). The only uncertainty seems to be at the left tackle position. Scott Lewis (R-Sr.), Kyle Bryant (R-So.), Darion Delaney (R-Fr.), Isaiah Byler (R-Fr.), and Johnathan Fry (R-Fr.) are also mentioned in BGSU's media guide as younger players that are expected to compete for playing time.

Defensively, the Falcons return six starters.

In the secondary Bowling Green returns four starters. There's plenty of talent and experience back in this area of the defense. The major contributors from last season include Jovan Leacock (Sr.), Keith Morgan (Sr.), Cameron Truss (R-So.), and Adrien Spencer (Sr.). Leacock second on the team in tackles and second in interceptions. Morgan was the team's interception leader. Assuming nothing else changes, Leacock should have the STUD spot, and Morgan will remain as the starter at WHIP. It also looks like Spencer and Truss will have the two cornerback positions locked down. The only player who needs to replaced is Calvin Marshall, who was at the ROVER spot. Boo Boo Gates (So.) and Tim Moore (Jr.) will most likely compete for that starting position.

The linebackers lose and return one starter from last season. Champ Fells, the team's third leading tackler, is gone. Middle linebacker Dwayne Woods (Jr.) will most definitely hold onto his spot. He was Bowling Green's leader in tackles and forced fumbles last season. After Woods though there is a significant drop in experience. Paul Swan (R-So.) is the other returning linebacker who saw a good amount of playing time. Younger players like D.J. Lynch (R-Fr.), Gabe Martin (R-Fr.), and Jason Rice (R-Sr.) are expected to compete for playing time as well.

The defensive line returns plenty of talent at the tackle position. Both of last year's starters and the two, Kevin Alvarado (R-Sr.) and Chris Jones (Jr.), are back. Jones was the team's sack leader and TFL leader last season. Alvarado was a significant piece on the line and helped cause a ton of problems up the middle. The questions appear to be directed towards the two defensive end positions. Bowling Green will have to replace Darius Smith and Angelo Magnone. Smith was seventh on the team in tackles, while Smith was sixth. These are two key players that will need to be relaced. Guys that will be competing for this spot include Ronnie Goble (back off of a shoulder injury) and Bryan Thomas (R-Fr.)

Bowling Green's special teams will look completely different this season now that do-it-all kicker Bryan Wright is gone. This means that the kicking and punting positions are there for the taking. Kyle Burkhardt (So.) has some in-game experience from last year and should compete for the starting kicking spot. Punting, on the other hand, will be decided between Jerry Phillips (Jr.) and Brian Schmeidebusch (R-So.)

Check out a video of Bowling Green's quarterback battle.

Pointless Prediction: 2-10 (1-7) I believe the Falcons can at least match their record from last season. There are certainly a handful of winnable games on the schedule regardless of home or away. I believe the Falcons can notch their first win of the year against FCS Morgan State. I also think the Wyoming game will be close. The bulk of this conference schedule is against the best teams, but they're all home games. If the Falcons can at least be competitive, I think it will set them up for another win as the season winds down. There's a good chance, depending on how this offense gels, that we could see three or four wins this year.

Bloggers: Falcon Blog

Interesting Fact: Until 1927, Bowling Green State University was referred to as Bowling Green Normal University, for its teacher training curriculum. The school's nickname was "The Normals."

Tomorrow's preview: Buffalo Bulls

2011 MAC Preview: Ball State Cardinals

noreply@blogger.com (Owlified) — Sun, 24 Jul 2011 20:10:00 +0000

2011-12 Ball State Cardinals Football Schedule:

9/3	INDIANA	10/15	at Ohio
9/10	at South Florida	10/22	CENTRAL MICHIGAN
9/17	BUFFALO	10/29	at Western Michigan
9/24	ARMY	11/5	at Eastern Michigan
10/1	at Oklahoma	11/15	at Northern Illinois
10/8	TEMPLE	11/25	TOLEDO

Last Season: In 2010 the Ball State Cardinals finished the season with an overall record of 4-8 (3-5). Ball State kicked off the year with an encouraging win over Southeast Missouri State. There were two periods where BSU went on 3+ game losing streaks. The Cardinals were able to build some momentum in the first two weeks of November in order to notch two of their four wins. It was double the number of wins the team had in 2009, so overall it was a more successful season.

The Schedule: Ball State will open up the season against out-of conference opponents Indiana at home and South Florida on the road. The MAC opener will be on September 17th against Buffalo. The Cardinals remain at home to take on Army. I see the Cardinals being able to get a win either the 17th or the 24th of September. BSU opens the month of October with a trip to Oklahoma in their final out-of conference matchup of 2011. Back-to-back MAC East opponents in Temple and Ohio (two very experienced teams) will make it difficult getting a win. The next three weeks will be against the directional Michigans, two of which are part of a three game road trip. The Cardinals will finish out the regular season against two of the MAC West's top contenders in NIU and Toledo.

