Owls' Nest Tweets of the Day

As we continue to incorporate Twitter into our blog, we figured we'd let many of the Temple fans across the internet be heard with our "Tweets of the Day". Every day, we'll take several of the web's Twitter feeds regarding the Temple Owls, and post them right here.

Here are today's "Owls' Nest Tweets of the Day":

@TUcoachAlGolden What an exciting time for Temple Football. Out recruiting and waiting to see where we will be going to a bowl game.

@STYLEMOM @ForMyBaby Temple Owls are everywhere!

@CSErecruitment There is a real possibility that Rutgers and Temple could meet in a bowl game this year. Imagine saying that ten years ago?

@rochesterrob I really don't want to wait another 8 days to find out where Temple will play a bowl game...

@kitard_love oh god, even temple university has a better program than ALLLLLLLL THESE IVIES.

Check out The Owl's Nest on Twitter as well and be sure to follow us: www.twitter.com/Owlified

Owls' Nest Tweets of the Day

As we continue to incorporate Twitter into our blog, we figured we'd let many of the Temple fans across the internet be heard with our "Tweets of the Day". Every day, we'll take several of the web's Twitter feeds regarding the Temple Owls, and post them right here.

Here are today's "Owls' Nest Tweets of the Day":

@CharlieKracka thinking ahead to the draft if temple owls running back breadon price is there when the eagles select tehy should pick him up

@devongallagher Ugh, well hey Temple football is good this year.

@dj1988xxy Al Groh fired at Virgina should hire Al Golden at Temple.

@breimels I don't care that Temple football lost that last game. 9-3 season?!? A-freaking-mazing. Al Golden = hero.

@JContiz3 Al Golden next coach out of the MAC to a BCS team. Calling it.

Check out The Owl's Nest on Twitter as well and be sure to follow us: www.twitter.com/Owlified

Temple Owls vs. Western Michigan Broncos

Stay tuned for the following articles for Tuesday's game!

- Temple vs. Western Michigan Preview
- Q&A with Western Michigan blogger
- Gameday Chat

Stay updated with The Owl's Nest and be sure to follow us on twitter.

So What's Next?

After Friday's loss to Ohio, Temple Owls fans have been discussing and trying to figure out what will be next for this football team.

The Ohio victory sealed the deal on the two MAC teams that would compete in the conference championship. The agreement the conference has with the bowl games guarantees both teams participating in the championship receive bowl game appearances.

Because the Owls were unable to do so, the team will need to play the waiting game. At (9-3)(7-1), Temple is certainly eligible for post season play, and have a slight advantage over several other teams.

In the Mid-American Conference, there are several teams that are eligible for bowl games:

- Central Michigan Chippewas *
- Ohio Bobcats *
- Temple Owls
- Northern Illinois Huskies
- Bowling Green Falcons

* Number 1 and 2 teams in the MAC.

Here are the bowl games that the Mid-American Conference is affiliated with:

International Bowl (Big East #4 vs. MAC #1/#2/#3)
Little Caesars Pizza Bowl (Big Ten #7 vs. MAC #1/#2/#3)
GMAC Bowl (ACC #9 vs. MAC #1/#2/#3)
EagleBank Bowl (ACC #8/MAC #4 vs. Army/C-USA #6)

In addition to know what bowls are options, there is an order to the selection of teams.

1st - Little Caesars Pizza Bowl
2nd - GMAC Bowl
3rd - International Bowl
4th - EagleBank Bowl (If ACC cannot fill)

Bowl games select their teams on a number of conditions beneficiary to the host.

Here is the current outlook (predictions) right now.

International Bowl: Temple Owls vs. (Rutgers|Connecticut|South Florida)
Little Caesars Pizza Bowl: Ohio Bobcats vs. Middle Tennessee State
GMAC Bowl: Central Michigan vs. (UCLA|Notre Dame| Louisiana Lafayette)
EagleBank Bowl: TBD (Army vs. Navy game decides) (BGSU|NIU)

The Owl's Nest will keep you updated on the bowl outcomes. Be sure to also follow us on twitter.

Owls Are Lost in the Red Storm

(Kennedy's 15 points lead SJU to their first 5-0 start since '02)

The Temple Owls and St. John's Red Storm battled it out at The Palestra on Saturday night for the Philly Hoops Classic finale. Both teams were looking to tack on a win that would look really nice on their tournament resumes.

This game was very similar to Temple's outing against Georgetown, where both teams struggled to put the ball in the basket. In addition, both teams struggled to take care of the ball, combining for 31 turnovers.

Poor shooting was once again the story of this game for Temple. The Owls shot 18 for 64 (that's 28%), and could not capitalize from the free throw line. From the charity strike, Temple was 9 for 15 (60%).

St. John's had a number of opportunities to extend their lead and pull away, as TU gave the Red Storm 20 points on 23 fouls.

In our preview of this game ("Owls to Tackle the Storm"), we mentioned that an advantage that St. John's had was their ability to go five or six guys deep on the bench. The Red Storm were able to wear down the Owls through this game, and get several important TU playmakers in early foul trouble.

Players like Lavoy Allen and Craig Williams struggled early with fouls, and partially kept them from contributing as well.

Here's a looking at the scoring breakdown for the Owls:

Lavoy Allen - (9 points, 4 rebounds, 2 blocks)
Ryan Brooks - (8 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists)
Juan Fernandez - (5 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists)
Ramone Moore - (10 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist)
Rahlir Jefferson - (9 points, 12 rebounds, 1 steal)
Luis Guzman - (2 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist)
Craig Williams - (3 points, 2 rebounds)
Scootie Randall - (2 points, 2 rebounds)

Sophomore Ramone Moore led the Owls with 10 points, followed by Rahlir Jefferson and Lavoy Allen with 9. Jefferson led all rebounders with 12 boards.

For St. John's, the team was led by leading scorer D.J. Kennedy with 15 points, followed by Dwight Hardy with 11 points off the bench. Sean Evans led the team with 11 rebounds, with also told part of this game's story.

Temple's record goes to (4-2)(0-0), and the Owls take on the Western Michigan Broncos.

St. John's record goes to (5-0)(0-0) and the Red Storm will head home to play Stony Brook

Stay updated with The Owl's Nest or follow us on twitter.

Live Blog: Temple vs. St. John's

Join us below for a Live Gameday Chat of the Temple Owls vs. St. John's Red Storm!

Enter your email address to receive a reminder about our chat prior to Saturday's game.

Owls to Tackle the Storm

Coming off yesterday's victory over Virginia Tech, the Temple Owls will head back to The Palestra tonight to take on their second Big East opponent in the St. John's Red Storm.

Temple will look to continue their two game winning streak through such a tough out of conference schedule. The Owl's Nest will give you an in-depth look at Saturday's game against St. John's for the Temple Men's Basketball team.

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Temple Owls vs. St. John's Red Storm
The Palestra (Philadelphia, PA)
Television: MASN (Mid-Atlantic Sports Network)
Tip-off: 8:30 PM

This is the first time in 20 years that the teams have played. In their previous meeting (March 16, 1990), St. John's was able to win handily by a score of 81-65. The Red Storm lead the overall series 3-1.

St. John's Red Storm

Overall Record: (4-0)(0-0)
2008 Record:(15-16)(6-12)
Last Game: (77-68 win over Siena)

Key Losses: (C) Tomas Jasiulionis
Key Returns: (G) D.J Kennedy, (F) Sean Evans, (F) Justin Burrell, (G) Malik Boothe, (G) Paris Horne

The St. John's Red Storm are in an interesting situation, as the entire starting 5 has returned from last year. In addition, there was merely one senior that had graduated from this team. The majority of these players are entering their junior year, and it goes to show the amount of unity and experience this program has. In addition, this team is very talented and dangerous.

