Charlton takes over Temple

By John McMullen

Philadelphia, PA (The Phan) - Two years ago Temple coach Al Golden went with red-shirt junior Adam DiMichele as his starting quarterback for the Owls' 2007 season opener against Navy at Lincoln Financial Field.

I couldn't help thinking it was a curious move at the time for a team desperately trying to rebuild a struggling program. The 6-foot-1, 185-pound DiMichele just wasn't the physical peer of his backup, the 6-foot-4, 235-pound Vaughn Charlton.

"It is so close. It is a hard call and something I have struggled with for a long time," Golden told me at the time. "Ultimately it comes down to an intuitive feeling and a gut reaction. At this point Adam has played slightly better in the scrimmages."

In hindsight, Golden made the right decision picking DiMichele over Charlton. Game management may be the most overused phrase in football right now. It also might be the most important. As more and more coaches around the country become enamored with big-play ability, the smart and steady signal callers get overlooked.

DiMichele helped Temple turn the corner over the past two seasons and was good enough to get invited to Eagles OTAs and training camp this year.

I felt a little twinge of deja vu at Temple's annual media day on Tuesday. This time Golden was making a decision between Charlton, now the redshirt junior, and athletic sophomore Chester Stewart.

"It was close," Golden said. "Vaughn has a little more experience and did a better job of taking care of the ball in the scrimmages. Turnovers really hurt us last year so that's important."

While Stewart was given a legitimate opportunity at the starting spot, clearly this was Golden's long term plan. The team redshirted Charlton last season with the intent of giving him two full seasons as a starter.

The experience Golden alluded to was garnered during Charlton's first two years in North Philly. As a true freshman the Landenberg, Penn. native played in eight games with three starts, completing 47-of-85 passes for 417 yards and two TDs. He followed that up by playing in seven games with four starts as a sophomore, finishing the season 78-of-137 for 808 yards and three touchdowns.

Not it's finally his program and Charlton took the baton with a sort of golly gee, aaw shucks mentality.

"I really don't know," Charlton said when asked why he got the nod over Stewart. "Chester is a great quarterback. I need to come out here, relax and just play. I have gotten used to the competition level. I am running the offense better and have gotten rid of some of those
nerves a young player has."

Senior tight end Steve Maneri thinks the Owls are in a win-win situation with either signal caller and it's conceivable Temple will need both to reach their rather lofty goals.

"They both have great arms and are great leaders," Maneri said. "I really don't care who gets me the ball. (Charlton's) leadership skills have improved so much. He's matured, the arm was always there."

For the first time in Golden's tenure, a major media outlet, Sports Illustrated, has picked the Owls to go bowling.

"I think we have the depth," Charlton said. "My freshman year we had a lot of 18 year olds. Now we have seniors ready to lead and contribute."

"We are just looking to improve," Maneri added. "We had a lot of tough losses last year and we need to figure out to win."

So, is postseason play really a possibility for the Cherry and White?

"We are just focusing on trying to get better," senior safety Dominique Harris said. "One game at a time. "