Fifty-three days away, loyal readers. How do you make that time go faster? Well, when I was deployed, I learned to look at any amount of time as one less day “and a wake up.” Meaning, we are today (Monday) “fifty-two days and a wake up” from the Temple game.
Another thing I like to do to pass the time is read. And, seeing as how my thoughts turned to our first foe of the season, I did a little reading about Temple. Here’s what I learned:
Image Credit: Temple
We’re going to win this game. While Temple, 4-7 last season, is a program that’s probably moving in the right direction under first-year coach Matt Rhule (if you consider a move from the MAC to the Big East “the right direction”), they don’t have the talent, the size, or the speed to keep up with the Irish on August 31. USAToday recently (June 15) ranked the Owls 88th in their preseason countdown and predicted “four clear losses” on their 2013 schedule: Louisville, Cincinatti, Rutgers, and Notre Dame. For what it’s worth, I agree. At least insofar as that statement includes the Irish.
In the days before Crazy Train, the upstarts (Tulsa) and the hardworking (Navy) fared well in The House That Rock Built. No more. When the Owls silently fly into South Bend, they will have to contend with a retooled offensive line, a two-QB system (stop it), Louis Nix, III, and Stephon Tuitt. Apparently, what happened is that Temple’s number three quarterback, Connor Reilly, so impressed Coach Rhule in their Spring game, that he vaulted to the top of the depth chart. Evidently, the old starter, a senior named Chris Coyer, is a “run-first” QB and that’s not what Coach Rhule wants going forward. I wonder if Messers. Nix, Tuitt, et al. had anything to do with that. Run first! And your name isn’t Everett Golson? Please.
According to sources, Temple’s biggest issues for the coming season are its defense, and Rutgers. Man, they don’t like Rutgers. In case you didn’t know (and you didn’t), Rutgers considers Temple to be inferior, less good, you know, morons. Like Purdue. But if Tommy Rees can get the ball down field, and against Temple’s D-line and secondary, he should, Temple’s got no one who can hang with TJ Jones or Davaris Daniels.
Here’s how we lose: play like we did against USF in 2011. Barring injury or arrest, our two-deep should manhandle the Owls. But if Turnover Tommy gets under center…
Some other tidbits about Temple you might not have known: their APR is 963, their GSR is 66, and their FGR is 57. If you don’t know what that means, click here. Temple is in Philadelphia, where everyone thinks this is the best sandwich in town. Or this. But really, this is. Oh, and Bill Cosby played football there. And, if you clicked the Temple link earlier, you no doubt saw that you can buy two season tickets for $150. Suffice it to say, no Temple games make this list.
Bayou Irish
Hating Hurricanes Since 1990.
Bayou Irish is a Jersey boy and Double Domer who fell under New Orleans' spell in 1995. He's been through Katrina and fourteen years in the Coast Guard, so we cut him some slack, mostly in the form of HLS-subsidized sazeracs. But, when he's not face down on the bar and communing with the ghosts of Faulkner and Capote at the Carousel Bar in the Hotel Monteleone, he's our man in SEC-land, doing his best to convince everyone around him that Graduation Success Rate is a better indicator of success than the number of MNC's won in the last five years.
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Hehe, good stuff my man. Not only am I now hungry for a cheesesteak, im now also craving a whoopin on opening day.
Hey Trey! Thanks for reading and commenting. I too am hungry. I enjoyed reading about Temple but honestly I enjoyed reading how much better we are. Whether it’s the team we trot out right now, the one on game day, or the one next year, we’re clearly a big deal program, dripping in the trappings of relevance again. So that was fun. Plus cheesesteaks.
Pats is by far the best sandwich in Philly (my opinion) but no way we turn the ball over 5 times against Temple like we did USF. PS if its delayed for a thunderstorm I am leaving this time. That was the longest game ever. See you on the 31st. @jbndfan
Hi jpbndfan! Thanks for reading and for commenting. I like the DiNics pork sandwich, myself. But you can’t argue with Pat’s. Or Tony Luke’s.
I’m a Geno’s girl myself if we are talking cheesesteaks. But my favorite Philly sandwich is John’s Roast Pork….so so good.
I will be at the game and there are a lot of trips coming out from Philly (Phillies are playing the Cubs that weekend, too). God forbid ND loses, I am never ever coming home.
As a recent Philly transplant, can you recommend where I should go to watch the game?
I’m excited to beat the hell out of Temple–though I am sorry to say, I still have emotional scars from the USF loss and find myself unable to properly talk trash to my Philly friends just yet.
Macs Tavern in Old City is considered a ND bar
Yeah, Macs is good, the guy who runs that is an ND grad. I always go to Callahans at 26 and Taney, but they closed after the past season 🙁
I was at the USF game 🙁
Cool, thanks for the tips.
Kelly, I hope you make sure to have a priest rid you of any evil spirits lingering from USF before you set foot into the stadium for Temple! I kid… kind of.
Hey phillykelly! thanks for reading and for commenting! whatever the cheesesteak, they’re nothing on a roast beef poor boy with debris.
You are completely wrong. Delasandros in Roxbough is the best Steak in Town