BY ROCK HOFFMAN
College Football Editor
When Al Golden was the head of the Temple Owls, he had a saying that became the slogan of the program for a while it was, ‘flip the switch.” It was used to indicate whatever just happened, be it good or bad, was in the past, just flip the switch and be ready for what comes next. If ever a team was ready to flip the switch, it’s the 2022 Temple Owls. Friday night, when they kickoff the season at Duke, it should seem like a breath of fresh air. They were 4-15 over the last two seasons, including 1-6 in the truncated 2020 when Covid-19 impacted the Owls as much as any team in the country. Last season, except for a surprise win over Memphis, nothing good happened and head coach Rod Carey, who never felt like a good fit, was fired.
Stan Drayton takes over the team and is working to get it back to the type of success they had in the decade before Carey’s arrival when the Owls won 73 games, the 2016 American Athletic Conference Championship and two bowls games.
After nearly 30 years as an assistant, this will be Drayton’s first game as a head coach.
“I’m very excited,” said Drayton. “Just like I tell the players to manage their emotions – I know how hard it is to do that – because I’m trying to manage mine. These guys have made a lot of changes in their lives both on and off the football field. They’ve bought in to the culture of how we go about doing our business on a daily basis. I’m super excited to see what that looks like in a gameday atmosphere.”
The Owls will go with D’Wan Mathis at quarterback.
Elsewhere this weekend, Villanova opens at home against Lehigh on Friday evening. Also playing under the Friday night lights, West Chester hosts Bentley University. Ursinus is at Alvernia
On Saturday, Delaware opens at Navy, Delaware State entertains Lincoln University. Rowan and Widener battle in the season opener for the eight season in a row. Perennial Division III power Delaware Valley takes on Westminster College at home while TCNJ hosts Moravian.