The fun ‘Uncle’ | Sports Daily Newsletter
K.C. Keeler could be in it for the long haul as Temple’s head coach.
It’s no secret that Temple’s football team has struggled over the last several years, but the coaching position has long been transient.
The Owls have shuffled through 11 coaches, including interims, in 15 years. Some were fired because they weren’t winning; some were poached to fill higher-paying jobs.
Remember Manny Diaz? The former Temple coach stayed on North Broad for 17 days before running off to the University of Miami. Another, Geoff Collins, led the Owls to a 15-10 record, only to leave for Georgia Tech after two years.
Then there was Stan Drayton, who won nine games in parts of three seasons. The dynamic of being a smaller Division I program with less resources has led Temple to a difficult balancing act.
K.C. Keeler appears to be different. He has an established track record of building winning programs, and the 66-year-old won’t likely use Temple as a stepping stone.
He’s building a home with his wife in Wilmington. He has ties to this area, and is deeply committed in the Owls. He also can be humorous and serious when he needs to be.
There are times when practice is not fun, and there are times when he’s dancing in the huddle after a win. Temple quarterback Evan Simon compared it to being around your fun uncle, which may be the exact recipe for what Temple needs in a coach.
— Isabella DiAmore, @phillysport, sports.daily@inquirer.com.
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The Eagles defense came up with five fourth-down stops against the Lions — plus Cooper DeJean’s first-quarter interception — while the offense didn’t have much to show for it. The Eagles went 1 of 3 in the red zone and 4 of 15 on third down. When asked about his biggest frustration in Sunday’s game, Eagles offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo pointed to a familiar issue — negative plays.
Meanwhile, the defense has taken strides with Nakobe Dean back on the field and the addition of Jaelan Phillips. However, Jihaad Campbell has seen his playing time decrease because of this. The rookie linebacker isn’t too concerned about that: “What matters is us winning.”
What we’re...
🎉 Celebrating: Randy Garber’s final hurrah as head coach ends with a state soccer title for Abington High School.
🤔 Wondering: While the Eagles remain atop in the NFC, the offense has yet to show signs of improvement. Can that change in Week 12?
🎧 Listening: Jeff McLane breaks down the Eagles’ 16-9 win against the Lions on Sunday and what to expect next from the team.
⚾ Following: The Phillies added three prospects to their 40-man roster Tuesday to protect them from December’s Rule 5 draft.
Monday brought good news for Flyers fans clamoring for more Emil Andrae. When Rick Tocchet was asked about the young Swedish defenseman, he answered by saying that “Andrae deserves to play.”
On Tuesday, the team backed that up by loaning fellow Swede Adam Ginning, who has not played since Oct. 25, to AHL Lehigh Valley on a conditioning stint. The transaction was the latest vote of confidence for Andrae and the team’s belief that he could be here to stay, writes Jackie Spiegel.
After a long injury recovery, Paul George used the words “rusty” and “rewarding” to describe his first NBA game action since early March. In the Sixers’ 110-108 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday, George finished with nine points, seven rebounds, three assists, and two blocks in about 21 minutes of action. He finished the game on the bench, but making his season debut was a start.
Nick Nurse assured the media Tuesday that his star forward “feels good,” and George was a full participant in practice.
Sports snapshot
Familiar grouns: Penn spoils former coach Steve Donahue’s return to the Palestra.
Making adjustments: Audenried Charter’s Shayla Smith, who’s the city’s all-time scoring leader, is still getting acclimated to college hoops.
Looking ahead: Here’s how international fans with 2026 FIFA World Cup tickets can get a priority visa in America next summer.
Stunning victory: The U.S. men’s soccer team trounced Uruguay in Tampa as four different players scored.
Quinyon Mitchell is the Eagles’ best candidate for Defensive Player of the Year. On Sunday, with a dozen of his friends and family from Williston, Fla., in attendance, the cornerback had a dominant performance in prime time. He allowed zero catches on six targets. The NFL said that tied for the best performance against at least six targets since the beginning of the 2024 season — and Mitchell is in just his second season. He has not gotten the recognition he deserves, writes columnist Marcus Hayes.
🧠 Trivia time answer
Which former Eagles offensive tackle is in the Pro Football Hall of Fame?
D) Bob Brown — Pete S. was first with the correct answer.
What you’re saying about the loss of Lane
We asked: Can the Eagles make up for the loss of Lane Johnson? Among your responses:
Better play calling would alleviate the loss of Lane. Kellen Moore got the Eagles in a flow; that is definitely missing this year. Every team has injuries, just need him back for the important games in Jan/Feb. — Carl H.
The ability of Lane Johnson can’t be directly replaced. But the Eagles can still finish with the best record in the NFC, win through the playoffs and ultimately in the Super Bowl. Football is a team game, and the others on the team can rise to the occasion and remain the best team in the NFC. — John W.
Any player injury is a loss but this one is a huge loss for the team. We will go on without Lane, but it will be tough. A Lisfranc injury is a tough one with typically a long rehab. All my prayers for Lane as we navigate without him. — Kathy T.
Pretty much impossible to replace an all-pro 6-6 325 lineman. What’s the old cliche? “It takes a village.” In this case it is going to take a TEAM. Fred and the other guys have to make it their mission to make it seem as if Lane is still there. In defense of Jalen I would offer up that perhaps he is just not happy with Patullo’s offense and has lost heart. If we the fans think the offense is a (bleep) show as AJ says, then maybe Hurts does too. — Everett S.
We compiled today’s newsletter using reporting from Alex Coffey, Jeff Neiburg, Olivia Reiner, Gina Mizell, Jeff McLane, Lochlahn March, Marcus Hayes, Jackie Spiegel, Jonathan Tannenwald, Gabriela Carroll, Owen Hewitt, Sean McKeown, and Tyler Delpercio.
By submitting your written, visual, and/or audio contributions, you agree to The Inquirer’s Terms of Use, including the grant of rights in Section 10.
As always, thanks for reading and have a wonderful Wednesday. Kerith will get your morning started tomorrow. — Bella