Matt Rhule: The Temple Turnaround

Husker Dan reviews Matt Rhule's tenure at Temple

Dec 3, 2016; Annapolis, MD, USA; Temple Owls head coach Matt Rhule stands on the field during the second quarter against the Navy Midshipmen at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports / Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

Husker fans counting on Nebraska football to at least make it to a bowl game this fall will likely cite Matt Rhule's reputation for turning around the football programs at Temple and Baylor. If he did that at those two programs, he can certainly do the same for Nebraska.

To be sure, what he did at Temple and Baylor is remarkable. This is the first of a two-part series about those two programs.

This week, we'll look at Husker Head Coach Matt Rhule's rebuild at Temple.

The Golden Rhule

Matt Rhule was born January 31, 1975 in New York City. He walked on at Penn State as a linebacker-a 5'6" linebacker?

Rhule graduated from Penn State in 1997 with a degree in political science. After graduation, he was a volunteer assistant at PSU for legendary football coach, Joe Paterno. From there Rhule had stints at Albright College where he earned a degree in educational psychology while he was their linebacker coach.

From there, he had a two year stint at Buffalo University (LB), a year at UCLA (DL) followed by a four year stint at Western Carolina where he ended up being the AHC/LB/ST assistant.

In 2006, Rhule joined Al Golden's staff at Temple. In 2010, when Golden left Temple to coach the Miami Hurricanes, Rhule applied for the opening at Temple. The Owls instead chose Steve Addazio. So Rhule left Temple and joined Tom Coughlin's staff with the NFL Giants where he (Rhule) became the Giants' O-line coach.

In 2012 when Addazio left Temple to take the job at Boston College, Rhule applied again for the job at Temple. Rhule considered the head coaching position at Temple to be his "dream job."

At the ripe old age of 38, Rhule became Temple's head coach where the year before the Owls had gone 4-7. Temple opened the 2013 season at Notre Dame, losing 6-28. The only two wins Temple had that year were over Army and Memphis. Rhule's debut season ended at 2-10.

The 2014 season improved to 6-6 but the Owls didn't qualify for a bowl game. But the next two years, Temple saw a big leap in the win column.

In 2015, the Owls upset Bill O'Brien's Penn State team, beat Tulane, Memphis and ended up losing 17-32 to Toledo in the Boca Raton Bowl. Temple ended the year at 10-4.

In 2016 (Rhule's last at Temple) he had another 10 win season that included a win over Scott Frost's UCF football team. The 10 wins produced another bowl invitation. But Rhule never got to coach in that game. Why? Because he resigned from Temple in December of 2016 to take the job at Baylor University. With the move, Rhule jumped from the American East conference to a Power Five conference (Big 12). Temple lost 26-34 to Wake Forest that year in the Military Bowl. Interim head coach Ed Foley was Temple's coach. Foley is the current Husker ST coach.

Rhule's four year record at Temple was a tepid 19-20. But there was little doubt he could turnaround a struggling football program.

All Rhule's coaching experience would be needed as he took on the task of rebuilding a Baylor Bears football program that had been in turmoil the previous two years. The challenges he would have to face at Waco were going to be unlike any he'd seen before.

Next week: The Baylor Bounce

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