Here's a look at St. John's last top performers:

D.J. Kennedy (23 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists)
Dwight Hardy (13 points, 1 rebound, 2 assists)
Paris Horne (9 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists)
Sean Evans (9 points, 8 rebounds, 1 assist)
Justin Brownlee (9 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist)

Led by junior D.J. Kennedy, the St. John's Red Storm are equipped with talent and a ton of depth. Kennedy leads this team with 18 points per game, as well as 3 assists per game as well. Roughly four players on this team average double digits, and 11 players have found ways to contribute whether it be scoring or rebounding. This team defines team effort. Matter of fact, 32 of the team's 77 points against Siena came from guys off the bench-- that says a lot about the wide variety of talent on this squad.

This being said, Temple fans know that Coach Fran Dunphy is not one to go deep on the bench in the majority of the teams outings. That means that the Red Storm will have fresh legs on and off the court at all times.

As a team, the Red Storm are generally a taller team. They match up extremely well with the Owls, from guard to center.

Temple Owls

Overall Record: (3-1)(0-0)
2008 Record (20-12)(11-5)
Last Game: (61-50 win over Virginia Tech)

Key Losses: (G) Dionte Christmas, (G) Semaj Inge, (C) Sergio Olmos
Key Returns: (G) Ryan Brooks, (F) Lavoy Allen

Unlike St. John's, the Temple Owls lost a number of players and key contributors after this past year due to graduation. However, what this team lacks in leaders they gain in experience. Leading the Owls are senior Ryan Brooks and junior Lavoy Allen, who have been to two NCAA tournaments already. Lavoy Allen has recently stepped up huge in this Philly Classic, scoring a double double in both contests. Brooks has slightly cooled off, and several others have began impacting this team.

Unlike last year, Temple's 3 point shooting percentage has tremendously dropped since Dionte Christmas' departure. The Owls tend to score more from mid-range jumpers, and now more often points in the paint.

Here's Temple's last top performers:

Lavoy Allen (18 points, 10 rebounds, 4 assists)
Juan Fernandez (8 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists)
Luis Guzman (8 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists)
Ryan Brooks (7 points, 4 rebounds)
Craig Williams (6 points, 4 rebounds, 2 blocks)

The Owls, as they usually have done under Coach Fran Dunphy, have settled to about an 3 deep bench. Similar to St. John's, Temple has several players who despite getting fewer minutes have made plays game in and game out.

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Predicted Starting 5

Here's our prediction of today's starting five for the Temple Owls:

(G) Juan Fernandez
(G) Ryan Brooks
(G) Luis Guzman
(F) Lavoy Allen
(F) Craig Williams

Key Players (TEM): Both teams are coming off games on Friday, so there's no excuse for one team to be more tired out than the other. Lavoy Allen played all 40 minutes in what was his best game of the season, but will once again need to make things happen against a talented team like SJU. Ryan Brooks needs to play the way he played earlier against Delaware in order to provide Temple will another dangerous scoring option. Also, the defense just needs to keep doing what they have all season to keep the Red Storm's weapons contained.

Key Players (STJ): St. John's will want to utilize every weapon they have between their starting five and the bench. D.J. Kennedy can do enough damage himself, but playing against a defense like Temple's a guy can only do so much. The key for SJU would be to use and create every scoring option possible in order to cause problems for this defense. A team can never have too many players contributing to their offense. For the most part, the Red Storm will also want to force the Owls to rush their shots, rather than set up a look in the paint.

Feel free to join us for a Live Chat during the game! Temple - St. John's Gameday Chat!

You can catch Tuesday's game on ESPN, as well as ESPN360.com!

Temple Owls vs. St. John's Red Storm

Stay tuned for a preview of this matchup over the course of the day!

- Temple vs. St. John's preview
- Q&A with St. John's blogger
- Gameday chat at 7:30!

Owls Outwork Hokies for Second Straight

(Lavoy Allen made his presence felt against the Hokies.)

The Temple Owls basketball team continued organizing an early tournament resume after defeating the Virginia Tech Hokies last night 61-50.

Lavoy Allen played his best overall game of this young season, leading all Owls in scoring and rebounding. Against Ball State, and now V-Tech, the 6'9 junior has stepped up his game and provided crucial production for this hot Temple team.

Guards Juan Fernandez, Luis Guzman, and Ramone Moore set Lavoy Allen up for multiple scoring opportunities-- and he took care of business. Although the Palestra was not filled, anyone could hear the Cherry Crusade loud and proud.

The Owls took down an undefeated Hokies squad with a lot of talent. Virginia Tech caused a number of problems for the Owls early, as both teams had streaks where neither ball club could finish.

Here's a looking at the scoring breakdown for the Owls:

Lavoy Allen - (18 points, 10 rebounds, 4 assists)
Ryan Brooks - (7 points, 4 rebounds)
Juan Fernandez - (8 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists)
Ramone Moore - (5 points, 3 rebounds)
Luis Guzman - (8 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists)
Craig Williams - (6 points, 4 rebounds, 2 blocks)
T.J. DiLeo - (4 points, 2 rebounds, 1 steal)
Rahlir Jefferson - (5 points, 1 rebound, 1 assist)

Malcolm Delaney of Virginia Tech led all scorers with 32 points. That's over 60% of his teams scoring. Delaney, the talented guard out of Baltimore, MD, was the only Hokie in double digits.

It didn't help either that forward Jeff Allen fouled out of this game. Many expected an intense matchup between the Allens down low, and who knows how this game would have gone if Jeff Allen had 10 more minutes or so.

Temple's record improves to (4-1)(0-0), and the Owls take on Saint John's tonight.

Virginia Tech's record goes to (3-1)(0-0) and the Hokies will go against Delaware tonight.

Stay updated with The Owl's Nest or follow us on twitter.

MAC Championship Just Out of Reach

(Kee-ayre Griffin back at RB for the missing Pierce -- AP Photo.)

In arguably the third most crucial game of the football season, the Temple Owls 2009 MAC Championship dreams were crushed after their first loss in exactly two months.

Temple faced the second place Ohio Bobcats to decide the East division champ, but came up short with a 35-17 loss. The Owls went into Athens with hopes of achieving the four year dream, but came up short.

It was a matchup of one of the Mid-American Conference's best passing games, against one of the worst pass defenses-- that was the story of the game. The Ohio Bobcats had no problem getting their air game going, causing plenty of trouble for Temple in the air.

It was the Theo Scott show-- the senior quarterback went 17/21 for 324 yards and 3 touchdowns. It was a near-perfect game, despite suffering what seemed to be a minor ankle injury late in the game.

Temple's secondary could not find any answer nor make any adjustment to adapt to the successful Ohio air attack. The Bobcats were banged up early, losing star wideout LaVon Brazill. That didn't stop Scott and his variety of offensive weapons from getting the job done and returning to the MAC Championship game against Central Michigan.

Here's the scoring breakdown of yesterday morning's game:

1ST QUARTER

OHIO: (WR) Steven Goulet 9 yard touchdown catch. [7-0]

2ND QUARTER

TEM: (K) Brandon McManus 24 yard field goal [7-3]
OHIO: (WR) LaVon Brazill 65 yard touchdown catch. [13-3]
TEM: (RB) Kee-ayre Griffin 17 yard touchdown run [13-10]

3RD QUARTER

OHIO: (QB) Theo Scott 17 yard touchdown run [20-10]
OHIO: (WR) Terrence McCrae 4 yard touchdown catch [26-10]
TEM: (RB) Matt Brown 9 yard touchdown run [26-17]

4TH QUARTER

OHIO: (QB) Theo Scott 43 yard touchdown run [32-17]
OHIO: (K) Matt Weller 38 yard field goal [35-17]

FINAL SCORE: Ohio Bobcats 35, Temple Owls 17.

Temple saw success from backup runningback Matt Brown, who picked up where he left off against Kent State. CB/RB Kee-ayre Griffin chipped in also, scoring a touchdown of his own.

Defensively, the running game was not at its best, giving up several huge rushes to quarterback Theo Scott which resulted in scores. Words cannot describe how disappointing the secondary played, but all the credit in the world goes to Ohio.