The Team: Ball State returns 53 letter winners from last year, while they lose 16. The media guide reports that 11 starters are back for 2011. There seems to be a decent amount of experience and talent coming back this season.

The Cardinals are one of many Mid-American Conference teams that have gone through coaching changes recently. Pete Lembo is the new head coach at BSU after impressive years at Lehigh and Elon. During his stop at Elon he helped lead a major turnaround in which the program double it's win total over a five year period. His overall coaching record is 79-36, and he brings along a coaching staff with plenty of experience and talent.

The competition starts right at the quarterback position, with two talented players in Keith Wenning and Kelly Page coming into the season with hopes of earning that starting spot. Both of these players saw decent amounts of playing time last year. Wenning lead the team in passing, followed by Page. It should be an interesting battle to watch as training camp progresses.

The runningback position is wide open this year with the graduation of MiQuale Lewis and the unexpected transfer of Eric Williams. This means that the tailback position at this point is open to players like Cory Sykes (Sr.) or David Brown (R-So.). Most likely, both of these guys will see the bulk of the carries. Brown was third on the team in rushing and Sykes was right behind him. They both contributed solid yardage and each found the endzone at least once.

Ball State has plenty of talent and experience returning in this wide receiver corp. Jack Tomlinson (So.), Otis Brown (R-So.), and Briggs Orsbon (Sr.) are all back for another productive season. These three combined for right around half of the aerial attack's scoring. This veteran group will be the major piece of this team's offensive success.

Tight end Aaron Mershman (R-So.) will lead the charge at his position, returning for what looks to be another productive season. His position listed as tight end/fullback on the depth chart, so his blocking abilities will be needed to not only protect the quarterback but provide some holes for the rushing attack.

The offensive line saw plenty of changes last season throughout the year, which meant that a number of guys were able to see the field and get some experience under their belts. This line is dominated by the senior class, with every current slated starter being an upperclassman. The tackles are Austin Holtz (R-Jr.) and Dan Mannick (R-Jr.). Mannick was a starter at right tackle for the majority of last season. Holtz, however, saw playing time at three different offensive line spots. He is listed as the starting left tackle right now. Kitt O'Brien (Jr.) is back for a third year, and starting all of last year at right guard. The majority of the offensive line's competition during the summer will be at the other guard position. Kreg Hunter (R-Sr.) is listed as the current starter, but Jordan Hansel (So.) will look to beat him out for the starting spot.

The defense is filled with upperclassmen that are returning for 2011. The experience on this side of the ball might mean that the defense will carry this team as the offense gels.

The secondary looks pretty strong for Ball State this year. Starting safeties Kyle Hoke (Sr.) and Sean Baker (R-Sr.) are back this year, which is huge for this defense. Baker was the team's leader at interceptions with six picks. He was also Ball State's second leading tackler. This might be the two guaranteed positions going into the summer. At the cornerback spot, Jason Pinkston (Jr.) is back and will most likely claim his starting spot again. Last year he was second on the team in interceptions and seventh in tackles. On the other side, the starting boundary corner spot belongs to Armand Dehaney (Jr.). Dehaney saw action in all 12 games last year. He'll have to fight with Jeffrey Garrett (So.) for that spot.

The linebacker corps has a ton of talent coming back this year as well. Middle linebacker Travis Freeman (Jr.) holds his position. Last year he was the team's leading tackler. He is the centerpiece of this defense (literally). Beside him is WILL backer Tony Martin (Jr.) who was another major part of Ball State's defense. Martin was third on the team in tackles in 2010. The questions for this position will be at the SAM spot, where Aaron Morris (So.) is listed as the current starter. He will at least battle Zac Jordan (R-Sr.) for the starting nod. Morris didn't start in any games last year, but played in all 12 games and managed to contribute.

Last but not least on the defensive side of the ball is the defensive line. This unit returns two starters from last year in defensive end Andrew Puthoff (R-Sr.) and nose tackle Adam Morris (Sr.). Puthoff was 10th on the team in tackles. The group lost a key member in Robert Eddins, who was the team's sack leader last season. This production will need to be picked up by guys like Puthoff and Morris. The defensive tackle spot will feature some youth this year. Nathan Ollie (So.) is listed as the starter. He played in nine games in 2010. The starter at the rush spot is Matthew Mosley (So.) who saw action in a handful of games as well.

The special teams group returns both starters in placekicker Steven Schott (R-Jr.) and punter Scott Kovanda (R-Jr.). Kovanda was the definite starter last year, while Schott shared kickoff duties with Ian McGarvey. McGarvey handled field goals last year, but I would assume that either Schott would take over there or Scott Secor (R-Fr.) would earn the spot.

Check out a video of Ball State's spring practices.

