Q&A with Will Cummings

As mentioned before, we here at Cherry & White Nation love bringing our readers as close as possible to the athletes of Temple University. Once again, I have been in contact with a Temple athlete, this time, however, it is an incoming freshman for the 2011 basketball season, Will Cummings.

He's the first player to commit to Temple in the 2011 recruiting class. He will be coming from the state of Florida, where he has spent his time dominating the hardwood with his lockdown defense and rising offensive ability.

Without further ado, let's check out my conversation with the newest Temple recruit, Will Cummings.

1. What factors played a role in your college decision, and what other colleges, besides Temple, did you consider?

The factors that played a role in my college decision were having a chance to make an impact my freshman year, the playing style of the school, the coaching staff, and how the basketball tradition was at the school. The other schools I considered were Murray State, College of Charleston, Tulane, Colgate, Northeastern, Boston College, Stanford, UNC-W, Buffalo, UNF.

2. What are some things you will try to improve on before your career at Temple starts?

I really want to improve my overall game before I step foot on the Temple campus. I will really focus on improving my mid-range to 3-pointer and make sure I can keep making those consistently. My defense is something that I have been known for but I like to make that even better and learn more ways to read the offensive player. I will keep working to get my ball handling and passing better because those are two things that are very important in the jump from high school to college.

3. What are you most looking forward to when you arrive on campus and begin your basketball training at the university?

I am most looking forward to being around around the team and becoming better as a whole. I want to put on weight and getting stronger my freshman year so those are topics that I will be working on from now until I get to Temple. Also, I can't wait to be around the Temple Nation!

4. Have you had any discussions with current, or former, Temple basketball players?

I've had many discussions with Anthony Lee. We are from the same AAU program so I've had many opportunities to have discussions with him. On my visit I had the chance to talk with the team and see what their experience was like. The only former Temple player I was able to talk with was Dion Dacons and he gave me a lot of great insight.

5. Say what you want, give the fans of Cherry & White Nation something to look forward to during your future as a Temple Owl.

I want to keep the streak of A-10 champs alive! We need to hang more banners in the Arena and keep that push towards a National Championship going! Let's Go Owls!

--
We thank the young Will Cummings for his time, and we wish him the best of luck on his journey with Temple! We cannot wait to see him wear the cherry & white, and to see him do his thing on the court.

McManus Earns MAC Honor

For the third time in his collegiate career, sophomore kicker Brandon McManus has been named the MAC Specialist of the Week. By now, we already know what he accomplished, but let's take another look at what the young man did.

• Hit a 53-yard field goal to end the first half.
• Scored the lone points of the third quarter on a 44-yard field goal.
• Nailed a 40-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter.
• Won the game on a 43-yard field goal with :03 seconds remaining.
• Also added an extra point following Matt Brown's first quarter touchdown.
• Averaged 65.0 yards per kickoff.

Now that's a good way to start off the season for McManus, and a good way to build confidence heading into Temple's toughest part of the schedule, including a showdown with Big Ten juggernaut, Penn State.

Other MAC awards were awarded to the following players:

• Offensive Player of the Week: QB Spencer Keith, Kent State
• Defensive Player of the Week: DB Keith Morgan, Bowling Green

NFL Cut Day Strikes Temple Alums

The mandated roster cut down day, from 75 to 53, has come and gone, and for some former Temple players, the day didn't go as planned.

One of the more notable cuts comes in the form of fullback Dan Klecko with the Atlanta Falcons. The former 2003 fourth round draft pick by the New England Patriots will now have to look elsewhere for a job, and if his past suggests anything, the chance of him finding a new team is very likely.

Another former Temple fullback will be looking for a job, Jason McKie. While at Temple, McKie started 26 games, was a two-time team captain, rushed for 700 yards and scored eight times. He's played for a handful of NFL teams since his emergence in the league in 2002 where he began with the Philadelphia Eagles.

