Tony Temple

Infobox NFLactive
name=Tony Temple
|width=
caption=
currentteam=Cleveland Browns
currentnumber=--
currentposition=Running back
birthdate=birth date and age|1985|9|13
birthplace=Kansas City, Missouri
heightft=5
heightin=9
weight=200
highschool=Rockhurst High School,
Kansas City, Missouri
pastteams=
highlights=
* 2008 Cotton Bowl MVP
* 2006 Honorable Mention All-Big 12 (AP, Coaches)
bowlgames=
* 2005 Independence Bowl
* 2006 Brut Sun Bowl
* 2008 AT&T Cotton Bowl Classic
college=Missouri
undraftedyear=2008
cbs=518175
espn=158535
si=21223
yahoo=114104
rivals=16850

Tony Temple (born September 13, 1985 in Kansas City, Missouri) is the former starting running back for the Missouri Tigers football team representing the University of Missouri. Temple played for the Tigers from 2004 to 2007. He entered the 2008 NFL Draft, but was not chosen and was signed after the draft with the Cleveland Browns then released.

High school career

Temple attended Rockhurst High School in Kansas City, Missouri and participated in both track and field and football for the Hawklets. Temple was on two Missouri 5A High School state championship football teams in 2000 and 2002. Temple finished his high school career in football with 5,295 rushing yards and 85 total touchdowns, good for a #8 ranking by [http://www.rivals.com Rivals] and #2 by ESPN as a running back prospect in the 2004 collegiate recruiting class.

Collegiate career

In his final collegiate game, Temple set a Cotton Bowl record with 281 yards rushing in Missouri's 38-7 win over Arkansas on New Year's Day 2008, breaking a mark that Dicky Maegle first set with a memorable performance in 1954. [http://sports.yahoo.com/ncaaf/news?slug=ap-cottonbowl-maegletemple&prov=ap&type=lgns Tony Temple's record-setting performance conjures up Cotton Bowl memories] "Yahoo! Sports", 1 January 2008.] On his final carry of the game, Temple broke loose for a spinning, tackle-breaking 40-yard touchdown run and then rode to the bench on the arms of teammates Chase Daniel and lineman Tyler Luellen because he had tweaked a hamstring injury. Temple's rushing mark and total touchdowns (4) remain Cotton Bowl records.

After the 2007 season Temple applied to get the 2008 year of eligibility back by appeal to the NCAA. Temple played in one game for 2004 as a true freshman, but due to an injury, he missed the remainder of the year. [http://www.newstribune.com/articles/2007/12/30/sports/000xx3temple.txt MU's overlooked Temple set for possible finale] "Jefferson City News Tribune", 31 December 2007] The appeal was turned down initially by the Big XII, and before the NCAA could review it, Temple decided to withdraw the appeal and prepare for the NFL draft [http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/draft08/news/story?id=3221009 Missouri's Temple ends appeal for extra year of eligibility, readies for NFL draft] "ESPN.com", 31 January 2008] .

References

* [http://mutigers.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/temple_tony00.html Tony Temple #22 Mizzou Tigers biography]