Pointless Prediction: 4-8 (3-5) There are two games that stand out as wins to me for this year's Ball State squad. I think that the first realistic game the Cardinals can win will be at home against Buffalo. The following week, they'll be able to give a decent game to an Army team that has lost half of its starters. I'm giving the edge to Ball State since this one's in their house. Even Central Michigan at home could end up being a decent game. After this, the three-game road trip will make it difficult for Ball State to earn wins. Eastern Michigan seems to be the most vulnerable team out of them, Western Michigan, and Northern Illinois. I don't see any reason why this Ball State team can't win at least four games with the talent that they have returning.

Bloggers: Over the Pylon

Interesting Fact: David Letterman, host of The Late Show with David Letterman, is a Ball State University Alumni.

Tomorrow's preview: Bowling Green Falcons

2011 MAC Preview: Akron Zips

noreply@blogger.com (Owlified) — Sat, 23 Jul 2011 19:47:00 +0000

2011-12 Akron Zips Football Schedule:

9/3	at Ohio State	10/22	OHIO
9/10	TEMPLE	10/29	CENTRAL MICHIGAN
9/17	at Cincinnati	11/3	at Miami (Ohio)
9/24	VMI	11/12	KENT STATE
10/1	at Eastern Michigan	11/19	at Buffalo
10/8	FIU	11/25	at Western Michigan

Last Season: Akron worked all season long to try and stop the bleeding, suffering loss after loss. The Zips were able to send the fans home on a good note by ending the year with something they had worked all year to earn: a win. College football fans including myself were pulling for UA to get that win to avoid the sweep. New head coach Rob Ianello earned win number one at the helm. Now, with some momentum, Akron will try and keep the momentum going with a more productive 2011 season.

The Schedule: The Zips might have to wait until September 24th to notch that first win of the year. The season begins with a trip to Columbus, Ohio to take on the Buckeyes. Akron then welcomes an experienced Temple team for its first home game and conference matchup of the year. Following that the team heads back out on the road to face Cincinnati from the Big East. Certainly not an easy start to the season.

There are several games where the Zips can give their opponents a difficult time. There are a few that I believe this team could find a way to squeak out if they play smart football. Virginia Military Institute drops by for a visit on September 24th, which is where I see Akron getting that first W. Road games against Eastern Michigan and Buffalo are two games that I can see Akron competing in. They will host two of the top MAC East teams in Temple and Ohio which will be difficult. I see at least two wins for this Zips squad.

The Team: Akron will be returning a total of 35 lettermen from the 2010 football season. There are 16 players who return on offense and 17 on defense. On the other hand, the Zips will lose 23 lettermen this season. UA returns 13 starters with the majority of them on the defensive side of the ball.

The football team in general is fairly young. Of the 85 players on the team, 52 of them are underclassmen (freshman, RS-freshmen, sophomores). There are 20 juniors and 13 seniors for the 2011 season.

As far as the coaching staff is concerned, this is a very young group. Besides trainers, equipment managers, graduate assistants, and administrative assistants, there is one coach that has been at the school for more than one year. Head coach Rob Ianello is in his second year at the helm of the Akron Zips. This is a unit that will use the next couple of years to develop. The 2011 season will feature a new defensive coordinator in Kevin Cosgrove, assistant coach Kim McCloud, and strength/conditioning coach Craig Sowers. Obviously during the offseason there has been some emphasis on the defensive side of the football.

Akron's offense returns several key parts, including starting quarterback Patrick Nicely. Nicely saw action as the starter in all 12 games last year. He led the team in passing with 1,753 yards, throwing 49%, and 10 touchdowns with 13 interceptions. He also led the Zips in total offense during the 2010 season. Returning with him are three offensive linemen in Jake Anderson, Zac Kasperick, and Mitch Straight. Fullback Austin Bailey, another 12-game starter, returns for just his sophomore year.

The major loss that this program suffers is that of runningback Alex Allen. Allen was the team's leading rusher, scorer, and fourth leading wide out during this past year. He will be sorely missed by a team that does not have much offensive firepower without him in 2011. Nate Burney was the team's second leading rusher and has finished his career up as well. There will be many questions as to who will grab the starting spot this season. Of the experienced players, two underclassmen in Broderick Alexander and Jawon Chisholm will fight through the summer for the starting nod.

Along with Allen, the Zips lose the majority of their receiving corps. Wideouts Jalil Carter, Jeremy LaFrance, and Gary Pride were the team's top receivers. This leaves room for a lot of uncertainty at this position. It's expected that players like Anthony Meriwether (Jr.), Marquelo Suel (Jr.), Keith Sconiers (So.), and Antoine Russell (So.) will step up and fill in the major holes left.

The offensive line's questions will appear at the center and left tackle positions. Adam Bice (Sr.) and Paul Simkovich (Sr.) are currently listed as the 1-2 on the depth chart for the job at center. Mitch Straight (Jr.) and Jarrod Pughsley (So.) will battle for the starting left tackle spot. Besides these two spots, the rest of the offensive line from last year returns. This will be the most experienced part of the offense.

The major area of concern for this team heading into 2011 will be the offense. Patrick Nicely is a very talented and young quarterback, but he can't do it all alone. Someone is going to have to step up and take command in that backfield. Several of these wide receivers will need to make their presence felt and give Nicely a target to hit.

