Owls close to naming coach?

CONVENTIONAL wisdom would suggest that Temple athletic director Bill Bradshaw should be introducing his new football coach soon, perhaps as early as Wednesday or Thursday.

The last time he had to do this, 2 years ago, it took 8 days. Steve Addazio left last Tuesday after two seasons to go to Boston College.

Mark D'Onofrio, who was the defensive coordinator on North Broad Street for Addazio's predecessor, Al Golden, interviewed for the opening Tuesday. Sources familiar with the situation believe that he's the last person who'll be interviewed. But if we've learned anything from searches in the past, it's that almost anything can happen.

D'Onofrio could have had the job 2 years ago, but his good friend Golden convinced him to go with him to Miami to be the DC there.

On Monday, Notre Dame defensive coordinator Bob Diaco interviewed. Former Owl Todd Bowles, the Eagles' defensive coordinator, was scheduled to interview Monday, but it got pushed back to Tuesday night. Diaco has also interviewed at Cal and, ironically, BC. Bowles, of course, was also an interim NFL head coach in 2011 with Miami.

Mario Cristobal, who was just let go as the coach of Florida International after going 3-9 in his sixth season, interviewed over the weekend, as did Ohio State assistant Stan Drayton, who's been hired three times by Urban Meyer and recruited Brian Westbrook when he was on the staff at Villanova. Cristobal almost got the Rutgers job last offseason. Chuck Heater, who's been Addazio's DC, is also a candidate.

And the person who a lot of Temple people seem to want, Matt Rhule, interviewed on Saturday when Bradshaw was in North Jersey for the Owls' basketball game against Duke. Rhule was here for 6 years, as an offensive coordinator and recruiting coordinator, before leaving last offseason to become an assistant offensive line coach with the New York Giants.

Could there be somebody else? Perhaps. But chances are its one of those guys. And at this point the only thing left to do is make a decision and let Temple Nation and the rest of the college football world in on it.