Report: Temple Hires Geoff Collins As Head Coach
Temple is reportedly hiring Geoff Collins as its next head coach after he spent two seasons as the Florida Gators' defensive coordinator.
Temple is reportedly hiring Geoff Collins as its next head coach. Collins has spent the past two seasons as the Florida Gators’ defensive coordinator.
After two seasons running the defense in Gainesville, it’s time for a move to Philadelphia.
Temple will hire Geoff Collins as its new head coach, according to ESPN’s Brett McMurphy.
Collins, who spent the past two seasons as the Florida Gators’ defensive coordinator, inherited a defense built by former head coach Will Muschamp and kept it running at a high level.
This past season, Florida finished at No. 6 in total defense, allowing 298.3 yards per game. It also ranked No. 10 in scoring defense, surrendering 17.9 points per game.
In 2015, Collins’ first year on the job, the Gators were No. 8 (310.2 yards per game) and No. 11 (18.3 points per game).
Before he was hired by head coach Jim McElwain, Collins spent 2013 and 2014 in Starkville as Mississippi State’s defensive coordinator, where he earned the nickname of Minister of Mayhem due to his swarming defenses. The two seasons prior, he served as the Bulldogs’ co-defensive coordinator.
Collins also had stops at FIU as its defensive coordinator (2010), UCF as linebackers coach (2008-09), Alabama as its director of operations (2007), and at Georgia Tech as its recruiting coordinator (2006).
While with the Gators, Collins helped reel in some top-notch defensive recruits to help transition from the Muschamp era including defensive lineman CeCe Jefferson, linebacker David Reese, defensive end Jabari Zuniga, linebacker Vosean Joseph and safety Jeawon Taylor.
He also helped recruit running back Lamical Perine, who showed promise this past season as a freshman.
Collins will be replacing Matt Rhule at Temple after the latter recently left to take Baylor’s head coaching job. In four seasons with the Owls, Rhule led Temple to a 28-23 record and one postseason loss to Toledo in the 2015 Boca Raton Bowl, 32-17. The Owls are coming off back-to-back 10-win seasons.