Akron's defense is much more certain and fortunate than the offense. The Zips return the bulk of their unit with 8 players. It looks like there is plenty of experience at the linebacker and defensive back positions.

In the secondary, the Zips both of their starters. Josh Richmond will remain back at strong safety while ShelDon Miller will make the switch to WILL linebacker. Richmond was the team's fourth leading tackler. This does leave some concern at the free safety position, which will be battled for by L.T. Smith (R-Fr.) and Seth Cunningham (So.). The cornerback positions returns both starters in Anthony Holmes (So.) and Manley Waller (Jr.). Holmes led the team in interceptions last season with three picks. He was also fifth on the team in tackling. Waller was the team's third leading tackler. These are major pieces to have back for 2011. The better news might be that they're extremely young and performing at such a high level already.

The linebacker corps gets back the two top guys in Matt Little (Sr.) and Brian Wagner (Jr.). Mike Thomas will need to be replaced at the SAM spot. This will be a major area that needs to be filled, as Thomas was the team's second leading tackler. Wagner was number one on the team and the group's sack leader. Matt Little will get a run for his money through the summer since ShelDon Miller will be competing for his starting spot. It would make sense if possible that Miller is good enough to switch over to SAM and grab that spot to avoid the uncertainty over there.

The defensive line returns plenty of firepower at the defensive tackle and end positions. Hasan Hazime and Dan Marcoux are the two that return for this group. The Zips play a 4-3 defense which means that half of the group from last year is back. The depth charts as of now indicate that Hazime right now is the only sure starter on the line. He was second on the team in tackles for loss and sacks. The major hit that this group takes is from the loss of defensive end Shawn Lemon, the team's sack leader and fumble forcer. Nico Caponi (So.) and Paul Skolmutch (Jr.) are the two guys that are currently fighting it out for this spot. Seniors Oreon Wilson and James Harvey are going to battle for the other defensive tackle position.

As far as special teams is concerned, the kicking game will be a little different. The Zips lose placekickers Branko Rogovic and Igor Iveljic. Zack Campbell (Sr.) is slated as the starting punter and T.J. Marchese (Jr.) will handle place kicks and kickoffs.

Check out a video of Akron's Spring Game.

Pointless Prediction: 2-10 (1-7) I think the most realistic chance of Akron getting a win comes during the out-of conference portion of the schedule. I believe the Zips can come off a three game losing streak and beat Virginia Military Institute in front of a home crowd. With some momentum, I do think they can get a win in Eastern Michigan as well. This will be an improved team from 2010. The majority of the questions however will come from a very inexperienced offensive group. Playmakers will have to emerge early if they want to improve on last season.

Bloggers: Rasor on the Zips

Interesting Fact: Originally Zippers, athletic director Kenneth “Red” Cochrane officially shortened the nickname to the Zips in 1950. Twenty-five years earlier a campus-wide contest had been conducted to choose a nickname for The University’s athletics teams.

Tomorrow's preview: Ball State Cardinals

E/O Expansion: $2,000,000 by August 1st

noreply@blogger.com (Owlified) — Fri, 22 Jul 2011 13:41:00 +0000

I'm copying and pasting a passage from Temple's Owl Club. This is regarding the planned expansion for Edberg-Olson Hall, Temple's on-campus practice facility. Coach Addazio announced that with a $2 million pledge by August 1st construction could be started immediately.

Owl supporters, please take the time to read what I've posted below. Please click here for more information. For information on making a gift to the Edberg-Olson Hall Expansion, contact Athletics Advancement at 215-204-2582 or e-mail OwlClub@temple.edu.

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Just as classrooms, laboratories and libraries define a student’s academic environment, Temple’s competition, practice and training facilities comprise the student’s athletic classroom. Temple’s ability to guide student-athletes in their quests for comprehensive excellence depends on its ability to provide spaces where student-athletes can play, practice, learn and compete.

Edberg-Olson Hall Expansion

August 1st, 2011 (IMMEDIATE CONSTRUCTION DEADLINE)

Edberg-Olson Hall at Temple University, which opened in 2000 as the university’s first football-only facility, is set for a nearly 15,000-square-foot expansion.

The expansion will strengthen Temple’s recruiting advantage, as well as enable the university to provide stronger support to its student-athletes. The result is a stronger football program on the field and in the classroom.

Key improvements:

The first-floor strength and conditioning area will expand from 2,500 square feet to nearly 10,000 square feet.
Expansion of the second floor will include a full-service academic support area and 3,500-square-foot team function room.
Additional equipment storage space
Enlarged sports medicine office with hydrotherapy area
Dedicated coaches locker room

Timeline opportunity: If by August 1, 2011, Temple receives $2 million in private gift commitments, construction will begin immediately with expected completion by August 2012 – in time for pre-season practice.

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Temple fans, this expansion could be completed in about a year if the pledge can be met. We've got a few more weeks to make sure this happens, and donations have already been coming in.

