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Temple players 'rallying around Phil Snow' to be next coach

If a majority of the Temple football players have their way, defensive coordinator Phil Snow would be elevated to head coach to replace Matt Rhule. On Tuesday, Rhule accepted the coaching position at Baylor.

If a majority of the Temple football players have their way, defensive coordinator Phil Snow would be elevated to head coach to replace Matt Rhule. On Tuesday, Rhule accepted the coaching position at Baylor.

Two sources said a majority of the players are in Snow's corner. "The players want Coach Snow," the source said. "They have made that known."

Said another source: "Player are rallying around Phil Snow."

What Snow's intentions are remain unknown. There is speculation that if he doesn't remain at Temple, Snow could go with Rhule, who has already hired two Owls coaches, associate head coach/defensive backs coach Francis Brown and linebackers coach Mike Siravo.

"Temple did one heck of a job and this time I will try to go on and try to win a championship at Baylor," Brown said in a telephone interview.

Siravo and Brown, according to a Temple source, are in Waco, Texas, now but are expected to return to the team by next week. Every assistant is expected to coach the bowl game, if everything is worked out contractually.

"Matt Rhule wants them to coach for Temple in the bowl game," one of the sources said.

Ed Foley is serving as Temple's interim head coach. A 1985 Cherry Hill East graduate, Foley, is in his ninth season at the school. This year, he has served as assistant head coach/tight ends/special teams coach.

Also going with Rhule to Baylor are director of player personnel Evan Cooper and assistant AD/chief of staff Seam Padden.

Temple will begin workouts in earnest next week for the Military Bowl on Dec. 27 against Wake Forest in Annapolis, Md.

In another coaching matter, Houston Texans defensive end Devon Still congratulated Temple defensive line coach Elijah Robinson on Twitter Wednesday with this tweet: "Welcome to Texas @coachMattRhule & @CoachRobinsonTU!"

Was that premature?

"As of right now, Elijah is still at Temple," both sources said.

Temple talks with Strong

Charlie Strong, the recently fired University of Texas football coach, has talked to Temple about its head coaching vacancy, according to a source familiar with the situation. The source couldn't gauge the interest of Strong but said there was a discussion.

"They had a conversation with Strong, that is a fact," the source said.

A report on Thursday evening by Florida Football Insiders said it is believed that South Florida has already begun negotiating a contract with Strong.

mnarducci@phillynews.com

@sjnard