Temple's search for a new head football coach is over.
Geoff Collins, the now former defensive coordinator at Florida, was hired Tuesday to take over for Matt Rhule, who recently left Temple for Baylor after leading the Owls for four seasons.
The 45-year-old Collins has spent the last two seasons running the Gators' defense under head coach Jim McElwain. In that two-year span, Florida's defense has put up top-10 numbers in the FBS in scoring defense, total defense and passing defense en route to helping the Gators earn back-to-back SEC East titles. This year under Collins' watch, the Gators defense allowed 17.9 points per game (10th in the nation), 298.3 yards per game (6th in the nation) and 156.3 passing yards per game (3rd in the nation).
“As soon as I met with Geoff I knew right away that this was the right coach at the right time for Temple University,” Temple athletic director Pat Kraft said in a statement released late Tuesday afternoon. “Well beyond Geoff’s acumen as a coach of hard, physical football, he shares our values of embracing the student-athlete and demanding excellence in all that we do. We welcome Geoff and Jennifer to the Temple family. I know that he will be fantastic.”
Two players from Collins' stingy Gators secondary were first-round picks in the 2016 NFL draft: Vernon Hargreaves (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) and Keanu Neal (Atlanta Falcons).
Collins' previous stops also include defensive coordinator tenures at Mississippi State and Florida International and a stint as director of player personnel at Alabama. Collins coached Eagles star defensive lineman Fletcher Cox while at Mississippi State.
The Temple job is Collins' first head coaching gig at the college level. Collins is also the fourth straight Temple head coach without head coaching experience, following in the footsteps of Al Golden, Steve Addazio and Rhule.
"I want to thank President (Richard) Englert and Dr. Kraft for this incredible opportunity to join Temple and the city of Philadelphia,” Collins said. “I have been in the game of college football for more than two decades and I am humbled and honored to be chosen to build on a great foundation of success. We will compete for championships, we will provide a world-class student-athlete experience and education, and we will represent the community with pride.”
This is not the first time Temple has poached a coach from Florida in recent years as then-Gators offensive coordinator Addazio was named head coach of the Owls before the 2011 season. Addazio then left after two seasons at the helm and Rhule was hired in December of 2012.
Now, Collins will take over a program coming off an AAC title win, its first conference title since 1967.
In a twist, Collins and Rhule coached together at Western Carolina (Collins' alma mater) from 2002-2005. Collins was the defensive coordinator on that staff while Rhule served in a variety of roles, including linebackers coach and assistant head coach. The ties between the two go back even further as Collins was defensive coordinator at Albright College in 1998 when Rhule was the linebackers coach there.
Interim head coach and tight ends coach Ed Foley will still lead the Owls in the Military Bowl against Wake Forest on Dec. 27 in Annapolis, Maryland.
Collins will be introduced as the Owls' head coach Wednesday 11 a.m. during a press conference on campus at the Liacouras Center.