Nineteen years have caused Temple Owls'
fans to suffer through one of the worst stretches in any FBS team's history.
But in 2009, Owls supporters finally have reason to exude confidence in their
team, as Temple became "bowl eligible" this weekend for the first time since
1990.
"The program is home for me," said Temple coach Al Golden. "I knew there was a
ton of talent in the area."
When Golden was named the team's 24th coach before the 2006 season, the
University of Virginia defensive coordinator was confident that he could turn
a team around that had not posted a winning record since 1990.
After Jerry Berndt led the Owls to a 7-4 record that season, he won just three
games the next two seasons and was replaced by Ron Dickerson. Dickerson never
won more than three games in his five-year tenure with the team, winning three
games in his final season in 1997.
Then, it was time for Bobby Wallace, a former signal caller at the University
of North Alabama, where he led the Lions to three straight Division-II
national titles in 1993, 1994 and 1995. However, Wallace never found that
magic in his eight seasons with the Owls, going just 19-71 and posting a
winless 0-11 season in 2005.
The program then brought in Golden, a defensive mind that had the credibility
not only to turn the Temple franchise around, but to recruit successfully in
the area, after serving as a recruiting coordinator on Joe Paterno's Penn
State staff in 1990.
The 40-year old coach played the most true freshmen in the country in 2006 and
2007, hoping by the time his young cubs were seniors, they would do something
special. They have.
"These seniors have endured so much," said Golden. "They went from a team that
was 1-16 in their first three seasons, but has gone 8-2 since. That says a
lot."
Golden has focused on the development of young talent since starting at Temple
and has noticed a significant change in the amount of attention his team has
received.
"We haven't had scouts at our games at all the past few years," said Golden.
"Now, they are here all the time."
Rightly so for a team that has produced one of the best recruiting classes in
the MAC in each season since Golden took over.
Still, 2009 has been the best season for Golden and his staff, as the Owls
have won six straight for the first time since 1974 and will play in their
first bowl game in nearly two decades.
With freshman phenom Bernard Pierce (1,063 yards rushing, 11 TDs) at running
back and a defense that has been the best in the conference as of the late,
Temple has the firepower to not only win the school's first conference
championship since taking the Middle Atlantic Conference crown in 1967, but
Temple's first bowl win since beating California in the 1979 Garden State Bowl
at the Meadowlands in Newark, New Jersey.
"We still have a long way to go here," said Golden. "But we have an
opportunity to do something."
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