DiMichele key to Owls? rebuilding

That date was one day after Navy stormed to a 35-0 halftime lead en route to a 42-6 win over Temple at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, marking the end of the Owls? 1-11 season under first-year coach Al Golden.

“We had such a sour taste in our mouth after that game,” DiMichele said. “That game is all we?ve thought about as a team since then.”

This time around, Temple has the home field advantage and the Owls are hoping for a large crowd at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia. Temple is also hoping DiMichele learned from the hardships of last season when the redshirt junior played in 11 games, starting nine of them.

The 6-foot-1, 185-pound native from McKees Rocks, Pa., completed 135 of 235 passes for 1,518 yards, 10 touchdowns and 12 interceptions last season. The Owls? co-captain returns to take over an offense that was one of the worst in the country, averaging just 10.9 points per game last season. Temple also ranked 117 out of 119 teams in Division I-A by allowing 48 sacks.

“[Adam] is critical for us moving forward,” Golden said. “Adam won the starting role before he was elected captain so that says a lot about the commitment he has made. The big thing with Adam is that he made a commitment to the team and he goes out of his way to help the younger guys get acclimated to our culture and what we?re trying to establish on offense.”

DiMichele said being manhandled last season while the Owls played one of the toughest schedules in the country, which included losses at Penn State (47-0) and Clemson (63-9), was a learning experience. Even with 16 true freshmen listed on the two-deep depth chart, including six expected to start, DiMichele is expecting a better season as the Owls join their first season in the Mid-American Conference after playing as an independent last year.

“It was tough, really tough, last year,” DiMichele said. “We?re looking to redeem ourselves this year and it starts Friday against Navy.”

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