Steve Addazio, in his second season as head coach at Temple, has compiled a 12-6 record at the Philadelphia-based school. (US Presswire)
Ok, we understand coaches have a tendency to talk up the upcoming opponent. But Temple coach Steve Addazio on Monday took that hyperbole to another level.
Literally.
After spending much of the first four minutes of the Big East Conference teleconference fawning over Rutgers' talent, Addazio compared the 6-0 Scarlet Knights to a team that plays up the road.
"I'm watching their tape and I feel like, 'Am I Rutgers or the New York Giants here?' They look great to me,'' said the Owls' second-year head coach, whose team will play host to the Scarlet Knights on Saturday (noon, SNY-TV) in Philadelphia. "I think they've done a great job coaching. They're going to come in here and I think we're really going to have to play an outstanding football game to be able to compete with them. I'm extremely impressed with this Rutgers football team.''
So what exactly is Addazio impressed with as he scouts the nation's No. 15-ranked team in the BCS Standings?
"I mean, six returning starters on offense. Their quarterback, Gary Nova, is playing extremely well, throwing the ball well,'' Addazio offered. "Jawan Jamison, I think, is an outstanding running back -- great balance, great power, great speed. Wide receivers are phenomenal. Brandon Coleman, 24 receptions, five touchdowns, 382 yards. Their tight end, I'm extremely impressed with him. D.C. Jefferson is a former quarterback and he has great athleticism, but he's really a great point blocker. And, of course, they have a tremendous offensive line with Andre Civil, Kaleb Johnson, Antwan Lowery. I'm just watching this team on offense and I'm saying to myself, 'Wow, outstanding.' ''
And on defense ...
"Eight returning starters. I think their linebackers are outstanding players,'' Addazio noted. "Khaseem Greene, Jamal Merrell -- those guys have a tremendous amount of tackles and impact on the game with PBUs, interceptions, tackles-for-losses. Steve Beauharnais, 35 tackles. No. 11, Logan Ryan, defensive back. Their nose guard (Scott Vallone) I think is an exceptional player.''
Well, it's not as if the team he will lead out of the Lincoln Financial Field tunnel Saturday is a bunch of slouches. Winners of two straight Big East games for the first time in its conference history, the Owls (3-2, 2-0) will look to leap into the driver's seat of the league-championship race with first place on the line.
"Obviously winning the game would have great importance,'' Addazio said. "There's no question about that. But what I try to focus on with our team every week is -- and maybe I get boring when I say it -- we gotta play to who we are. And we've gotta have a great day today in practice. And we've just got to control what we can control. And come Saturday we just have to be as prepared as we can be so we can play fast, play physical and play hard. That's my expectation to give ourselves a chance to compete to win.
"A win Saturday would be a tremendous thing for our program obviously. But in order to have a chance to do that, we've gotta play the way we play. And that means practice needs to be great and we have to improve because we don't have a great margin for error.''
