Temple choosing between coaches Mark D'Onofrio, Matt Rhule

Mark D'Onofrio followedAl Golden from Temple to Miami.
Mark D'Onofrio followedAl Golden from Temple to Miami. (AKIRA SUWA / Staff)
Mark D'Onofrio followedAl Golden from Temple to Miami.GALLERY: Mark D'Onofrio followedAl Golden… (AKIRA SUWA…)
By Keith Pompey, Inquirer Staff Writer
Posted: December 14, 2012

Miami defensive coordinator Mark D'Onofrio and New York Giants assistant Matt Rhule are the finalists for Temple's head coaching job, several sources have confirmed.

Rhule was scheduled to interview Thursday night with incoming Temple president Neal D. Theobald, according to a report on Owlscoop.com. D'Onofrio will meet with Theobald on Friday.

The Owls are seeking a replacement for Steve Addazio, who left Dec. 4 for Boston College.

D'Onofrio and Rhule coached together at Temple from 2006 to '10 under former Owls coach Al Golden. D'Onofrio was the Owls' defensive coordinator. He became Miami's assistant head coach and defensive coordinator when Golden took the Hurricanes coaching job in December 2010. D'Onofrio reportedly turned down a request to interview for the Temple job after Golden left.

Rhule interviewed for the Temple job in 2010. He was the co-offensive coordinator and tight ends coach for a season under Addazio before joining the Giants in March.

Also interviewing for the job were Eagles defensive coordinator and Temple alumnus Todd Bowles, Temple defensive coordinator Chuck Heater, Notre Dame defensive coordinator Bob Diaco, former Florida International coach Mario Cristobal, and Ohio State running backs coach Stan Drayton, according to sources.

Owls notes. Jihaad Pretlow will graduate this month from Blair Academy in New Jersey and begin classes at Temple in January. The 5-foot-10, 179-pound running back is a member of the Owls' 2013 recruiting class. . . . Battlefield High (Va.) linebacker Nick Newman will make an official visit to Temple this weekend. The 6-5, 210-pound senior has scholarship offers from Temple, Delaware, Norfolk State, and New Hampshire.

Contact Keith Pompey at kpompey@phillynews.com. Follow on Twitter @pompeysgridlock.

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