Tag Archives: Steve Addazio

Dunphy highest paid Temple coach

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According to public information released by Temple, men’s basketball coach Fran Dunphy was the highest paid employee in the athletics department during the 2011-12 fiscal year.

With a salary of $659,600, Dunphy was the fifth highest paid employee at Temple. Former football coach Steve Addazio was the seventh highest paid employee at Temple, with gross earnings of $612,414 during the same 2011-12 fiscal year.

Before Addazio’s arrival, former football coach Al Golden was the highest paid university employee with gross earnings of $898,031 during the 2010-11 fiscal year. Addazio left Temple after the 2012 season for a coaching position at Boston College, while Golden left after the 2010 season for a coaching position at the University of Miami.

Hooter the Owl featured on ESPN commercial

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They say any exposure is good exposure, but Temple’s mascot makes a fool of him(her?)self in the most recent “This is SportsCenter” commercial.

Our beloved Hooter is seen walking into a clear glass window while three SportsCenter personalities discuss facilities management in a conference room. “Seriously, we’ve got to get this glass frosted,” quips Stuart Scott after the Boston College Eagle mascot follows suit.

It’s been said that the commercial was produced prior to former football coach Steve Addazio’s departure for Boston College. If that’s true, then the commercial is an uncanny example of foreshadowing of Temple’s lack of foresight into Addazio’s impending departure.

You can watch the video here.

-Joey Cranney

Addazio accepts position at Boston College

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Steve Addazio has accepted the head coaching position at Boston College, a Temple source confirmed.

Addazio went 13-11 in two seasons at Temple. He went 9-4 in his first season in 2011, including the program’s first bowl win since 1979 in a 37-15 victory at the Gildan New Mexico Bowl.

“Steve Addazio has done a tremendous job with Temple Football in his two years at the University, and we wish him nothing but the best,” Athletic Director Bill Bradshaw said in a press release. “Temple Football has never been stronger, and I am confident we will be able to attract a high-level pool of candidates for the position and the program will continue its upward momentum.”

Addazio will fill the hole at Boston College left by former coach Frank Spaziani, who was fired after the Eagles’ 2-10 finish this year, his fourth season with the team. Spaziani went 21-29 at Boston College.

Addazio informed the team of his departure personally at a team meeting at approximately 5 p.m. Players were seen walking from the meeting on their phones or huddled in groups talking.

Freshmen linebackers Tyler Matakevich and Rob Dvoracek Tweeted “wow” at 5:18 p.m. and 5:35 p.m., respectively. Junior defensive back Abdul Smith Tweeted “At the end of the day these coaches only look out 4 themselves. They sell you on a lie that only benefits them.”

Redshirt-junior quarterback Chris Coyer Tweeted “Well. Here we go again. 3 coaches in 5 years. Whatever just grinding that much harder to get where we wanna go next year”

A national search for Addazio’s replacement will begin immediately, the press release indicated.

Addazio opens up at season’s end

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Steve Addazio was in rare form in his last weekly press conference of the year at Edberg Olson Hall Tuesday afternoon.

A candid Addazio said he isn’t surprised by his team’s 4-7 finish, and that he expected to win four to six games. He spoke of the team’s youth and lack of depth as ongoing issues that the Owls couldn’t overcome during the strain of the Big East Conference season.

“Basically through the year, there was a theme where we’d have those moments where we’d come unglued a little bit and we didn’t have the ability to overcome that,” Addazio said. “I think what you saw was a young, inexperienced team making a transition this year.”

Though he noted the Big East move as a reason for the team’s struggle, Addazio maintained that it was still the best move for Temple.

“The best thing that happened was that we went right into this league,” Addazio said. “There was going to be an adjustment period. I’d rather have the youth and the adjustment period in one shot. I think we’re better for it.”

Addazio said he feels motivated by the offseason do the team’s losing season, the first he’s experience since he was offensive coordinator at Indiana in 2004.

“I’m disappointed that we’re not playing in a bowl game right now,” Addazio said. “I’m disappointed that we’re not practicing right now. I’m not used to this. But I can’t look you in the eye and say we aren’t where I thought we’d be.”

But his concern with the past season was met with his optimism for next season, which he said will begin with the most competitive offseason program Temple’s ever had, starting Tuesday.

“I don’t want to put forward this thing like Rome’s built in a day and next year we’ll be good to go. It’s a process,” Addazio said. “I just like where we’re headed. We’re going to get better and continue to grow.”

“I’ve had a chance to talk to a lot of guys in our league that I know and they’ve all said the same thing, ‘Boy, you’ve got a good young football team,'” Addazio added. “Your kids play really hard.’ It’s a resounding theme, it’s not bs. Our kids do play hard. They do compete.”

Addazio gave a nine-minute opening statement before fielding questions about what went wrong this season, his team’s offseason preparation and his take on conference re-alignment.

When asked about the recent addition of Tulane into the conference, Addazio wouldn’t comment on the matter, because it was the first he had heard of it.

Football to compete in Big East West in 2013

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The football team and other new additions to the Big East Conference will compete in the newly established West Division of the conference next season, Big East Commissioner Mike Aresco announced Tuesday.

The 12 teams set to compete in the Big East next season will be split into two, six-team divisions, where the winner of the divisions will meet in the Big East Championship game. Temple will be in the West Division along with other conference newcomers: Boise State, Houston, Memphis, San Diego State and Southern Methodist University.

“I’m not involved with all these meetings here, but for the beginning part of this thing, we will be on the Western side,” coach Steve Addazio said in a press release. “I’m excited to do that. I think that’ll be good. We’ll still have some of our regional games in here, and I think it’s a great new beginning and I’m excited for it.”

Each Big East team will play eight conference games per season, five within its division. That means Temple will have to head out west for at least two games against Western opponents next season. Home/away breakdowns will be announced after the Big East athletic directors meeting on Dec. 3.

Addazio said playing in western markets opens up new doors for recruiting.

“It’s exciting. You’re talking about some great trips and some great programs,” Addazio said. “You’re playing nationally. It’s a national perspective, and I think the kids will enjoy that. When I was at Notre Dame, we played a national schedule. I know that’s a bit of a difference scenario, but it was a cool deal – going to places you’ve never been. It can be very, very exciting. The future is really exciting. I’m thrilled that we’re a part of I,t and I’m looking forward to bringing this young team into that whole new beginning. I think it’s going to be nothing but growth.”

The conference alignment is likely to be revisited after the 2014 season when Navy will be added to the Big East, among other schools, the press release indicated.