Special teams played well for the Owls, as Ohio had a lot of trouble with field goals and extra points. Temple managed to block two extra point attempts, as well as force a missed XP and a missed FG.

Ohio is set, moving onto the MAC Championship game to take on Central Michigan. They'll be slated for a bowl game no matter win or loss. Temple, on the other hand, will have the play the waiting game. We'll lay out the bowl game scenarios for the Owls later on this week.

Temple's regular season finishes with a record of (9-3)(7-1). The 9 game winning streak and undefeated conference record come to an end.

Ohio's regular season record improves to (9-3)(7-1). They'll get an extra game when they take on Central Michigan and represent the MAC East.

Stay updated with The Owl's Nest and follow us on twitter for the latest post season possibilities for the Temple football team.

Owls' Nest Tweets of the Day

As we continue to incorporate Twitter into our blog, we figured we'd let many of the Temple fans across the internet be heard with our "Tweets of the Day". Every day, we'll take several of the web's Twitter feeds regarding the Temple Owls, and post them right here.

Here are today's "Owls' Nest Tweets of the Day":

@javahawk In other football news, the Temple Owls went 9-3. Their last winning season? 1990, at 7-4 under coach Jerry Berndt. Must be Sunny in Philly.

@ccarl Easier to stomach the football loss when the Temple bball team ends the day with a W. Go Owls!!

@mnkaufman My Temple Owls had a chance to go to the MAC Championship game. Played badly and lost to Ohio U. Wound up 9-3. Will see about Bowl Game.

@jppalm Temple coach Al Golden sporting a suit and tie on the sidelines. That's not a very common look in football.

@gtbynum Home from probably my all-time best TU football game experience. Congrats to the seniors!

Check out The Owl's Nest on Twitter as well and be sure to follow us: www.twitter.com/Owlified

Live Blog: Temple vs. Virginia Tech

Join us below for a Live GameDay Chat of the Temple Owls vs. Virginia Tech Hokies!

Enter your email address to receive a reminder about our chat prior to Friday night's game.

Temple Owls vs. Virginia Tech Hokies

Feel free to stop by our live blog tonight, starting at 7:00 PM and going through the entire game!

Live Blog: Temple vs. Ohio

Join us below for a Live GameDay Chat of the Temple Owls vs. Ohio Bobcats!

Enter your email address to receive a reminder about our chat prior to Friday's game.

Getting to Know Ohio (Q&A)

The Owls' Nest had the opportunity to speak with Ted Thompson, of "BobcatAttack.com".

We asked Ted to answer a few of our questions to give Temple fans more of an idea as to what the team will be up against this Friday against Ohio:

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The Owl's Nest:: Last year, the Owls and Bobcats had a hard-fought/low scoring game where Temple was able to come back and win. Both teams had their moments on both sides of the ball. The Bobcats finished up the year going 4-8. What have been many of the changes (coaching, players, etc.) that OU has gone through in order to put them into the place they're in this year?


BobcatAttack.com: Improvement in turnover margin. Last season, Ohio was one of the worst teams in the nation in turnover margin. This year Ohio is second in the country in takeaways. The 4th quarter fumble that led to Temple's game-winning score was emblematic of many Ohio games in 2008.

TON: Looking at the statistics, it seems as if Ohio has several players from each position that have produced significantly-- Passing: (QB) Theo Scott | Rushing: (RB) Chris Garrett, (RB) Vince Davidson, (RB) Donte Hardin | Receiving: (WR) Taylor Price, (WR) LaVon Brazill, (WR) Terrance McCrae. Could you give give us an idea of who the main guys are out of these players, as well as their strengths and weaknesses?

BCA: Those players have all taken turns carrying the load for Ohio. QB Theo Scott is not comfortable running the ball but can make big plays in the passing game. Generally unimpressive in quarters 1-3, he's keyed several 4th quarter drives for Ohio wins. The RB spot has been a committee effort. Davidson and Garrett have been dividing time of late. WR Taylor Price is recognized one of the best in the Midwest. As teams have concentrated on him, Brazill has had a series of career games and is dangerous in the return game. McCrae's height advantage makes him a favorite target in the end zone.

TON: What is Ohio's style of play using these players? Are there any tendencies or preferences as to the team's style of play?

BCA: Ohio has been unable to run the ball well enough to do well in the red zone or generate sustained drives. Instead, it has relied on big plays from Scott, Garrett and the wide receivers.

TON: Through most of the season, opposing fans would see Temple as "The Bernard Pierce Show", and that the Owls only way of offensive production was through him. Now that this team has formed a reliable passing game, how do you think the Bobcats will defend the Owls offense?

BCA: Probably the same game plan they've used against Buffalo and Northern Illinois. Stop the run and let the QB beat you. That's led to 300+ yard passing days for both teams but Ohio has been able to get the key sack or interception when needed.

TON: Temple's rushing defense is one of the best in the conference-- however, Kent State once again proved that the Owls can get beat through the air. How do you believe the Bobcats attack Temple's struggles in the air, and attempt to make something work on the ground?


BCA: Ohio has not been able to run the ball on decent defenses although they have opened some holes against Buffalo and NIU of late. Still, they'll rely on their ability to hit Price/Brazill/McCrae for big plays.

TON: Obviously, this game puts the MAC Championship on the line. I'm sure both teams known how important this game is, but what is the mood of the fans and students? How much hype is being built up for this game?

BCA: With the students gone, the weather forecast and an 11AM start the day after Thanksgiving, I don't think you'll see the type of crowd this game deserves. But this is probably the biggest game in Peden Stadium in 50 years. The people who do come out will be into it and generate the excitement/noise of a full house. Last week's crowd against NIU might have been the smallest in number but the loudest in voice.

TON: Any predictions/thoughts on this game?

BCA: Almost every Ohio game has been decided in the last 5 minutes. I see the same thing here. The team that makes the last mistake loses.

Please be sure to check out "BobcatAttack.com" for more sports updates and news on the Ohio Bobcats!

Vote: Coach Al Golden for Coach of the Year!

As many of you Owls fans already know, Temple Football Head Coach Al Golden has been nominated as one of the 25 coaches for the Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year award.

UPDATE (Dec. 15): Thanks to the voters, Coach Golden has successfully moved to the next round of selections for the Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year! Since making the top 15 D-IA coaches list, Coach now goes with 10 others to the next selection process. Voters have until December 29th (coincidence Temple's bowl game) to make their choices to narrow down to our winners. Get your votes in!


Voting continues until December 6th, where the top 15 coaches receiving votes from each college football division will go through the evaluation process. Currently, Coach Golden (D-IA) is at the 13th spot, with more time to go even higher.

During the evaluation process, the 60 selected coaches (15 from each college football division) will be graded by the following:

These finalists will be graded by an Objective Model endorsed by the National Football Foundation and the College Football Hall of Fame. Here are the scoring categories:

- On field Excellence
- Sportsmanship and Integrity
- Academic Excellence
- Commitment to the Community

From those 60 coaches (DIA, DIAA, DII, DIII), there will be a selection on December 15th for finalists:

- 10 Division I-A coaches
- 5 Division I- AA coaches
- 5 Division II coaches
- 5 Division III coaches

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Here's our representation and reasoning as to why Coach Golden should be the Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year.

On field Excellence

During Coach Golden's tenure at Temple, the Owls have seen improvement in each of coach's four seasons. After his first year of Temple's rebuilding process (Coach Golden's first recruiting class, and three years of the team's previous players), the football team began at rock bottom with a record of 0-11. In the Owls' second season, the team saw a dramatic improvement, finishing with a record of 4-8. In Coach Golden's third year, the team's record improved to 5-7 and saw more competitiveness in the Mid-American Conference. This year, the Temple Owls are currently 9-2, and leading their division in the MAC. The Owls are headed to a bowl game later in the year, the first time in 30 years-- all with Coach Al Golden at the helm.

