Temple’s Football Coach Leaving For a Bigger Program: A Tradition Unlike Any Other


First, Lisa Ann shoots her shot with Temple’s quarterback.

Then, Temple’s coach gets a job offer from Georgia Tech, a big time ACC school.

You can tell me this is a coincidence. But, there is no way I will believe you.
So after a brief, yet successful, stint at Temple, Geoff Collins is off to a Power 5 program in the ACC. Temple is once again left to pick up the pieces left behind by a coach who moved on to greener pastures, and by greener pastures I mean a program that gets more television revenue. It’s a helpless position Temple and the rest of the AAC, know all too well.
The conference is an island of misfit toys, with no real rivals or tradition, strung out with teams halfway across the country. A conference that plays quality football, but not quality enough to turn the “Power 6” into a thing. The AAC will never be the 6th major conference because the five other conferences constantly pluck the talent away. Once the middle tier programs are close to becoming elite, they are forced to restart when their staff bolts. It’s swimming up stream, it’s a hamster wheel, it’s whatever analogy you want to use, but it’s reality.
I was never the biggest Geoff Collins guy, but he took the foundation Matt Rhule laid the groundwork for and kept building. Rhule took this program to unforeseen heights and Collins responded with back to back winning seasons, including an 8-4 regular season this year (with a Bowl game pending). In a city where Sam Hinkie laid foundation and Bryan Colangelo did his best to fuck it up, I can be appreciative of the job Collins did.
That being said, I definitely won’t miss the Money Down. For those of you who don’t watch Temple play in front of 75 people at The Linc, here’s what the “money down” is: Grad Assistants jump up and down with money signs on the sideline while it’s 3rd Down for the Temple defense. Then, they usually give up 14 yards and a first down. Also won’t miss the turnover whiteboard that no one could see. I can’t wait to see Collins take those gimmicks to Georgia Tech, have Migos on the sideline…and then lose to Clemson by 35.
For the fourth straight time, Temple’s football coach is fleeing for a Power 5 school. Unfortunately, Geoff Collins could never trump this exit:

It would be nice if Temple could land a guy this time around who means that quote when they say it. A guy who sticks around to see building this program until it fulfills its potential. Because too many times in the AAC, a fantastic young coach bolts while their program is right on the cusp of that potential.
Regardless of profession, to reach your goals, “you’ve got to start somewhere”. Temple’s football program (and the AAC) is that “somewhere” for coaches.
By Aidan Powers | December 7, 2018