Addazio unveils Temple's state-of-art athletic facility

Outdated facilities and a cluster of losing seasons used to tag the Temple football program with an image problem.

But three straight winning seasons and a huge renovation to Edberg-Olson Hall, the team's headquarters and practice facility, demonstrate that solutions are ongoing.

On Tuesday, Temple coach Steve Addazio gave media members a tour of the $10 million expansion and renovations to Edberg-Olson Hall.

"I think we have a state-of-the-art facility, right now, that can compete with anybody in the conference we are in," said Addazio, whose squad returned the Big East this summer after five seasons as a football-only member of the Mid-American Conference. "As I said, there could be one better.

"But I'm saying, generally speaking, we have a beautiful facility here. State of the art. Great rehab center. Great training room. Great weight room. Anything any Division I football player would want."

There's a Temple football hall of fame wall and pictures of all the former Owls currently in the NFL at the front entrance.

Temple's strength and conditioning area has expanded from 2,500 square feet to 10,000. An indoor turf surface stretches close to 40 yards near the window.

There is also an hydrotherapy area, an enlarged sports medicine office, a renovated team meeting room, and a remodeled locker room.

But one of Addazio's favorites is the Owl Club room that's next to his office.

"We are heading in the direction," he said. "This whole thing is just going to be a beautiful complex. And we should be."

Temple's indoor practice facility is still in the planning stage.

McManus honored. Temple placekicker/punter Brandon McManus was named the Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference specialist of the week on Tuesday.

This comes one day after the senior was named the Big East specialist of the week for the second time this season.

McManus made two field goals (33 and 42 yards) in Saturday's 24-13 setback to Penn State. He also averaged 48.5 yards on six punts.