Former Indianapolis Colts defensive end, Raheem Brock (who signed with the Tennessee Titans this offseason) ended up being a cut day casualty. Being a former Super Bowl champ, Brock seemed to be a lock for the team after signing with them this offseason, but a youth movement appears to have struck Tennessee, and he was among a handful of veterans who were dismissed from the team.

Other Temple grads who ended up being cut were offensive tackle Devin Tyler, defensive end Brian Sanford, and offensive tackle Steve Maneri. Tyler won't have to search long for another team, as he has already been placed on the Baltimore Ravens' practice squad (the team originally cut him). The same goes for Steve Maneri, who is now on the Houston Texans' practice squad. Just like Tyler and Maneri, Brian Sanford ended up joining the Cleveland Browns' practice squad.

Unfortunately, linebacker Alex Joseph did not make the Green Bay Packers 53-man roster, or the team's practice squad. He can still sign with another team and be placed on their practice squad, so let's hope for the best for the young talent.

In a surprise turn of events, cornerback Domonique Harris ended up making the Buffalo Bills 53-man roster, but after the team ended up signing two new players, he fell victim to the new acquisitions, and will now look elsewhere for a job.

But the day wasn't bad for all of Temple's former players.

Defensive tackle Terrance Knighton will look to follow up his stellar rookie season in Jacksonville with another solid season, and with the help of former Green Bay Packers defensive end Aaron Kampman, the likelihood of Knighton seeing a bump in his numbers is very likely.

Defensive tackle Andre Neblett made the Carolina Panthers final roster. He wasn't guaranteed a spot by any means, and considering that he went undrafted and was added to be an extra body in camp, the fact that he ended up finding a spot on the team is rather impressive.

Well Temple fans, it seems that just two former Temple alumni will be playing during the NFL regular season (unless one of the practice squad members get called up). I do expect that Raheem Brock will find a new home, so most likely there will be three former Owls representing Temple in the NFL.

Inside the Numbers: Temple vs. Villanova

46 The length of yards it took Temple to get in field goal range for the game-winning field goal.

0 The number of timeouts Temple had on their final drive.

127 The number of receiving yards senior Michael Campbell had in the season opener. He also added  a touchdown on a 62 yard strike.

53 The longest field goal that Brandon McManus has ever made, occured in the final seconds of the first half.

20/10 Number of attempts that Bernard Pierce (20) and Matt Brown (10) had during the game. The duo appears to be prepared to split reps throughout the season.

31 Number of yards that Villanova star, Matt Szczur, compiled on offense. Give Temple credit for being able to contain the dual threat RB/WR throughout the game.

12.5 The average yards per pass by quarterback Chester Stewart. He finished the game with 200 yards, and ended up leading Temple down on the final drive of the game.

21-13 The largest deficit that Temple faced against Villanova. Temple had 14 minutes left in the game to find a way to score eight points to tie the game, but ended up finishing with 18 points in the fourth quarter.

32,193 The number of people in attendance at the Mayor's Cup.

1-0 Temple's current record. The first time they started 1-0 since 2008, and only the third time since 2002 that they won their season opener.

Around the MAC: Week One

Every MAC team has officially started their season, and while some teBams are disappointed in the outcome, others are thrilled to open with a win. So let's make our way around the MAC conference as it stands now.

EAST
1. Buffalo: 1-0
- Kent State: 1-0
- Ohio: 1-0
- Temple: 1-0
5. Akron: 0-1
- Bowling Green: 0-1
- Miami (OH): 0-1

WEST
1. Ball State: 1-0
- Central Michigan: 1-0
3. Easten Michigan: 0-1
- Northen Illinois: 0-1
- Western Michigan: 0-1
- Toledo: 0-1

Most Impressive: Buffalo

A shutout is a shutout, no matter who it is against. They managed to hold Rhode Island to just 207 yards, with 62 of them coming from the ground. The 31-0 victory was led by quarterback Jerry Davis, who threw four touchdowns for 302 yards.

