Temple Football Forever is an aptly named award winning blog run by professional journalist Mike Gibson. Always steeped in Temple history and football insight TFF is defiantly something you should add to your daily MAC reading. I Sent Mike a few questions about the upcoming game.
BR: Putting aside the scoreboard, what did you see coming out of the Penn State game that gives you hope for the Owl's season?
TFF: The Owls changed up on defense and went after Clark, getting two sacks and almost dislocating his shoulder. I expect a more aggressive pass defense the rest of the year.
BR:There has bit of hand wringing around the MAC Bulletin boards about how Temple was taking FCS member, and cross town rival, Villinova more seriously than your conference games. With Temple being the most recent MAC 'member' the Owls have not 'clicked' with any other team in the MAC. Given some of the close games between Temple and UB is something brewing between these two teams or are the Bulls 'just another game'.
TFF: Usually, a rivalry means there is some exchange of wins. Until Al Golden beats Turner Gill, there is no rivalry and AG is clearly second in this pecking order.
BR: Under Al Golden the program has improved, attendance is up, the recruits are better and you're winning more games. For all the positives there are about Golden he has shown serious lapses in game day coaching, Navy being the most glaring example of that last season. He reminds me of UB basketball coach Reggie Witherspoon who built a good program but just cant seem to get the team to go that last yard. How much more rope does Al Golden get at Temple?
TFF: Unfortunately, all the rope he wants. The uni paid him 575K to produce a winner and they have no more money left. So only one thing would assure a long AG coaching tenure: Another 5-7 season. If he goes 7-5, he starts using the fax machine to send out resumes.
BR: From what you have seen out of UB this season what are your biggest worries for the coming game?
TFF: Owls don't do well against a QB that pumps and scrambles. Maynard is good at that.
BR: If you were throwing together a column for Buffalo on what the coaches should be focusing on Saturday what would the major themes be?
BR: If you were throwing together a column for Buffalo on what the coaches should be focusing on Saturday what would the major themes be?
TFF: For Temple, getting the ball to the playmakers (RB: Bernard Pierce, TE Evan Rodriquez and WR James Nixon, especially)
BR: Any prediction as to the outcome?
TFF: No. I'm done predicting this team. I thought they would hammer Villanova and except for inexplicable fumbles and interceptions, they would have. It's almost impossible to predict if they'll protect the ball Saturday.