Saturday, September 25, 2010

Forty-six yards passing doesn't cut it

Subliminal message No. 1 for AG
UNIVERSITY PARK _ I had three overriding thoughts after this long day and a three-hour tease they called a game today:
1) Forty-six yards through the air ain't cutting it. I don't know if it's Matt Rhule's fault or Al Golden's fault or Chester Stewart's fault, but 46 yards through the air ain't cutting it and it's got to be fixed. After the Navy game last year, I mused out loud if Al Golden had the err, intestinal fortitude, to make a quarterback change. It turned out he did and I applauded him for it. How many coaches have the stones to remove a quarterback who has won six straight games for underperforming?  It turned out Al Golden did. Vaughn Charlton's numbers against Navy last year were 5 for 17, 36 yards, two INTs. Chester Stewart's numbers against Penn State on Saturday mirrored those, except he threw one more INT. I'm sure Chester is a nice kid, just like Vaughn is but now, like then, I think it's time for a quarterback change. If Mike Gerardi or Chris Coyer can't get me 200 yards in the air against Army, we've got to rethink our quarterback recruiting. But I think either one of them gets two bills against Army. Chester Stewart is a one bill quarterback, if that. You just can't win over the long haul in major college football these days without a viable passing attack and Temple did not display a viable passing attack in any of the first four games.
Subliminal message No. 2 for AG.

2) Temple is just not any better than an above-average team without The Franchise in there. When TF (or BP) is in there, Owls are a great team. Without him, Owls struggle and I mean struggle to win the MAC (and probably fall short). Keep our fingers crossed that BP returns next week or the week after. Matt Brown is a great third-down back, but he's not a feature back. It's no coincidence that, with St. Bernard/The Franchise/Bernie's MAC Show in there, Temple had a lead. When he left, it all went to the crapper. That's pretty much the way the season has played out so far.
3) Unless a miracle happens, the best-case-scenario for Temple fans is two straight trips to Detroit, one for the MAC title and one for the bowl sponsored by a Pizza company. I only have one word for that. Ugh. I will make one but not both trips. I just have to figure out which one. Probably the MAC title tilt, since I want to see the Owls prance around Ford Field with the MAC trophy secured. I'm sure the walk from the parking lot to the indoor stadium will be too cold for at least one Temple fan to make either trip.