Sportsmanship and Integrity

When Coach Golden came to Temple University, he preached that he wanted "to build a program of brick, not straw". Any obstacles that would keep Temple from doing so would not be accepted. Coach has run dedicated program, and has not tolerated anyone who does not want take part in the whole team's interests. The Temple Owls football program has turned into a respectable and disciplined unit. Against opposing teams, Coach Golden has had nothing but the utmost respect for every game the team has played. Whether being favored or the underdog, there are nothing but positive comments about the team's opponent from the coach. The team's mindset as a whole has been that while there might be optimism, actions speak louder than words. Temple Football is a program that has needed to prove itself before taking any team or success for granted.

Academic Excellence

Prior to Coach Golden's arrival, Temple University Football had struggles with the team's APR (Academic Progress Rates). The team year in and out was penalized for not meeting guidelines, losing as many as 30 academic scholarships. Coach Golden has since restored the scholarships Temple had lost, having brought in players that have been dedicated on the field, as well as in the classroom. In fact, this year will be the first that coach will see the first players that he brought in graduate. All 16 of these players will be graduating when the time comes. This goes to show the commitment that Coach Golden has brought to the team's academic excellence.

Commitment to the Community

From Owlsports.com: During the off-season, the Temple Owls continued their Owl Outreach program, giving back to the Philadelphia community with 100 percent student-athlete participation. During their free time, the players logged more than 1,000 hours of service last spring alone. For their efforts, the Owls received recognition for their service. At the Breakfast of Champions ceremony in April, the football team received the inaugural T.E.A.M. [Temple's Exceptional Acts for Mankind] Award for community service by the Temple Athletic Dept. In July, the team was awarded the 2009 Robert P. Levy Community Service Award from the Philadelphia Sports Congress.

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Thank you to everyone who has voted so far. Make sure to vote daily!

Please click the following link once a day to cast your vote for Coach Golden as the Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year: CLICK HERE TO VOTE!

Owls' Nest Tweets of the Day

As we continue to incorporate Twitter into our blog, we figured we'd let many of the Temple fans across the internet be heard with our "Tweets of the Day". Every day, we'll take several of the web's Twitter feeds regarding the Temple Owls, and post them right here.

Here are today's "Owls' Nest Tweets of the Day":

@MinnieMouse05 Yay Temple Mens Basketball. 66-46 xoxo

@PeoplesJackson temple basketball.. let's begin looking for that 3 peat..

@alexmucha2613 Temple U basketball is exciting and enjoyable. Go Owls!!

@harlemaggie Hold up! HOLD UP! Temple's football team is 9-2? HUH? Is it 2012 already?

@cougarluke Random sports fact: The seventh-longest active winning streak in college football in the nation belongs to - Temple (9 games).

Check out The Owl's Nest on Twitter as well and be sure to follow us: www.twitter.com/Owlified

Live Blog: Temple vs. Ball State

Join us below for a Live Gameday Chat of the Temple Owls vs. Ball State Cardinals!

Enter your email address to receive a reminder about our chat prior to Tuesday night's game.

Conference Update: Week 12

Here's a look from around the MAC conference as to how each team faired after the 12th week of the season:

MAC West

Central Michigan 35, Ball State 3
Toledo 47, Eastern Michigan 21
Ohio 38, Northern Illinois 31

MAC East

Buffalo 42, Miami (OH) 17
Bowling Green 36, Akron 20
Temple 47, Kent State 13
Ohio 38, Northern Illinois 31

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MAC Overall Standings

Here'a a breakdown of the MAC Conference as a whole through the 12th Week:

MAC West

Central Michigan (9-2)(7-1)
Northern Illinois (7-4)(5-2)
Western Michigan (5-6)(4-3)
Toledo (5-6)(3-4)
Ball State (1-10)(1-6)
Eastern Michigan (0-11)(0-7)

MAC East

Temple (9-2)(7-0)
Ohio (8-3)(6-1)
Bowling Green (6-5)(5-2)
Kent State (5-6)(4-3)
Buffalo (4-7)(2-5)
Akron (2-9)(1-6)
Miami OH (1-11)(1-7)

Now that we're approaching bowl eligibility, we'll now take a look at what teams have their post-seasons already determined:

MAC Teams Bowl Eligible

- Temple (9-2)(7-0)
- Central Michigan (9-2)(7-0)
- Ohio (8-3)(6-1)
- Northern Illinois (7-4)(5-2)

MAC Teams Unable To Be Bowl Eligible

- Buffalo (4-7)(2-5)
- Akron (2-9)(1-6)
- Miami (OH) (1-11)(1-7)
- Ball State (1-10)(1-6)
- Eastern Michigan (0-11)(0-7)

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The Owl's Nest will continue to keep you informed on the MAC Conference as the season progresses.

Owls' Nest Tweets of the Day

As we continue to incorporate Twitter into our blog, we figured we'd let many of the Temple fans across the internet be heard with our "Tweets of the Day". Every day, we'll take several of the web's Twitter feeds regarding the Temple Owls, and post them right here.

Here are today's "Owls' Nest Tweets of the Day":

@PhillyShogun Temple U Football improves to 9-2 with a 47-13 win over Kent St.!!!

@mw_rickert excited about temple football. eagles getting the job done last night.

@Sprinturf Temple University's Al Golden is a finalists for the 21st George Munger Award

@tut_ Temple coach Al Golden sang "Zombie Nation" to his team at halftime in order to raise their intensity in the game. That's my kind of crazy.

@fourthandblog Were it not for Al Golden at Temple, I'd say Chip Kelly would have Coach of the Year wrapped up. Oregon 9-2 and 1st on the Pac-10.

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Temple Owls vs. Ohio Bobcats

Stay tuned for a preview of this matchup over the course of the week!

- MAC Conference Update
- Ohio Bobcats Preview
- Q&A with BobcatAttack.com
- GameDay Live Chat

Owls' Nest Tweets of the Day

As we continue to incorporate Twitter into our blog, we figured we'd let many of the Temple fans across the internet be heard with our "Tweets of the Day". Every day, we'll take several of the web's Twitter feeds regarding the Temple Owls, and post them right here.

Here are today's "Owls' Nest Tweets of the Day":

@adande1 Temple Owls 9-2?? How about a little AP Top 25 love??

@bzebleckes Temple Owls Football is ranked 29th in the country according to the AP Poll. HOLY CRAP. Go Owls. Beat OHIO.

@tiffypaigexo but the temple owls have been doin great ! :)

@tom_hart Temple Owls make their debut in my @aptop25 this week.

@ESPNAndyKatz Temple beat Siena by four in Philadelphia. Owls clearly weren't a fluke vs. Gtown; Siena's margin for an at-large bid is unfortunately thin.

@SethDavisHoops Great point. Owls going in my top 25.

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Owls Teams Sweep Again

As one team finished out their home schedule in style, the other began it.

Temple Football team (9-2)(7-0) continued their winning streak and undefeated record with a 47-13 win over the Kent State to finish out the 2009 home schedule. Temple Basketball (2-1)(0-0) opened their 2009 campaign with a 73-69 win over the Siena Saints to start the home schedule strong.

In this morning's article, The Owls' Nest will discuss both sports' outcomes, and analyze their performances during this weekends games.

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Seniors Head Out on High Note

The Temple football team ended their home schedule in front of their biggest crowd in a while (21,000+) yesterday with a victory over the Kent State Golden Flashes.

The pre-game atmosphere was something special around these parts, as tailgating central Lot K was quickly filled, and fans struggled to find parking as gametime approached. The Temple side of Lincoln Financial Field was more full than usual, and most of the endzone seats on both sides filled with cherry and white. In addition, there was a great amount of Temple fans sitting on the visiting side that outnumbers the folks from Ohio themselves.

The Owls struggled early in the game, unable to generate any offense through the first quarter. The team was without the nation's 4th best rusher in the country, Bernard Pierce, who suffered an injury that listed him as doubtful to return.