I strongly suggest that those with the ability to donate to the football program do so. Any contribution counts and is greatly appreciated.

The Owl's Nest is Going Mobile!

noreply@blogger.com (Owlified) — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 13:47:00 +0000

The Owl's Nest has now gone mobile. Now anyone with an Android or an iPhone can get any updates on the site right to your phone. Head over to the Android Market and search "Owlified". You can click here to go and download it. iPhone information is listed below.

Here's a look at the app:

There is a different way for iPhone users to get this app. Follow these directions:

1. On your iPhone, open Safari and go to http://theowlsnest.noticeorange.com (NO www)
2. On the bottom of the browser, click the middle button (looks like a box with an arrow)
3. Click "Add to Home Screen"

You can rename it whatever you want.
The application free to download and has alerts so that you'll know whenever The Owl's Nest has anything new posted on the site.

Android and iPhone users, let us know what you think. Hopefully this just makes our website more accessible and efficient for everyone.

2011's Preseason Depth Chart is Now Available

noreply@blogger.com (Owlified) — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 01:47:00 +0000

Earlier today Temple released the 2011 Temple Football Media Guide.

Coach Addazio and the rest of the staff did not release a depth chart through spring practices. Finally, we get a look at the preseason depth chart as training camp approaches. There's plenty of time for orders to change, players to emerge, and others to drop.

OFFENSE

X-WIDE RECEIVER	#86 Deon Miller (6-5, 210) OR #80 C.J. Hammond (6-2, 193)
.
LEFT TACKLE	#79 Pat Boyle (6-5, 320) #66 Darryl Pringle (6-6, 327)
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LEFT GUARD	#63 Derek Dennis (6-5, 328) #74 Evan Regas (6-4, 325)
.
CENTER	#77 John Palumbo (6-5, 312) #68 Jeremy Schonbrunner (6-3, 306)
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RIGHT GUARD	#69 Wayne Tribue (6-4, 324) #78 Sean Boyle (6-5, 324)
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RIGHT TACKLE	#73 Martin Wallace (6-6, 310) #60 Joe Cenatiempo (6-7, 315)
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TIGHT END	#89 Matt Balasavage (6-4, 256) #38 Cody Booth (6-5, 255)
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QUARTERBACK	#7 Chester Stewart (6-3, 214) OR #8 Mike Geradi (6-2, 206) #10 Chris Coyer (6-3, 214)
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HALFBACK	#30 Bernard Pierce (6-0, 218) #24 Ahkeem Smith (6-0, 215) OR #31 Myron Myles (6-1, 210)
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FULLBACK/TIGHT END	#88 Evan Rodriguez (6-3, 250) #98 Alex Jackson (6-4, 250)
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Z-WIDE RECEIVER	#18 Rod Streater (6-4, 196) OR #26 Joe Jones (5-11, 195)

When looking at this depth chart, there doesn't really seem to be anything out of the ordinary. The offensive will see some changes with a difference scheme being put in place. The depth chart calls the offensive strategy a "Multiple" offense. We'll be seeing the spread. Many have referred more specifically to the offense as a spread option.

There are major holes to fill on the offensive line with the losses of Colin Madison and Darius Morris. The right tackle position is wide open for Martin Wallace or Joe Cenatiempo to win. There's some inexperience at this spot, but plenty of time for someone to emerge as the top replacement. Another lineman battle will be at the right guard position between Wayne Tribue and Sean Boyle. Tribue earned starts at left guard and center last season and is the leader for this spot. Sean Boyle is coming off an injury that forced him to redshirt last year. Despite the questions that have come up about this year's offensive line, there seems to be enough senior leadership and experience to be able to carry this team forward.

This depth chart shows that both wide receiver positions are open and up for grabs. The "OR"s next to their names indicated that there is no clear cut leader right now. Miller and Hammond will battle it out for the X-Wide spot, while seniors Rod Streater and Joe Jones (I figured these two would be the starters) will go neck and neck at Z-Wide. Despite the loss of senior Michael Campbell, this wideout corps has at least a year or two under its belt and will hopefully contribute more this year to the offense's production.

Bernard Pierce as everyone would expect is the first string tailback going into the summer. What's interesting after this is that there is no mention of Matt Brown. Brown was suspended during the spring but is now back in good standing with the team. He'll have to work his way back up the charts to earn a spot on the starting offense. Battling for the number two spot are Ahkeem Smith and Myron Myles. Smith has seen the field more and more each season, but really hasn't had many opportunities to claim that starting spot. Myles had a VERY good spring and has been a lot of the talk recently. He is expected to make some noise after redshirting his freshman year last season.

The quarterback position (as always) is there for the taking. Chester Stewart, Mike Gerardi, and Chris Coyer are the three in contention for the spot as of now. Don't forget Juice Granger and Connor Reilly though. Don't expect to hear a named starter any time soon. This one should and could play out all the way up to the final days before opening kickoff.

