Temple Head Football Coach Bobby Wallace Signs Contract Extension ::

PHILADELPHIA -- Temple University head football coach Bobby Wallace has signed a three-year contract extension, it was

announced today by Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Dave O'Brien. The extension makes Wallace the Owls' head coach through

the 2005 season.

"We have been extremely pleased with the progress that Bobby has made since coming to Temple," said O'Brien. "The University

wanted to take the steps to continue that progress. Under coach Wallace's leadership our football program has made methodical and

sustainable progress over the last three years. As a result, we wanted to reward Bobby with a significant compensation increase and

extension of his contract. We finally have the program heading in the right direction and we want coach Wallace to continue this

progress. Coaching stability is vitally important to our rebuilding efforts and steps are being taken to ensure that the entire coaching

staff is compensated properly for its efforts so that we can retain a talented and effective staff.

"The University has made a strong commitment to Division I-A football with the building of our new practice facility and this

contractual commitment to coach Wallace and his coaching staff," said O'Brien. "With the outlook bright for a new Philadelphia

Eagles stadium by 2003, it is encouraging to know our team will have a state-of-the-art facility to call home with Bobby Wallace as

head coach."

Wallace became Temple University's 23rd head coach on December 7, 1997. Since that time, the Temple football program has

experienced a complete overhaul. In Wallace's first two seasons his teams combined for a 4-18 record. This past season the Owls

matched Wallace's Temple win total, finishing the season with a 4-7 record. In ten seasons at the University of North Alabama he

won three consecutive Division II National Championships and was named "Division II Coach of the Quarter Century" prior to

joining Temple.

"I am very pleased the administration believes that the team is heading in the right direction," said Wallace. "It has been a slow

process but we are getting there. We have new practice facilities and a great group of assistant coaches and student athletes in our

football program. My wife and I love Philadelphia so much, we just moved into a new home in the city. I am extremely excited to

serve as head coach at Temple University and to continue to build a nationally competitive football program."

Next season, Wallace returns all but two players from a team that improved dramatically in nearly every major NCAA statistical

category. The 2000 Owls ranked among the nation's top 30 defenses. This past season, Temple also continued to build upon its

football fan base, averaging 18,612 over six home games. That number is in stark contrast to 4,045 in 1995. Further, Temple's new

on-campus football complex, including training rooms, locker rooms, a weight room, coaches' offices, meeting rooms and a players'

lounge, has already paid dividends in both game preparation and in the program's recruiting process.