Who knows what went on at halftime of yesterday's game, but Coach Golden must have told this team something. Down 10-9 entering the half, Temple outscored the Golden Flashes 24-0 in the third quarter. KSU was held to a mere field goal in 30 minutes of second half play.

Here's the breakdown of Temple's scoring against Kent State last night:

1st Quarter

No Temple scoring.

2nd Quarter

(TE) Evan Rodriguez 10 yard TD catch
(K) Brandon McManus 24 yard FG

3rd Quarter

(K) Brandon McManus 28 yard FG
(RB) Matt Brown 71 yard TD run
(CB) Kee-Ayre Griffin 36 yard TD interception
(RB) Matt Brown 1 yard TD run

4th Quarter

(WR) Delano Green 52 yard TD punt return
(WR) Delano Green 50 yard TD run

Final Score: TEMPLE 47, Kent State 13.

The Owls saw scoring from all three parts of this team. The running and passing games, defense, and special teams all contributed to Temple's second half surge.

Two of the Owls' key contributors were runningback Matt Brown and wide receiver Delano Green. Brown, filling in for the injured Bernard Pierce (see below), used his massive offensive line and his speed to blow away defenders in the open field. Green sparked the special teams with his electrifying punt return to the house, along with the classy wide receiver reverse he took all the way.

Temple's defense also sparked during the second half, stalling the Golden Flashes several times, and putting pressure on the quarterback. Adrian Robinson celebrated his 20th birthday with an athletic tipped pass he intercepted, which later led to a Temple score.

Kee-ayre Griffin's 36 yard interception for a touchdown blew this game open, giving Temple a three possession lead. Since his switch back to cornerback from runningback, the sophomore has continued to find ways to contribute.

* Injury Note: Bernard Pierce suffered shoulder injury, and things don't look good. After his first play from scrimmage, Pierce was taken to the locker room, and later returned to the sidelines in a sling. Rumors are that the Owls could miss BP from 4 to 8 weeks. We'll keep you updated.

With this victory, Temple's winning streak extends to 9 games, and the Owls maintain 1st place in the MAC East with an undefeated record of (7-0).

Temple's overall record becomes (9-2)(7-0), and the Owls will head go out to Ohio for a game to decide the MAC East representative in the MAC Conference Championship!

Kent State's overall record moves to (5-6)(4-3), and the team will finish out by welcoming Buffalo.

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Temple's Youth Earns Home Opener Victory

Temple basketball opened their home season with a hard fought win over the talented Siena Saints. Temple saw several players take key roles and make crucial plays to get the Owls a come from behind victory.

Juan Fernandez led Temple with 20 points. The sophomore was very consistent through the 40 minutes of play, seeming to take advantage of many of his touches.

Coming off the bench, Ramone Moore was also important to this Owls offense. He scored 16 points during his play, boosting the team to a victory. Another player that stepped up was Micheal Eric. Through most of the first half, he was the Owls' main source of scoring along with Fernandez.

Temple saw a number of players contribute to yesterday's victory. Here's the statistical breakdown of Temple's scoring.

Juan Fernandez (20 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist)
Ryan Brooks (17 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist)
Ramone Moore (16 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists)
Micheal Eric (12 points, 3 rebounds, 2 blocks)
Lavoy Allen (8 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists)

Juan Fernandez played arguably his career best as an Owl with yesterday's performance. He was the main source for Temple's scoring, although three others were able to get into double digits.

Temple's record is (2-1)(0-0), and the Owls will welcome Ball State to the Liacouras Center.

Siena's record is (2-1)(0-0), and the Saints will head home and take on Delaware.

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The Owl's Nest will continue to keep you updated on both Temple Basketball and Football!

Here's a look at our upcoming articles:

1) Upcoming Matchups: (FB) Temple vs. Ohio | (BB) Temple vs. Ball State
2) Conference Updates (FB) MAC Conference | (BB) Atlantic 10 Conference
3) Owls' Nest Q&A (FB) BobcatAttack.com | (BB) Overthepylon.net
4) GameDay Live Chat (FB) Temple vs. Ohio | (BB) Temple vs. Ball State
5) Post Game Analysis (FB/BB)
6) Tweets of the Day (ALL WEEK)

Be sure to subscribe to our RSS feed, and subscribe to us on Twitter!

Temple Owls vs. Ball State Cardinals

Stay tuned for a preview of this matchup over the course of the week!

- Ball State Preview
- Q&A with BSU blogger
- Live GameDay Chat

Owls' Nest Tweets of the Day

As we continue to incorporate Twitter into our blog, we figured we'd let many of the Temple fans across the internet be heard with our "Tweets of the Day". Every day, we'll take several of the web's Twitter feeds regarding the Temple Owls, and post them right here.

Here are today's "Owls' Nest Tweets of the Day":

@oliviabranco Temple sports 2-0 on the day. Go Owls.

@patriceleonard My old School, The Temple Owls won again today!!! YAY!!!!! #GOOWLS!!!

@ColleenKasp Congrats to my Alma Mater--Temple University football (8 straight wins with a 56-17 win tonight) GO OWLS

@AxelAli yea i saw temple killed kent state in football

@kevinbrosky Great day for Temple sports. The football team is incredible. I never thought I'd see nine wins in a row. Pretty awesome.

@darin22b Temple wins and sweeps super saturday, girls, boys, and football all win today

@rochesterrob I'm in disbelief that TEMPLE FOOTBALL won their 9th straight game today, 47-13 over Kent State!! TU freshmen: do NOT take this for granted.

@beccastevens Temple football was nuts!!! Basketball game now!! :) soooo hype.

@Chris_is_bored Temple University Football is 9-2. Maybe John Cusack was right about the Apocalypse?

@mswartwood T for Temple U, University, FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT for the cherry and the white, for the cherry and the white we'll FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT! GO OWLS!

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Live Blog: Temple vs. Siena

Join us below for a Live GameDay Chat of the Temple Owls vs. Siena Saints!

Enter your email address to receive a reminder about our chat prior to Saturday night's game.

Owls' Nest Tweets of the Day

As we continue to incorporate Twitter into our blog, we figured we'd let many of the Temple fans across the internet be heard with our "Tweets of the Day". Every day, we'll take several of the web's Twitter feeds regarding the Temple Owls, and post them right here.

Here are today's "Owls' Nest Tweets of the Day":

@ConnorWard back in the 610. Temple in the AM for some football and basketball with some old friends

@dantyman @dannybauder Temple Football!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Join the bandwagon while there's still room.

@iMike_Sarnoski I was really hoping that the Temple football game would be on TV tomorrow

@sarahflickfoto Wedding tonight and looking forward to the Temple football game tomorrow! GO OWLS!!!

@madkins7 "This may be the most significant home football game Temple has hosted in 30 seasons. I cannnot say this more clearly: Get to the game!" BB

@missandreababy temple vs. kent state tomorrow! eight game winning streak is on the line! women's basketball is 3-0! temple is back on top right now!

@patrosen Going to be an excellent weekend. El Vez tonight then Temple football and Temple basketball games on Saturday!

Check out The Owl's Nest on Twitter as well and be sure to follow us: www.twitter.com/Owlified

Temple Hosts Talented Siena in Home Opener

Owls' Nest Tweets of the Day

As we continue to incorporate Twitter into our blog, we figured we'd let many of the Temple fans across the internet be heard with our "Tweets of the Day". Every day, we'll take several of the web's Twitter feeds regarding the Temple Owls, and post them right here.

Here are today's "Owls' Nest Tweets of the Day":

@AKniggit Temple vs. Kent State on Saturday. GO OWLS!

@KNegandhiESPN CFB Live had to move Al Golden interview to tomorrow

@ejcam3 @LindsayM_ESPN The Temple Owls, of course! A-10 Champs and a Sweet 16 this year! Coach Dunphy is the man!

@LindsayM_ESPN @ejcam3 They only lost to Georgetown by a point! This may be the year!

@TUcoachAlGolden I want to thank the seniors for all that they have done for the program. They took a leap of faith to join us and changing Temple Football

Check out The Owl's Nest on Twitter as well and be sure to follow us: www.twitter.com/Owlified

Will You Be There?

