ODJ: Laying It On The Line

No more excuses about youth and inexperience. Temple has nine experienced offensive linemen and additional depth at work this spring. Now comes the hard part for Coach Al Golden: Picking five guys and sticking with them. Right now, it doesn't look like he's close to making those choices.

Winning teams remember the losses, lamenting the what-could-have-been. Losing teams savor the victories, the few-and-far-between. Championship teams remember the big one.

Need proof? What’s the most memorable game from the wonderful and recently-completed Temple men’s basketball season? The Atlantic 10 Championship victory over St. Joe’s, of course. What was the most memorable game from Coach Al Golden’s first year in charge of Temple football? The victory over Bowling Green, without question. And what game (or games) will we never forget from Coach John Chaney’s Hall of Fame tenure on North Broad Street? All those Elite Eight losses, not to mention the – sigh – Seton Hall game. Why? Because there were too many victories to pick one.

What’s my point?

I’m trying to figure out the most memorable game from the 2007 football season. The Owls finished 4-8, hence, we should be savoring the victories, particularly the last-minute comeback at Akron and the Miami game, because of the Adam DiMichele injury.

But the expectation level around Temple football is different these days. It changed, in fact, right around the time the Owls fashioned that nifty little three-game win streak last season.

So instead of savoring the four victories, when I think about the 2007 campaign I think about the what-could-have-been. For me, the lingering memory is not DiMichele throwing the game-winning touchdown pass to Dy’Onne Crudup at Akron or Vaughn Charlton hitting Bruce Francis with the decisive 61-yard bomb against Miami.

I remember the improving Owls getting their butts kicked at Ohio and Western Michigan. Just when it looked like they were ready to challenge for the MAC title, they got outmuscled and out-toughed – severely outmuscled and out-toughed – by a pair of league rivals.

That’s why I’m focused intently on the continuing development of the Temple offensive line this spring. Because that’s where the Owls truly got their butts kicked in those “memorable” games. In 2008, the offensive line will determine the what-could-be. The offensive line will determine whether the Owls are a losing team, a winning team, or – gasp – a championship team.

There are reasons for doubt and reasons for hope.

Let’s start with the hope.

Everybody is back, with no less than nine players who’ve logged a significant number of snaps. With that kind of competition, and four jobs up for grabs, you would have to figure on a few guys making major strides this spring – if only because the odds are in their favor.

And while the Owls have some uncertainty, they also have senior center Alex Derenthal locked into the pivot, where he can best provide leadership to the group. If you’ve got only one “sure thing” on the offensive line, it doesn’t hurt to have him calling signals in the middle.

Entering the final week of spring practice, Golden has to be pleased to have veterans like Jabari Ferguson, Devin Tyler, and Andre Douglas at the tackle positions, and talented youngsters like Derek Dennis, Colin Madison, and Lloyd Codada at the guard spots. The latter three were good enough to earn starting assignments as true freshmen.

As the old sports adage goes: College athletes make the greatest improvement from their freshman year to their sophomore year. If that holds true at Temple this fall, the MAC better look out.

But the yo-yo lineup that Golden has fielded on the offensive line this spring brings some doubt into the equation.

Start with Douglas, who was being hyped as a difference-maker 12 months ago. Then, out of necessity, the Rhode Island transfer switched from guard to tackle, where his performance led Golden to remind people that he was indeed a rookie to Division I-A, and he was playing out of position.

Ferguson and Tyler were inconsistent, drawing raves every few weeks, which only led us to wonder: Why can’t they play like that every week?

The first sign of doubt came when Golden released the pre-spring depth chart, which added Dennis to the tackle mix. Are the guards that good? Are the tackles that bad?

Maybe it’s neither of the above. Maybe it was just a numbers game, as in, the Owls were left shorthanded when sophomore tackle Charles Smith left the team, and Dennis could fill the hole, and maybe, just maybe, win a starting job.

At guard, the Owls were simply too young to be good last season. Now is the time to get better. And since more is supposed to be better, Golden shifted Chris Tremel from defensive tackle to offensive guard this spring.

Between Madison, Codada, and Tremel, and maybe Dennis or Douglas, and don’t forget Darius Morris, Brison Manor, Bryce Carter, and John Palumbo – not to mention a few walk-ons – the Owls have an endless supply of guard candidates. The question is which one will make us forget those beatdowns at Ohio and Western Michigan – and create some memorable moments this season.

Surrounded by youth, Derenthal has gotten the job done for three straight years. It almost makes you wonder if he’s really that good, or he just hasn’t had any real competition. A bigger concern is what would happen if he was injured. Walk-on freshman Jeremy Schonbrunner is now listed as his top backup. Manor can play there, too.

Beyond the ultimate five-man lineup – pure guesswork at this point in time – the primary worry looking towards the fall is how long it will take for the group to develop some chemistry.

Will Dennis play guard or tackle? What about Douglas? Will Golden be able to pick two starting guards and stick with them?

Even if all of these decisions are finalized in the first 10 days of preseason camp – because they certainly won’t be finalized before the summer – that still doesn’t leave enough time to get everyone cranking at full speed before week one.

Fortunately, the MAC schedule begins in week three at Buffalo. That should be a game to remember.