Matt Balasavage is slated as the starting tight end. The other tight end position is listed as a /fullback, which is where Evan Rodriguez falls. He did a nice job when he was in the backfield blocking for the backs. Alex Jackson will compete with him for that spot.

DEFENSE

DEFENSIVE END
.	#43 Adrian Robinson (6-2, 250) #41 Marcus Green (6-2, 240)
DEFENSIVE TACKLE	#91 Jaimen Newman (6-4, 275) #93 Kamal Johnson (6-4, 285)
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NOSE TACKLE	#94 Kadeem Custis (6-4, 295) #99 Levi Brown (6-2, 305)
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DEFENSE END	#85 Morkeith Brown (6-6, 260) #45 Morris Blueford (6-4, 245)
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WILL	#56 Olaniyi Adewole (6-2, 228) #36 Gary Onuekwusi (6-1, 235)
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MIKE	#53 Stephen Johnson (6-1, 230) #33 Blae Caponegro (6-1, 225)
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SAM	#2 Tahir Whitehead (6-2, 228) #32 Quinten White (6-3, 218)
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FIELD CORNER	#27 Zamel Johnson (6-0, 180) #47 Anthony Robey (5-10, 180)
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STRONG SAFETY	#4 Justin Gildea (5-11, 190) #48 Brian Burns (6-0, 185)
FREE SAFETY	#37 Kevin Kroboth (6-0, 198) #14 Vaughn Carraway (6-2, 192)
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BOUNDARY CORNER	#6 Maurice Jones (5-10, 195) #20 Kee-ayre Griffin (5-11, 188)

Coach Heater seems to be a little more confident about who is starting on the defensive side of the ball. The Owls will continue playing a 4-3 defense. There are no indecisive spots, but that certainly does not mean that any of this is set in stone.

The defense returns at least eight seniors and five juniors that are currently fighting for the top spot at their positions. That's plenty of upperclassmen leadership and talent that is returning for 2011. There is at least one spot at each position (lineman, linebacker, and defensive back) that must be replaced from last year.

Adrian Robinson and Morkeith Brown (back on defense) have the defensive end spots locked down right now. Kadeem Custis and Levi Brown will battle for the nose tackle spot, and the defensive tackle formerly held by a current NFL first rounder will need to be filled by either Jaimen Newman or Kamal Johnson. Besides the weakside linebacker, his defensive tackle position is where there is the least amount of experience.

The senior-dominated linebacker corps will lead this defense. Tahir Whitehead and Stephen Johnson are both returning starters from last season. Peanut Joseph has now graduated, which means that there will be competition for that Will linebacker spot mentioned before. This one's wide open; Olaniyi Adewole and Gary Onuekwusi are both sophomore that don't have too much experience under their belts. This will be an interesting position to follow as we approach the season.

Of the three defensive sections, the secondary seems to have the next largest amount of upperclassmen leadership. The safeties will need to step up their game after the loss of second round draft pick Jaiquawn Jarrett. Senior Kevin Kroboth and junior Justin Gildea (both have started at the position in previous years) should not have a problem taking care of this. Maurice Jones has a number of starts at corner through his two years as an Owl, but senior Kee-ayre Griffin will be battle for that boundary corner position. The field corner looks like it will be wide open, with sophomore Zamel Johnson and freshman Anthony Robey going 1-2.

As for special teams, there's nothing out of the ordinary. Brandon McManus will be handling field goals, PATs, kickoffs, and punts this season. Chris Coyer will be holding. The long snapper is Chris Parthemore, and short is Pat Boyle.Joe Jones is the punt returner this season, taking over for Delano Green. The starting kickoff returners are James Nixon and Kee-ayre Griffin.

It's early, but it's the first depth chart we've seen under Coach Addazio. Training camp is just 17 days away.

COMMITTED: Samuel Benjamin (2012)

noreply@blogger.com (Owlified) — Tue, 19 Jul 2011 23:36:00 +0000

Coach Addazio has received another commitment for the 2012 football recruiting class. Samuel Benjamin, an athlete from Mount St. Joseph High School (Baltimore, MD), joined the long list of Temple verbals yesterday afternoon.

Benjamin is a 6'0, 190-pound player who was being recruiting by Temple primarily as a slot receiver.

Rivals.com reports that he runs the 40 in 4.4 seconds.

Benjamin turned down reported offers from MAC opponent Ohio as well as Marshall. He was also receiving interest from major schools such as Boston College, Cincinnati, Georgia Tech, Tulsa, Virginia, and Wake Forest. Holy Cross, Old Dominion, and Stony Brook were a few other programs.

Be sure to continue checking back for our updated list of 2012 commitments.

Lavoy Allen Balling in France During the Lockout

noreply@blogger.com (Owlified) — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 15:18:00 +0000

Lavoy Allen is not allowing the current NBA lockout to spoil his dream of playing professional basketball. Earlier this week Allen decided he would be taking his talents internationally for the time being.