It's a simple question, with three choices.

Temple Owls fans in the area, Philadelphia Sports fans: Will you be there?

Will you be there to experience the resurgence of Temple University football? Will you be there in support of arguably the most successful football team in the region this year?

Will you be there to claim, "Hey, I was part of that change. I witnessed it, and I was a believer!"?

Temple fans, Philadelphia football fans-- this might be your last chance to catch the Temple Owls (8-2)(6-0) rewrite this program's history. You'll have a chance to catch a great game/a great memory. You'll be that witness to something absolutely spectacular.

We are going through what the dedicated fans of 20 years ago wished for: year after year, hoping that the spark would ignite and the Owls would make their comeback. Will you be part of it?

Temple is having its most success in many years, having accomplished so much already in these past four years. The Owls are becoming a headline story across the United States, Coach Al Golden is becoming a well-known name throughout the country.

Many of you are in driving distance of this historical NCAAF story. Be a part of it. Owls alumni, there's no better a time to be part of this. Time to come out from hiding, we've been waiting.

Temple University Football has done it's job in resurging what was believed couldn't be done. It's your turn-- do your part, and show the support that these guys have earned.

Take a minute and think about what you'll be doing this weekend. If you're in the area, make your way to Lincoln Financial Field so that you can enjoy at least some sort of victory at home. I mean, the Eagles have trouble doing it. Wouldn't you like to be part of that?

Take your family and friends for a great college football experience, nothing truly beats the early morning tailgating, the intensity of the game, as well as the post game activities. There's no better way to spend a Saturday afternoon!

Don't get the picture? Temple's greatest Temple Football blogger Papreps tells it like it is. (www.templefootballforever.blogspot.com)

So, will you be there?

Getting to Know Siena (Q&A)

The Owls' Nest had the opportunity to speak with Ryan and Matt Restivo, of "Siena Saints Blog".

We asked them to answer a few of our questions to give Temple fans more of an idea as to what the team will be up against this Tuesday against Siena:

The Owl's Nest: Siena has always seemed to be that "under the radar" team that whenever you play someone big, there's always the "Upset Alert". What are the general keys to success for this program, and what consistently allows the Saints to be so successful?

Siena Saints Blog: To be honest, the success started once coach Fran McCaffery started to rebuild. His first recruit, Kenny Hasbrouck, was almost an instant star and now has his number retired. Follow that up with the two recruiting classes after that, and you have the five starters on the floor. Almost every player Fran has brought in has had an impact in a positive way which really goes back to how well this team was constructed.

TON: Clarence Jackson and Alex Franklin top Siena's stat sheets, each leading the team in their own category. Could you give us an idea of the style of play from these talents, and possibly give Owls fans an insight as to who the team's other threats are?

SSB: Jackson is a scorer at heart. He will take as many shots as he can and he has the chance to carry a team even though Saturday's game will be his third career start. He started as a freshman who can play some good defense, last year he made a reputation as a good sixth man scorer.

Franklin is great in the low post. He can fake a shot and gets hacked almost every other time he goes up to the basket. He works hard down there and is a solid 4. I just cringe sometimes when he dribbles, he made a team-leading 5 turnovers Tuesday. Siena cut down on the turnovers Tuesday, compared to 29 in the opener, but that's my only concern with him.

TON: As a team, the Saints have played two impressive games thus far. At 2-0, the team earned victories against Tennessee State and Northeastern. Again, as a team, what would you say have been the strengths and weaknesses of Siena going into the second week of college basketball?

SSB: I don't know what has happened to Siena this year, but the first five minutes they have not played good basketball. If you watched Tuesday's game against Northeastern, you saw a team that missed defensive assignments and missed a lot of easy opportunities in the first five minutes. Then Siena was able to force turnovers, make shots, use the full court press and really put together a good second half. The team we expect Siena to be is the one that came out and dominated the 2nd half.

Siena likes to play a game of at least 75 possessions and a game in the 70s. Siena will trap out of any defense and really looks to force the issue on both ends. When you have a player as talented and capable as Edwin Ubiles, (26 pts last game against Northeastern) who can drive the ball off the dribble and make tough jump shots when playing to his talents: Siena is hard to beat.

TON: Temple held their own against #20 Georgetown on Tuesday, losing by merely a point at the Verizon Center. Before that game, TU had a nice start to the season with a 20 point win over Delaware. What would you say are the keys to this game are?

SSB: Temple will be a tough game for the Saints. You know this better but they are a team that has had a solid reputation as a tough defensive team and a really efficient offensive team. Though I think with the press and Siena's reputation as a team that is more methodical with three pointers will help the Saints Saturday. Siena has taken 22 3-pointers this year, compared to Temple going 3 for 23 Tuesday night against Georgetown. Plus Siena is tough to stop when Ryan Rossiter and Franklin occupy the same space in the paint, either player can go off for a double-double very quickly. Both have one each this year.

TON: Although this season is very early, it's never too early to share your thoughts on the way the season will turn out. How do you see Siena's 2009 season playing out, and what are your thoughts on Saturday's game?

SSB: I think with the whole being #26/27 in the polls, they know a win here puts them in the top 25 in all likelihood. Siena hasn't developed the depth to go 8 or 9 deep yet and that might be a problem against another quality opponent in Temple. But if I were to look for any player to break out, I think Kyle Downey could be that player. Yes Downey is 0 for his first 6 three point attempts but he was close on most of his three's. If he can step up and become that 6th man that's just another weapon for this tough club.

As for the Saints this year? I think they are the top team in the MAAC but Rider is not far behind. Rider, already with a win over Mississippi State, has a chance for two more big non-conference wins at Virginia and at Kentucky this week. Every MAAC team is a fan of Rider's to win to boost the conference. I think from there you have Niagara who will have a respectable year and then everyone else. The day of MAAC Basketball Championship semi-finals, I fully expect two of these three teams to face each other.

TON: Being in New York, there it only seems as if the other big name college basketball program is the Syracuse Orange. In comparison to 'Cuse, how strong and large is the Saints faithful?

SSB: Well, if it's any sign, Syracuse used to play a home and home with Siena until 2007. Siena has a large loyal student fan base and a very excited local crowd that packs the arena every year. Add to that a good walk up crowd when Siena is playing very well and you've got a tough place to play even though it is a big arena.


Please check out "Siena Saints Blog" for more information regarding the Siena Saints!

Getting to Know Kent State (Q&A)

The Owls' Nest had the opportunity to speak with Mike Hrusch, of "KentSportsReport.com".

We asked Mike to answer a few of our questions to give Temple fans more of an idea as to what the team will be up against this Saturday against Kent State:

The Owl's Nest: The Kent State Golden Flashes are right up there in the race for the MAC East Title. They were able to successfully take out second place Ohio, proving the point that they are a force to be reckoned with. Since last year's 4-8 record, what have been the changes the Golden Flashes have made to lead them to this year's improvement?

Kent Sports Report: There have been several things improved upon from last season and seasons before that, to help improve the Golden Flashes’ football team and enabling them to play meaningful games in November. One major improvement has been made on special teams. Since Doug Martin took over as head coach in 2004, Kent State’s special teams have been among the worst in the country. In 2008, Kent State lost a game to Akron because they dropped a punt with a few minutes left, then missed a short field goal in overtime. In 2006 in a key game versus Ohio, Kent State punted six times for a 19.5 net yard average per punt, giving the Bobcats a short field in a game that they won. You could go on and on about the special teams issues that the Golden Flashes have had over the years. Much of that has been cleaned up, and now special teams in a strength. In the off-season, the coaching staff went back and charted every game since 2004, and decided that each season an average of three games a year were lost due to special teams problems. It is something that they remind the players of everyday with signs on their lockers and signs in the hallways. Assistant coach Zane Vance was named special teams coordinator in the off-season and he has done a great job in helping bring pride and production to the Flashes’ special teams units. The Flashes lead the MAC with a 36.3 yard net per punt. The Golden Flashes’ kickoff coverage leads the nation, allowing 14.4 yards per return. Place kicker Freddy Cortez is 9-10 on field goals in MAC play and KSU has dynamic return men in Anthony Bowman and Dri Archer. Kent State safety Brian Lainhart spoke a couple weeks ago about how special teams is now a point of pride and players actually fight to be named on one of the units.

