Now, the Wildcats are ready for the main course - three weeks of fall practices that will prepare them for their Sept. 1 season opener against South Garland at Waco ISD Stadium.
Temple will begin its two-a-day practices at 8 a.m. Monday, and third-year coach Bryce Monsen says the first workout can’t get here soon enough.
“It’s about time. We’re excited,” he said Friday. “We’re chewing our nails up here at the fieldhouse.”
Monsen said he and his coaching staff expect between 270 and 290 players - including roughly 120 freshmen - to report Monday morning, with 64 of them scheduled to be in the varsity camp. He added that “at least three or four” sophomores will participate in varsity workouts.
The Wildcats are scheduled to practice in helmets, T-shirts and shorts Monday through Thursday. They will be on the field from 8-10:30 a.m., take a one-hour break to cool off from the intense August heat and eat lunch, and then begin a two-hour practice at 11:30 a.m.
That schedule will continue Friday, when University Interscholastic League rules first allow Temple and other Class 5A and 4A programs that had spring practice to work out in full pads and engage in full contact.
“We’re curious to see what kind of shape the kids are in, but we think they’ll come in in great shape and be ready to get after it,” Monsen said, adding that players will receive plenty of water breaks and cold towels to cope with the heat. “We had a great spring training and we’re going to start with lots of teaching and retention.”
The Wildcats’ lone scrimmage is scheduled for Aug. 24 against Austin Stephen F. Austin at 7:30 p.m. at Wildcat Stadium.
Temple endured another difficult season in 2006, finishing with a 2-8 overall record - its sixth losing mark in seven years - and going 1-5 in District 13-5A. The Wildcats are 2-18 overall and 1-12 in district in Monsen’s two seasons.
However, several factors lead Monsen to believe that this could be a successful year for his program even though 39 of last season’s 60 lettermen graduated.
One is the addition of several veteran coaches, including Mike McMurtry (formerly of Troy) as offensive coordinator and backfield coach and Robert Murphy (who guided Crawford to a 2A state championship in 2004) as assistant head coach and offensive line coach.
They and legendary former Temple coach Bob McQueen, who is employed as an athletic consultant at Monsen’s request, will help the Wildcat offense return to the run-heavy Wing-T attack after the spread package was mostly ineffective the last two seasons.
“There’s nobody better than Coach McQueen, and we’re very fortunate to have someone of his stature helping us,” Monsen said.
Another thing Temple’s head coach likes is the success the Wildcats’ 7-on-7 team had this summer, capped by a 5-2 record in their first-ever appearance in July’s state tournament in College Station that gave them a 21-4-3 mark overall.
“7-on-7, it’s all about learning how to win,” Monsen said. “You always learn something win or lose, and our kids had a tremendous summer. It builds confidence, and they know it’s their time.”
Whether the Wildcats will emerge as one of the four playoff teams in seven-school 13-5A remains to be seen, but Monsen said he and his coaches and players are setting ambitious goals.
“Our expectations in Temple never change - they’re very high,” he said. “We have great expectations for our kids this season.”
gwille@temple-telegram.com