Allen signed a contract with Strasbourg IG in France. The contract includes an opt-out clause if the NBA lockout is resolved. The clause expires in January, which is when the NBA must resolve the lockout in order to salvage its season.

If the lockout is not resolved anytime soon, Allen will leave for France in late August. If the lockout is resolved at some point, Allen doesn’t necessarily have to opt out of his contract. It’s his option whether or not he wants to stay in France or return to the NBA. But Allen said he will definitely opt out if and when the lockout is resolved. -- CSNPhilly.com

As a second round draft pick, there's no guaranteed contract. Nobody is certain that the Sixers ultimately plan to hold on to Allen. As the above article goes on to mention, Lavoy is going to have to earn his spot.

The team he's playing for is known as Strasbourg Illkirch Graffenstaden Basket

There shouldn't be a problem getting out of the contract in the event that the NBA finds a solution to this lockout. The article clearly says that there's an opt-out that will allow him to return to the Sixers, so it's temporary.

The only negative that comes from this is the risk of injury, but besides that Allen has a chance to showcase his talent and improve his game during the down time. Hopefully he will take advantage of this and impress the Sixers organization.

Bernard Pierce NCAA Football '12 Cover

noreply@blogger.com (Owlified) — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 03:53:00 +0000

Thanks to the guys at Sports Cover World for making this!

COMMITTED: Averee Robinson (2012)

noreply@blogger.com (Owlified) — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 02:55:00 +0000

A source confirmed just a few moments ago that Coach Addazio received another commitment for the 2012 recruiting class. This brings Temple's total to 22. Averee Robinson, the younger brother of current Owl Adrian, has verballed.

Averee Robinson is a 6'1, 285-pound defensive tackle from Susquehanna Township High School (Harrisburg, PA). Check out the video above for highlights from his junior season.

This past year Robinson was able to rack up 46 tackles (5.8 tackles per game) and eights sacks.

According to Rivals, Temple was his one and only offer. There were several other MAC teams and Big East teams that were interested in his services; Akron, Connecticut, Eastern Michigan, and Syracuse all expressed some sort of interest. Scout says that Nebraska, Penn State, and Pittsburgh were all interested as well.

Averee is also a state champion wrestler.

From my experiences, the Robinsons are an awesome family with some obvious football talent. Adrian Robinson is one of the best players in the Mid-American Conference and is predicted by many to have a future career at the professional level. He has already made a mark on this Temple program and I would not be hesitant to say he's one of the best linemen that we've had on North Broad.

I'm looking forward to seeing Averee follow in his brothers footsteps at Temple.

Be sure to continue checking back for our updated list of 2012 commitments.

(VIDEO) Temple Owls in NCAA Football '12

noreply@blogger.com (Owlified) — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 19:57:00 +0000

Take a look at Temple in this year's NCAA Football game. I'll have more on this year's game and the 2011 Owls' ratings.

(VIDEO) Delco ProAm League's Under Armour Elite

noreply@blogger.com (Owlified) — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 15:22:00 +0000

Quite a few Temple players are on the Under Armour Elite team. Khalif Wyatt (#41), Dalton Pepper (#5), and Will Cummings (#3) are all in the video above against Haverford College. The Owls are wearing the white jerseys.

Lavoy Allen is also on this team.

I am extremely impressed with the way that Will Cummings plays on both sides of the ball. Defensively he had two blocks within the first few minutes of the game. On offense he does a tremendous job seeing the floor and finding his open teammates. He's aggressive to the bucket and does try to make plays of his own as well. Cummings (everyone would assume) will take over the point guard duties when Juan Fernandez graduates after next season.

We've heard a number of times that Cummings was an absolute steal for the Owls, and even from just one basketball game I think there's plenty of proof of that. He's going to be a key party of this team for years to come.

Khalif Wyatt early on is able to knock down some buckets but at times still shows his immaturity when driving to the hole. On a fast break opportunity around 6 minutes he is wild going to the hoop regardless of the foul called, but with time he will learn to control himself more so he has more finishing opportunities. On the other hand, Wyatt as always shows that he is a dangerous scorer for this squad. He will certainly be one of Temple's top three producers over the next couple of years.

Dalton Pepper on several occasions shows his ability to shoot the long range jumper as well as his explosiveness off the dribble. At 6'5 he causes problems for opponents on both sides of the ball. He has great size and athleticism for a guard which makes it exciting to be able to see him contribute in 2012.

Dutch's brother D.C Gaitley is a player on this team as well. Dutch is one of the coaches.

The video above is a recording of the entire game.

OP: 5 Reasons Why Temple Hoops Improves in 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Owlified) — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 01:35:00 +0000

Matthew Vender is going into his freshman year of high school and is very familiar with Temple football and basketball. He has experience writing for BleacherReport.com. Every Sunday he will share his opinions and thoughts on anything pertaining to Owls athletics. This week he discusses the reasons why he believes the Temple basketball team will be improved during the upcoming season.