Offensively, the wide receiver play has been much improved. Martin said at the beginning of the year that the team would be as good as the wide receiver play. Tyshon Goode has stepped in as a freshman and leads the team with 48 receptions for 685 yards, and more than that is a dynamic athletic talent that has great ability when the ball is in the air. Kent State has a quarterback this season in Spencer Keith who is more of a vertical passer then Kent State has had in years past with the ultra-athletic Julian Edelman. Defensively, they are causing turnovers and sacking the quarterback. In 2008 the defense had 18 sacks. In 2009 the defense already has 30 sacks. Last season Kent State forced 22 turnovers. So far in 2009 they have forced 21 takeaways. Kent State is giving up 10 fewer points a game than in 2008. And finally, an infusion of young talent never hurts. Kent State brought in the 62nd ranked recruiting class in the country according to Rivals.com, which was first in the MAC and the highest ranking in the history of the program. Several true freshman have made huge impacts this season like QB Spencer Keith, WR Tyshon Goode, RB Dri Archer, RT Brian Winters, PK Freddy Cortez and LB Luke Batton.

TON: Upon reaching the third game of the season, Kent State fans were astonished to hear Eugene Jarvis' season would be over (sustaining a kidney injury). How did the loss of talented back and team leader affect the production of this team?

KSR: It is hard to judge how much the loss of Jarvis affected the production of this team. The one thing that Kent State had going for itself with that injury, was that of all the position units on the team, running back probably had the most depth. Andre Flowers had experience playing last season when Jarvis was injured at the beginning of the season and gives Kent State that bigger, more powerful back. Jacquise Terry has filled in very nicely this season as the starting running back. Terry has 590 yards in seven games, for 4.8 yards per carry and four touchdowns. Freshman Archer has got tremendous speed and has given Kent State a jolt in the passing game as well. With all of that said, Eugene Jarvis is a tremendous player and tremendous competitor, and he is sorely missed. On the day that Coach Martin announced that Jarvis would be out for the season, he also made some emotional statements. He guaranteed that Kent State would have a winning season and would make it to a bowl game. While it remains to be seen if those things will happen, you have to credit the players and staff for bouncing back and having a good season without Jarvis. It hasn’t been talked about that much in the media or with the fans, but I get the sense that the team is quietly playing for Jarvis this season.

TON: Who are the playmakers of this offense? Who are the team's most consistent offensive and defensive performers? Who would you say is this team's sleeper this season, and who would be the bust?

KSR: There are several playmakers on offense. Quarterback Spencer Keith has stepped in and done a solid job, when he wasn’t expected to be the starter this season. Wide receiver Tyshon Goode has been a huge playmaker this season. In addition to his statistics, Goode has great athletic ability when the ball is in the air. I have seen him go up and win jump balls for touchdowns, and use his leaping ability and hands to snatch the football away from defensive backs. Running back Jacquise Terry has been making plays since he was inserted into the starting lineup. Running back Dri Archer has great speed and whenever he gets the ball, the fans from both teams probably hold their breath. Wide receiver Sam Kirkland has big play ability as well, as evidenced by an 86 yard touchdown run on a reverse on the first play from scrimmage against Bowling Green this season. Keith, right tackle Brian Winters, Goode, and Terry have all been consistent this season. Defensively, the consistent performers have been linebacker Cobrani Mixon and free safety Brian Lainhart. The team’s sleeper, or in my mind, the surprise of the season would be Keith. He wasn’t even on the team’s depth chart at the beginning of the season, and the coaching staff wanted to redshirt him. After the injury issues to Giorgio Morgan, Keith was put in the game in the second half at Boston College. Since then it has been Keith’s job and he has been very productive in his first season. What Coach Martin loves more than anything with Keith, is his mental capacity for the game. His calmness, demeanor and communication skills have allowed him to be effective according to Martin. I would hate to call any kid a “bust.” Jameson Konz is a kid who has made NFL scouts drool because of his size and speed. Konz has been productive this season with 19 catches for 275 yards and two touchdowns, but as dropped more than his share of passes this season. Konz got hurt in the first game of the 2008 season and was out for the season. Konz played linebacker his first few seasons in Kent.

TON: What are the strengths and weaknesses of the Kent State football program as a whole? What are the specialties and struggles of the offensive and defensive playing schemes?

KSR: I truly believe that the Kent State football program is headed in the right direction. If you look at the depth chart for Saturday’s game, nine offensive starters will return next season along with seven defensive starters returning. All specialists will be returning too. The weaknesses include, after losing for so long, it is hard to get a lot of fans out to the home games at Dix Stadium. The fans that do show up are passionate and loyal, they just need more of them. Offensively, Kent loves to throw short wide receiver screens and let them make plays. Spencer Keith has become very solid in the play-action game. He can really sell the fake well and deliver the football where it needs to be. In the running game, Kent State loves to pull their offensive lineman out to the perimeter, creating holes and seams for their running backs. With a receiver like Goode, throwing a fade to him is always a possibility. Defensively, Kent State has been able to get pressure on their quarterback using their front four defensive linemen. This allows the secondary to not play on an island. There are playmakers in the secondary with Lainhart and Dan Hartman. Kent State has caused several turnovers this season as well. Defensive penetration in the backfield has allowed KSU to average 8.3 tackles for loss a game, which ranks first in the MAC and fifth nationally.

TON: It seems that Temple was able to get the passing game going against Akron, handily defeating the Zips in their new stadium. Taking note of that, plus the addition of freshman phenom running back Bernard Pierce, how would you predict the way of attack for the Golden Flashes when the team comes to Philadelphia this Saturday?

KSR: I don’t know anything for sure because I am not in the defensive meeting rooms, but I assume they can’t let the Owls just pound the football at them. I imagine they identify at least trying to contain the running game as best as they can. If Bernard Pierce is ripping off huge gains, especially on first down, it could be a long day for the Flashes. I expect Kent State to try and crowd the line of scrimmage and see if they can get the passing game going again with Chester Stewart, then adjust the plan from there.

TON: Josh Cribbs, Julian Edelman, James Harrison and Antonio Gates-- just a few of the many talented and premier NFL players who came out of Kent State. What has been the secret to the Golden Flashes consistently producing quality pro football players?

KSR: I don’t know if there has been any one secret or explanation as to why Kent State has been able to produce these talented NFL players. All of those guys you mentioned, and any guy that made it to the NFL from Kent State has worked their tail off to get there. In many cases, they were not highly touted players coming from Kent State. Harrison and Cribbs weren’t drafted, and Edelman was a seventh round pick. All those guys have worked hard to get where they are at. All three of those players had the ability to shine at Kent State. Josh Cribbs was a human highlight film at Kent State, same with Julian Edelman. Cribbs has been a fearless player and has played with reckless abandon with the Cleveland Browns and Edelman is in a great situation in New England, learning from Tom Brady, Wes Welker, etc. Harrison has always been undersized but there has been nothing undersized about his heart and his will to win.

Please be sure to check out KentSportsReport.com out for the latest news and updates on the Kent State Golden Flashes!

Click here for my answers to his questions: Interview with a Temple blogger

Owls' Nest Tweets of the Day

As we continue to incorporate Twitter into our blog, we figured we'd let many of the Temple fans across the internet be heard with our "Tweets of the Day". Every day, we'll take several of the web's Twitter feeds regarding the Temple Owls, and post them right here.

Here are today's "Owls' Nest Tweets of the Day":

@tmalexan Pumped about Temple Football. Finally a decent team.

