Temple's performance can't push Mizzou over NU

On Saturday, Tony Temple proved that when he holds onto the football, he can be quite a weapon for Missouri.

After being benched in the Tigers' 26-10 loss to Oklahoma last weekend, Temple shook up the Cornhuskers on Saturday, running for 99 yards on 18 carries in Nebraska's 34-20 win.

Recruited hard by NU out of Rockhurst High School in Kansas City, Mo., Temple said he embraced the Husker crowd.

"It felt good, with the atmosphere here. It's a great crowd here," Temple said. "Everything I've heard about Nebraska and the history here - I got to see a lot of that today."

Temple improved in his second appearance in Memorial Stadium.

In Missouri's 24-3 loss to NU in 2004, Temple ran for only 13 yards on six carries. What sparked his play this time could be his lack of production during the last few weeks.

While he rushed for 62 yards on nine carries in Mizzou's 41-21 win over Kansas State on Oct. 21, he carried just three times for no yards and a fumble against Oklahoma on Oct. 28.

Tiger Coach Gary Pinkel said Missouri felt it had to change its game plan against Oklahoma as the Sooners were stout on the Tigers' run.

After Temple went down with a dislocated shoulder against OU, however, things were a little more difficult. Following the game, Pinkel challenged Temple to come back tough against Nebraska on Saturday.

Pinkel said his I-back met the challenge.

"He was better," Pinkel said. "He held onto the football, and I was excited to see that. But I had no doubts on that because he's a competitor."

After Missouri struggled to find its rhythm in the first quarter against NU, Temple led a Tiger surge in the second period. Running for 21 yards on five carries, Temple helped Mizzou down the field as the Tigers notched their first points of the game to end the drive and bring the score to 17-3.

On the next Missouri drive, Temple notched his longest run, a 24-yard carry to the Missouri 25-yard line. He also helped set up the Tigers' first touchdown 10 minutes into the third quarter when he ran for 26 yards on five carries.

"It was just really important for me to go out there and do what I do and hold onto the ball," Temple said.

Compared to his lack of carries against Oklahoma, the number and quality of his runs against Nebraska showed the Tigers' believe the Blackshirts could be run on.

"Sometimes in our offense, you have to play your role. Sometimes you can't just have a hundred yards. Sometimes you can have like 20 or 30," Temple said. "But everybody plays like that on this team. You know your role."

As the Tigers head into their bye week, Temple said the mood would be down as two consecutive losses are hard to take. But with a chance to recuperate and refocus, Temple said Missouri should be able to finish out the season strong.

"We're very disappointed because we know how good a team we are, and we know we have to play four quarters," Temple said. "When you don't play all four quarters against a good team, you lose it. We've got to learn from that and get better."