I don't think this music is on Steve Addazio's IPOD, but the passes are impressive.
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| The recruits so far, according to Owlscoop.com |
"That other school wanted me, but this team NEEDS me," he said.
So it is with P.J. Walker of Elizabeth (N.J.).
Other schools may WANT P.J. Walker, but Temple NEEDS P.J. Walker and that is why I think he will be arguably the top recruit of the 2013 Temple class. I write "arguably" because you could make a good case for kicker Jim Cooper, Jr., too.
With Temple's top three quarterbacks (Chris Coyer, Juice Granger, Kevin Newsome) gone after next season, the Owls need someone for the 2014 season who can be brought up to speed in the 2013 season to be The Man in the 2014 season.
To me, that person is P.J. Walker, who leads his team tonight (7 p.m., Williams Field, Elizabeth) against Franklin. Walker's Minutemen are 9-0 and probably 10-0 after tonight (they already beat Franklin, 42-13, in the regular season) and are the top-ranked Public School in the state.
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| Williams Field is just off Route 1 in Elizabeth. |
Head coach Steve Addazio says he wants to run a true spread offense, but he said that in the summer and that didn't happen. He says that will happen next year. I want to see play-action passes on first down to make the running game more effective on second down. I want to see defenses have to defend the whole field and next just inside the tackle box. I think all Owl fans do. That's a true spread offense.
We'll see.
In my mind, the true spread has got to happen because Temple needs a "Doug Flutie-type" impact player to make the move from bad to good to phenomenal to super phenomenal.
This year, let's be honest, the Owls were just plain bad.
They have to make the move to good next year and, I don't care what Daz says, the record is going to have to reflect it. Rome wasn't built in a day, but the construction guys didn't take a year off, either.
Boston College wasn't significantly better than Temple until Flutie pushed the school into national prominence. The same argument can be made for Louisville and Teddy Bridgewater.
Walker could be that player for Temple.
Once Walker takes the controls, they can think of being phenomenal in his sophomore year and "super phenomenal" by his junior year.
At least that's the direction Daz promises the team is headed.
To do that, the Owls have to corral Walker and a few more impact players.
If you are in the neighborhood of Northern New Jersey, a trip to Williams Field might be a better option tonight than watching the MAC championship game on ESPN.
It'll be like going to a Temple football game two years from now.