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The newest recruit Will Cummings is an ESPN Top 150 recruit and is a great ball handler. He's got a great first step to the basket. He could obviously use some improvement on his jump shot , but he's only a freshman and has a number of other guards in front of him. I think he won't be able to play too much this year but he will get his fair share of minutes. With T.J. DiLeo, Ramone Moore, Aaron Brown, and Juan Fernandez ahead of him, it will cause Cummings to have tough competition ahead of him which may make it tough. Both of Temple's starting guards are seniors which will allow Cummings more minutes and a great chance to start during his sophomore season. Cummings will for sure have a very positive impact on this team over the next few years.

Juan Fernandez will hopefully be at 100% this year and have his speed back. Fernandez was hurt for 10 games in 2010. In one of Temple's losses last season against Duquesne, Fernandez made an attempt to come back and was not fully healthy. For about five games he was not fully healthy and was only able to play about 15 minutes a game. If Fernandez was healthy the whole year, we may have seen the Owls win a couple more games. With Fernandez 100% recovered and coming into the season with confidence, the Owls are looking good for next year. Fernandez has been in his home country of Argentina working on his game looking to improve on his game for his very highly anticipated senior season.

Micheal Eric will soon be back at full health after having a broken patella and being out most of the second half of the year. Eric suffered his injury in the middle of February during practice and was out for the rest of the season. From then on, Temple lacked the size needed to compete with many teams. The Owls were missing seven points, six rebounds, and 1.5 blocks per game. Even though Lavoy Allen is a better rebounder and scorer than Eric, he still lacks the 6"11 and 240-pound frame. A healthy Micheal Eric is one of the keys to next year's success.

Anthony Lee will be available and fully recovered from his major back surgery in November. Lee was redshirted last season due to his back problems. He is known for his speed and agility. Even though he is not very strong and does not compare weight-wise to other 6"10 centers, he can still rebound very well and has a very nice game overall. He will have to share minutes with Micheel Eric and Rahlir Jefferson. Due to the lack of height of Temple's posterior, Anthony Lee (if healthy) should see some playing time. With Anthony Lee playing this year, this will be a huge help for the Owls inside.

The last reason why I believe Temple will be better then last year is because they will have Scootie Randall and Ramone Moore at full health. Randall and Moore improved much over the year and showed a lot of growth during their junior seasons. Moore averaged 15 points per game and Randall averaged 11. Over the summer, they have been working very hard on improving their game even more and we're looking for them to have a great upcoming season.

This should be a very interesting season. We certainly do not have an easy schedule this year at all. Just a reminder to all 'Nova fans reading this, Temple will play 10 postseason teams this season!

Go Owls and beat 'Nova!

The Countdown Begins: 56 Days

noreply@blogger.com (Owlified) — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 02:36:00 +0000

Owls Have a Great 2011 Non-Conference Schedule

noreply@blogger.com (Owlified) — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 21:31:00 +0000

Here's a breakdown of Temple's scheduled opponents for 2011.

Temple has released a non-conference schedule as well as the locations of the conference opponents. Take a look at the dates and opponents the Owls will play during the non-conference portion of the season.

OPPONENT		OVR RECORD
	at Pennsylvania [11/14/11]	44-22
	TBD (Puerto Rico Tip-Off Classic) [11/17/11]	-
	TBD (Puerto Rico Tip-Off Classic) [11/18/11]	-
	TBD (Puerto Rico Tip-Off Classic) [11/20/11]	-
	at Bowling Green [11/27/11]	3-0
	CENTRAL MICHIGAN [12/3/11]	1-0
	at Toledo [12/3/11]	3-0
	VILLANOVA [12/10/11]	41-44
	at Texas [12/17/11]	2-2
	at Rice [12/19/11]	1-0
	BUFFALO [12/28/11]	3-2
	at Delaware [12/30/11]	36-6
	DUKE [1/4/12]	9-19
	MARYLAND [1/21/12]	5-4

Temple will play against Pennsylvania and Maryland at the Palestra. The Terps aren't at the Liacouras Center because we did not play them at their home court during the BB&T Classic last season. The Owls will play Duke at the Wells Fargo Center.

The teams that are participating in the Puerto Rico Tip-Off Classic are Alabama, Colorado, Iona, Maryland, Purdue, Western Michigan, and Wichita State.

We mentioned earlier this month that Temple and Texas agreed to a home and home starting this year. The Owls will play another team from the state of Texas as well: Rice.

The conference schedule opponents have been released without their dates. Temple will play Dayton, Duquesne, Fordham, George Washington, La Salle, Massachusetts, Saint Joe's, and Xavier at home.

The Owls will visit Charlotte, Fordham, La Salle, Rhode Island, St. Bonaventure, St. Joe's, and Saint Louis on the road.

In 2011 Temple will have 13 games at home, 13 on the road, and five on neutral floors.

The Owls return four of the five starters from last year's squad that made it to the third round of the NCAA Tournament. It's going to be another exciting season.