Biggest Disappointment: Northern Illinois

They were outplayed the entire game by Iowa State, and being a favorite in the MAC, they were unable to get off on the foot. But don't get discouraged yet, once they enter MAC conference play, they should have figured out their quarterback situation, and will hopefully live up to their expectations in the West division.

Keep an Eye on: Miami (OH)

As an avid college football fanatic, I tend to watch a lot of Florida Gators games, and I must say that the Redhawks played the Gators tough early on. They held a 3-0 lead in the first quarter, and forced a handful of fumbles during the course of the game. Despite the loss, Miami looks to be a contender in the MAC.

Games to Watch

• Central Michigan @ Temple: The first conference game, Temple will look to get their running game going against the LeFevour-less Chippewas, who are coming off an impressive win in week one.
• Buffalo @ Baylor: This will be a good test for a Buffalo team that held Rhode Island to zero offense. Let's see how one of the better MAC teams fares against a rising Big 12 team that is led by athletic quarterback, Robert Griffen.

Temple's version of "The Drive"

Jubilation, Ecstasy, Relief. Just a few words to describe what every Temple fan was feeling after Brandon Mcmanus nailed a 43 yard field goal to give Temple the victory over city rival Villanova, but the drive leading up to the field goal was perhaps one of the best put together drives you will ever see.

With Villanova hitting a field goal to take the lead the Temple offense got the ball at their 28 yard line with 1 minute 43 seconds showing on the game clock. Chester Stewart led his team back on the field, having fumbled in his own half the previous drive that led to the Villanova field goal that put Temple down two. Stewart has very little experience in situations like this seeing as he was never a full time starter until this season. However, instead of focusing on his mistake and giving up Stewart had a case of short term memory loss and led his team all the way down the field into Mcmanus' field goal range. This showed a lot about Stewart's character. He stayed tough and didn't pout after giving Villanova the lead. He was determined to give Temple a chance to win.

The first play of the drive was nearly the only play of the drive. Stewart dropped back and looked to his right and fired an attempt at a screen pass. Out of no where Villanova defensive lineman Mario Johnson jumped up and nearly intercepted it. Instead, however, he just batted it down. This made Temple fans wonder if Stewart was still thinking about the fumble. The very next play Stewart fired a completion near the sideline to Mike Campbell for a first down that stopped the clock.

Everybody will have their own opinions on which play was the most important in Temple's victory. Well my vote is for Evan Rodriguez's catch on 2nd and 10 on the 4th play of the drive. Stewart took a quick drop and saw Rodriguez splitting 2 defenders up the middle. Stewart fired the ball high and Rodriguez leaped and caught it and before he could land he got smacked on both sides by the 2 Villanova defenders. All 3 players hit the ground. Rodriguez somehow held on to the ball for a 9 yard gain. Many players would have understandably dropped the ball after getting hit that hard, but Rodriguez held on to it. Not to celebrate this or anything sinister but 1 of the Villanova players was hurt on the play as well. This gave Temple a breather and time to get a play set while the injured defender was tended to. The last and most important point about the play is that it left temple with a 3rd and 1 which gave them options to run or pass compared to a 3rd and 10 which would add more pressure to Chester Stewart.

The next play on 3rd and 1 Temple's Heisman candidate running back Bernard Pierce ran for a 5 yard gain to give Temple a 1st down and get them into Villanova territory. However the following running play by Chester Stewart topped it. Stewart was flushed out of the pocket on 2nd and 10. He found space right up the middle and followed a blocker a few yards before bouncing outside for an extra few yards. The overall gain was 13 yards. That gave Temple yet another 1st down and got them close to field goal range.

The final few plays of the drive helped make it a shorter kick for Mcmanus. Stewart hit Campbell for a 3 yard gain. Then with time winding down everybody expected Temple to spike it however Temple ran to line and called a play out and ran a play with 16 seconds left. This caught the Villanova defense off guard and Stewart found running back Matt Brown outside for a 5 yard gain and Brown stepped out of bounds to stop the clock with 8 seconds left.

