Geoff Collins’ mother used to work at the Omni Colesium, when the Atlanta Flames played there in the 1970s. Whenever the Flyers came to town, Collins made sure his mother got him free tickets.
“I had to see Bobby Clarke, I had to see Dave Schultz,” Collins said Wednesday at the Liacouras Center when he was introduced as Temple's new head coach.
“At a young age, I was drawn to the physicality, the toughness, the never say die, never quit, which I think is Philly, which I think is us,” Collins said. “They’re the Broad Street Bullies. We live on Broad Street. And the way these young men play kind of is reminiscent of what I fell in love with watching the Flyers as a young kid.”
Collins, 45, comes to Temple after leading the Florida Gators' defense to top 11 rankings in total defense and scoring defense in his two years as the their defensive coordinator. During that time, Florida won two SEC East titles. He's also had stints at Mississippi State, Florida International University, Central Florida, Georgia Tech, Alabama, Western Carolina and Albright College.
Like Temple’s previous three coaching hires, this is Collins’ first head coaching job. He mentioned Florida coach Jim McElwain, former Georgia Tech and Central Florida coach George O’Leary and Alabama coach Nick Saban as a few of his mentors.
Collins is the first head football coaching hire for Temple athletic director Patrick Kraft.
“I wanted someone who knows how to win,” Kraft said. “Someone who’s been through winning and seen the process. Someone that understands what it takes to win at the highest level. I wanted someone that wanted this job. Didn’t want a job. Wanted Temple’s job. And we found him in Geoff.”
Collins takes over the Temple program after Matt Rhule led the Owls to their best two-year stretch in school history. Temple has gone 20-7 over the past two seasons and has gone to back-to-back bowl games for the first time in program history.
Collins and Rhule share some history together. They both coached together at Albright College when Collins was the defensive coordinator and Rhule was the linebackers coach. The two also spent time together coaching at Western Carolina.
Collins called Rhule one of his best friends. They keep in touch daily. He said his goal will be to build on what Rhule already started at Temple.
“The championship culture has been built,” Collins said. “How can we add to it? How can we find the edge so we can take it to even higher heights?”
Temple’s last two coaches have lasted a combined six years. Steve Addazio coached two seasons before leaving for Boston College, and Rhule stayed four years before heading to Baylor last week. Before that, Al Golden coached at Temple for five seasons until he took a job at Miami.
Does Collins see himself staying in Philly for a while?
“Every job that I’ve ever taken is ‘What is happening right now?’” Collins said. “All I care about is right now. All I care about is this press conference, getting to meet you guys, sell the Temple brand, look at these players in the eye. What is now? Then, what is next? What’s next is we gotta focus on this bowl game.
“When we get back in January, then we have to go build and find our edge to go even further. That’s the extent of my focus. I just want to be here.”