@dhm Temple's football team is 8-2. Temple's basketball team is beating No. 20 Georgetown. Temple is the new Florida!

@philly311 Be a part of exciting college football action when Philly’s hottest team – the Temple Owls – battle Kent State November 21 at 1 PM

@EmryDH Temple Hoops loss to GTown was tough. No worries on fg % but ft % is unacceptable. Always an issue with Temple Owls. Team D was excellent.

@Bob_Loblaw420 gotta give Fran Dunphy credit tho. holding Georgetown to 46 points at home is a dominant defensive performance...

Check out The Owl's Nest on Twitter as well and be sure to follow us: www.twitter.com/Owlified

Temple Blows Upset, Lose in Final Seconds

In what started out as an absolute atrocious shooting performance, the Temple Owls game up just a point short of knocking off the #20 ranked Georgetown Hoyas.

Temple Hoops Open the Season with a Dominating Victory

The Temple Owls lost their second game of the season in a final second nail-biter in Washington, DC. In the Owls' first television appearance (ESPN), as well as their first game against a ranked opponent (#20 Georgetown), the teams put on an thrilling performance.

The first half was described by ESPN's announcers as an "Ice Age" for Temple's cold shooting streak. After 7 minutes of play, the score remained 4-2, with both teams unable to find the hole in the rim. Neither squad shot well from the 3 point line-- a combined 29%.

With roughly 30 seconds left in the game, Temple had a one point lead with Georgetown bringing the ball up the floor. Greg Monroe had no problem penetrating the Owls defense to get the game leading score. With 6.5 seconds, Luis Guzman pushed the ball up court, but came up short with his shot-- when the senior drove to the lane, he was met by three Georgetown players with their hands straight up, which ended up resulting in a jump ball.

Temple had a number of opportunities to take control, but missed opportunities at the foul line kept the team's lead at a mere three points.

Chris Wright led all scorers with a 15 points. The junior has shown signs of taking over the leadership role, and has bonded nicely with Greg Monroe.

Lavoy Allen was a rebound shy of his season high (15), leading Temple in scoring as well.

Temple saw a several players contribute in an unfortunate losing effort. Here's the statistical breakdown of Temple's scoring.

Ryan Brooks - (6 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist)
Lavoy Allen - (12 points, 14 rebounds, 2 steals)
Ramone Moore - (8 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist)
Juan Fernandez - (5 points, 2 rebounds)
Luis Guzman - (5 rebounds, 6 assists)
Craig Williams - (5 points, 1 rebound, 1 assist)
Rahlir Jefferson - (4 points, 1 rebound, 1 steal)
Micheal Eric - (5 points, 4 rebounds)

Temple absolutely struggled in this game shooting. Here's a look at the percentages:

Field Goal Percentage: 32.1% (18-56)
3-PT Percentage: 13% (3-23)
Foul Shot Percentage: 46.2% (6-13)

Temple's record is (1-1)(0-0), and the Owls will kick off their home opener against Siena.

Georgetown's record is (2-0)(0-0), and the Hoyas will travel to Savannah State.

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The Owl's Nest will continue to keep you updated on both Temple Basketball!

Here's a look at our upcoming articles:

1) (BB) Atlantic 10 Conference Update
2) Owls' Nest Q&A (FB) Kent State Sports Report | (BB) Siena Saints Blog
3) Post Game Analysis (FB/BB)
4) Tweets of the Day (ALL WEEK)

Be sure to subscribe to our RSS feed, and subscribe to us on Twitter!

Preview: Temple Owls vs. Kent State Golden Flashes

This week: Kent State Golden Flashes, week 11 of NCAA College Football!

We'll break down the Golden Flashes to get you ready for another exciting week of college football!

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The Temple Owls are having their best season in years, having won eight straight games and holding an undefeated in-conference record. That being said, there are still a number of obstacles to overcome before claiming the MAC East title. The Owls will taken on the Kent State Golden Flashes, who have already knocked off the second place Ohio Bobcats. We'll preview what makes KSU so dangerous, as they come to Philadelphia to take on the red-hot Owls.

Here's a look at what Kent State has been up against so far:

Current Record: (5-5)(4-2)
2008 Record: (4-8)(3-5)

- Costal Carolina (W: 18-0)
- Boston College (L: 34-7)
- Iowa State (L: 34-14)
- Miami OH (W: 29-19)
- Baylor (L: 31-15)
- Bowling Green (L: 36-35)
- Eastern Michigan (W: 28-6)
- Ohio (W: 20-11)
- Western Michigan (W: 26-14)
- Akron (L: 28-20)

Last Matchup: (Kent State 41, Temple 38) After punches flew back and forth, the Kent State Golden Flashes werea able to hold off the Owls after a close played second half.

Key Losses: (QB) Julian Edelman, (RB) Eugene Jarvis

Key Returns: (RB) Jacquise Terry, (WR) Tyshon Goode

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Here is a breakdown of Kent State's schedule so far. Here's a look at the team's rankings through the Sagarin Ratings and the RealtimeRPI rankings:

USA Today's Sagarin Ratings ranks Kent State with the 108th Strength of Schedule.

RealTimeRPI's Rankings lists Kent State as the 141st RPI as of Week 11.

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Breakdown by Statistics

We'll take a look at the statistical breakdown of Kent State's offense and defense. Information courtesy of NCAA.com:

Passing Offense - 227 yards per game
Rushing Offense - 118 yards per game
Total Offense - 345 yards per game

Passing Defense - 232 yards per game
Rushing Defense - 123 yards per game
Total Defense - 355 yards per game

Offensively, the Golden Flashes have had success in both the air and on the ground. The key threat in the passing game is Tyshon Goode, who is leading the team's receiving corps in receiving yards and touchdowns. Goode has played exceptionally well throughout this 2009 season, but his impact has grown increasingly through the last four games.

On defense, Kent State tends to defend the running game better than the pass. They will have their hands full when Bernard Pierce, one of the top rushers in the country, steps on the field. Also, it seems as though Temple's passing game caught fire against the Akron Zips, and could present KSU with a number of problems if the momentum continues into this week.

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The Kent State Golden Flashes lost two crucial pieces of their offense after the 2008 season. Quarterback Julian Edelman was drafted by the New England Patriots, and runningback Eugene Jarvis was lost to a season ending kidney injury. That, however, has yet to stop the Golden Flashes from having a .500 record and an impressive in-conference record.

Quarterback Spencer Keith has stepped in well, the freshman quarterback picking up the slack that was left with the departure of Edelman. He has bonded well with his receivers and offensive line well, despite being thrown right into the system.

So far, players stepping into starting roles and taking crucial positions have played out nicely for this team. For KSU's sake, hopefully these players can make a large impact on Saturday's game against the talented defense of the Temple Owls.

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For more information on the Kent State Golden Flashes, please feel free to check out any of the following Kent State sports sites:

KentStateSports.com | KentSportsReport.com

Owls' Nest Tweets of the Day

As we continue to incorporate Twitter into our blog, we figured we'd let many of the Temple fans across the internet be heard with our "Tweets of the Day". Every day, we'll take several of the web's Twitter feeds regarding the Temple Owls, and post them right here.

Here are today's "Owls' Nest Tweets of the Day":

@BWareLaFlare717 #whatsbetter Penn State....or Pitt??...or Temple??… ill go with the owls for $200 Bob

@ljmilman COME ON OWLS! LETS GO TEMPLE!

@yoooadrian I love how the Temple football team has more wins than teams like USC, Oklahoma, and Notre Dame

@TUcoachAlGolden Very good practice today. The kids had energy and enthusiasm. We will need every bit of it since Kent State had a bye last week.

@philly311 Be a part of exciting college football action when Philly’s hottest team – the Temple Owls – battle Kent State November 21 at 1 PM

Check out The Owl's Nest on Twitter as well and be sure to follow us: www.twitter.com/Owlified

Live Blog: Temple vs. Georgetown

Join us below for a Live GameDay Chat of the Temple Owls vs. Georgetown Hoyas!

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