We all know how the drive ends. Mcmanus steps up cool as a cucumber and nails a 43 yard field goal to give Temple the victory.

Perhaps one last important note is that Temple had no timeouts to use during the drive so they drove down the field in a minute and 43 seconds while using clock management. Very impressive display in the 1st game of the year from the Temple offense.

Don't wanna burst any bubbles but we may have already seen Temple's best overall drive of the year. Every play was crucial and helped lead Temple to a victory over their city rivals.

Q&A with Adam DiMichele

We here at Cherry & White Nation strive on delivering our readers with up-to-date news regarding our beloved Temple Owls, and providing plenty of analysis on each and every game like no other site can. One way we hope to do so is by hosting a number of Q&A's throughout the year. As you may have noticed, we have done a few Q&A's with another Temple Owls blog, as well as a recent interview with a blogger of a popular Villanova site. But never before have we hosted a Q&A with a former Temple football player... until now.

May I introduce to you, former quarterback from '06-'08, Adam Dimichele. The team captain for the 2007 and 2008 seasons, Dimichele finished fourth on Temple's all-time passing yards list with 5,024 yards, and added 45 touchdowns. His passion for the game was, perhaps, his greatest asset, and he will always be a fan favorite in Philadelphia.

Now, let's take a look at our talk with Adam Dimichele:

1. Coming out of high school, you were a very accomplished athlete in terms of achievements and awards. Following your decision to attend Junior College at Okaloosa-Walton College in Florida, what made you choose Temple, and what other schools did you consider?

I chose Temple for 2 different reasons. My brother Alex was attending the school already as a walk on fullback and i thought it would be pretty special if i played on the same college team as him. Another reason why I chose Temple was because I needed something different in my life. When I met Coach Golden, we hit it off and seemed to have the same goals and were both looking to change the entire culture of the Temple Football program.

2. You were drafted in the 2005 MLB Draft by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 38th round. Did you ever consider playing baseball professionally?

Oh yeah, I definitely thought about it. I thought that baseball was it for me. I never thought i would go back to playing football again! My heart was in a different place and football was where it was.

3. How would you sum up your time as a member of the Temple football program, and what was the one moment that stood out to you the most?

I had an amazing three years as a member of the Temple football program. We were at one time, one of the worst programs in the nation and we helped turn the entire program around. Just being a part of one of the most amazing turnarounds in college football history is more than enough for me. To be honest, there's not just one thing that stands out to me. Just seeing where we were when I first came on board to where the team is now, I don't even have words to explain it. The players bought in to what the coaches were preaching. It's as simple as that.

4. After going undrafted in the NFL Draft, you were offered a tryout with the Philadelphia Eagles, and ended up signing with the team for short term. How would you sum up your time with the Eagles, and how the NFL game differs from the collegiate level?

My short stint with the Eagles was just about as exciting as you would think it would be. I got to play in an NFL game and learn from some of the best NFL players out there. It was somewhat surreal at times but I think I held my own and learned a lot from those guys. The NFL is obviously faster than college ball. You have no time to sit back there and process information like you do in college. Those guys see a play, and barely even think before they act. Bigger, faster, and stronger players.

5. Following your brief stint in the NFL, did you continue to play football elsewhere?

I was in Canada and the CFL (Candadian Football League) for a little while and now I'm back home waiting on another opportunity.

6. With your Temple playing days over, do you still get a chance to follow the team? If so, how do you see the 2010 season unfolding for the Owls? Once an Owl-always an Owl.

I follow Temple football more than you can imagine! I would watch the games online all the time and had reminders and score updates sent to my phone after each quarter. I believe the 2010 Temple Owls have the talent to win the MAC Championship and head to a legit bowl game. Just the other day, I had a college football draft and I selected Bernard Pierce as one of my running backs. My younger brother selected Chester Stewart as one of his quarterbacks. Temple Pride right there!!!!!

--

We thank Mr. Dimichele for taking some time to answer our questions, and we hope to speak with him again near the end of the season.