Georgia Tech introduced former Temple University football coach Geoff Collins as its new coach on Friday in Atlanta.
Assistant head coach and special teams and tight ends coach Ed Foley will be the interim coach for Temple University’s matchup against Duke University at the Independence Bowl on Dec. 27 in Shreveport, Louisiana.
Foley also served as the interim coach for the Owls in the 2016 Military Bowl, which Temple lost, 34-26, to Wake Forest University. Foley has coached under four former Temple coaches. After the Independence Bowl, he will be interviewed for the top position for the first time, he said.
Foley’s lone head coaching experience came at Fordham University in 2004 and 2005. The Rams, who play in the Football Championship Subdivision, went 7-15 during Foley’s tenure.
Foley has been a member of the Temple coaching staff for 11 seasons in several capacities. In 2018, Foley was promoted to assistant head coach, while he continued to lead the special teams and tight ends units.
Three of the five possible candidates for Temple’s coaching job are defensive-minded coaches, according to ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg. Here’s who could become the Owls’ next coach on his early list.
Lance Leipold
In his fourth season, Leipold led the University at Buffalo to 10 wins, the most in program history. On Sept. 8, his team defeated the Owls, 36-29, at Lincoln Financial Field.
The Bulls won the Mid-American Conference’s East Division this season, and Leipold won the MAC Coach of the Year.
Before he went to Buffalo, Leipold coached the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater from 2007-14. He led the Division III school to six national titles.
Leipold’s expertise lies on the offensive side of the ball. He began his career at Wisconsin-Whitewater as its quarterbacks coach and worked as the University of Nebraska-Omaha’s offensive coordinator before he became Wisconsin-Whitewater’s head coach. This year, Leipold’s offense scored more than 30 points in nine games.
Josh Gattis
Gattis is in his first season as the current co-offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach at the University of Alabama, the No. 1 team in the College Football Playoff Rankings.
Alabama’s offense has averaged 527.6 total yards per game compared to 444.1 last season.
Gattis spent a combined six seasons under James Franklin at Penn State and Franklin’s former school, Vanderbilt University. He worked as the passing game coordinator and wide receivers coach for four seasons with the Nittany Lions before going to Alabama.
Gattis is the only offensive assistant on Rittenberg’s list.
Bob Shoop
Shoop is in his first season as the defensive coordinator at Mississippi State University.
This season, the Bulldogs have the third-ranked total defensive in the Football Bowl Subdivision. They’ve conceded 12 offensive touchdowns, the fewest in the FBS.
Shoop has served as a defensive coordinator for 15 years, including three seasons at Vanderbilt and two seasons at the University of Tennessee and Penn State, respectively. In 2014, Shoop won the National Defensive Coordinator of the Year award.
Don Brown
Brown is in his third season as the defensive coordinator at the University of Michigan.
Michigan had the best defense in the FBS this season, allowing the fewest yards per game. The Wolverines’ pass defense ranked second, four spots above Shoop’s Mississippi State unit and five spots above the Owls’ 166.3 yards passing allowed per game.
Brown has previous head coaching experience at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. The Minutemen went 43-19 during his tenure from 2004-08 while UMass played at the FCS level.
Anthony Campanile
Campanile is the co-defensive coordinator and defensive backs at Boston College under former Temple coach Steve Addazio.
Boston College’s 18 interceptions is tied with three teams for the FBS lead.
Campanile played safety and linebacker at Rutgers University from 2001-04 and returned to the school from 2012-15. He served as a defensive assistant during his first season, then coached tight ends for two years and receivers in his final year with the Scarlet Knights in 2015.
All those coaches will be gone in 2 years! How about a guy that wants to continue to build the program!
Stop relying on ESPN for your info.
Has any at Temple News contacts Dr Kraft about interviewing The OC at the U of Minnesota?
Kirk Ciarrocca.
He a Temple alum.
Last played at Temple?
Bring one our own back to the nest . A coach who might show some loyalty to Tempke Football.
Coach Foley is the Coach that should lead the Temple Owls Program. He is committed to Temple University and the success of the Football program and Student athlete involved in the Football program.He will commit the time and effort in building a Championship Football program. He will ensure a academic success as well as maintaining a level of graduates