Charlie Strong Previews Temple

Charlie Strong

Highlights:

--The team practiced on Tuesday-Thursday last week, and the players were allowed to go home on Friday if they lived close enough so they could go see their high school teams play or visit with families, etc.

--Temple is a dangerous game for us. They haven't won a game yet, but we have to go on the road and play with confidence and passion. It's our first conference game and it's on the road, every game matters from here on out because they're all conference games.

--We need to go in and play well against an opponent that if we go in and play the way we're capable of playing, we should feel pretty good and the result should be pretty good for us. But we can't get full of ourselves. We know this is a dangerous team and they're going to be well-prepared.

--We keep telling the team that it's all about us and all about our preparation. If you want to be the best, you have to play the best and be the best on game day. That's where leadership amongst the players take over.

--Anytime there's a coaching change, it's going to take a while for the team to adjust. Temple has made a lot of moves, their quarterback from last season is now playing wide receiver, so it's a team that's still trying to find its niche right now.

--Ryan Johnson is an outstanding athlete who played quarterback in high school. He got a scholarship in the spring because he deserved it, and he's done a tremendous job turning the field over for us so far this season.

--Spent his Saturday watching football, notably LSU/Georgia and Ohio State/Wisconsin.

--Thinks his team could slug it out with teams like LSU and Georgia.

--Our team can play better at every position right now, and I've told them that.

--I know we're in a conference now where some of the teams have left, but we still have to play. It doesn't matter who the opponents are, it's all about us.

--We had the chance last week to take a quick look at Rutgers since we have a short week to prepare after this weekend's game.

--Temple creates problems on offense they make you cover on the perimeter.

--The standard has been raised here and the team knows it. If they think they're a better football team, then they have to go prove it on the football field every week. If you get the leaders of the team to buy into that mentality, which I think they have, it spreads to the rest of the team.

--A lot of the guys on our team are four year starters, so they've seen us go out and lose some games they think they should have won. They know what happens when you're not prepared to play.

--You don't ever want to disrespect an opponent. They practice the same way we practice. I'm not about trying to see how many points we can score or anything like that. When it gets to a certain point you just say that it's time to let the backups come in and show what they can do.

--Didn't know he had become the 5th-winningest coach in Louisville history. I've never looked at any stats like that, I just want us to keep winning.

--Doesn't watch much NFL, just college ball.

--I'd like to see the stadium enclosed, and it could happen if we keep winning. I think we have the most passionate fans in the country and they bring enthusiasm to every game. You'd love to keep all that noise within that stadium.

--Mercy volleyball being No. 1 in the country is a much bigger story at the Strong house than Louisville being No. 7 in the country. I never knew volleyball was that big here until we moved here. It's so fun to watch and that's all the girls talk about in my house.