Six years after manning the Beaver Stadium sideline, Al Golden returns to Penn State tomorrow as Temple's first-year head coach.

Golden, 37, the fourth-youngest head coach in Division 1-A, left the Nittany Lion coaching staff after the 2000 season, his only year as Penn State's linebackers coach and recruiting coordinator.

Virginia coach Al Groh tabbed the former Penn State tight end and co-captain to be his defensive coordinator, an opportunity the up-and-coming coach could not pass up.

"To have the chance to be the youngest coordinator in the country, I think everybody understood why I would leave," Golden said, adding that had he stayed at Penn State until now, he might still be a linebackers coach.

While he and his staff have yet to improve the on-field product at Temple, Golden strives to instill class and character in his student-athletes.

Before Temple's game against Clemson on Oct. 12, Golden presented Tigers' coach Tommy Bowden with a $1,500 check and a letter explaining how the Owls were donating their per diem money to the Fahmarr McElrathbey Trust Fund.

Fahmarr is the younger brother of Ray Ray McElrathbey, a Clemson defensive back who took custody of Fahmarr last summer due to their mother being unfit to take care of the 11-year old because of a drug addiction. The trust fund provides for Fahmarr's basic needs, such as food and clothing.

At the time, with a child on the way and an infant son already part of his family, Golden was able to empathize with what it takes to care for a younger one. This week, Golden's wife, Kelly, gave birth to a daughter. Between the new addition to his family and the preparation for tomorrow's game, the coach has had little time to reflect on the significance of coming back to take on his alma mater.

"I just know that when we get on the bus I'm sure so many memories will come back," Golden said.

Upon taking over at Temple, Golden assembled a coaching staff with strong Penn State ties.

Mark D'Onofrio, a Lions' linebacker from 1988-91, is the defensive coordinator. A Penn State linebacker from 1994-97, Matt Rhule runs the Owls defensive line. Jeff Nixon coaches the running backs after getting his start as a student assistant coach under Fran Ganter in 1997. Nixon was a running back at Penn State from 1995-96.

Golden still keeps in touch with Penn State defensive coordinator Tom Bradley.

"He will always be a Penn Stater with us," Bradley said. "Al went down and had a chance to be a coordinator and decided that was the best thing for him to do and it was a chance for him, he felt, to better himself. In this profession, anytime that happens, that is a good thing. There are no hard feelings at all."

This week the Temple-Penn State ties are severed, as each coaching staff focuses only on besting the other. With that said, Golden hopes for the best for Joe Paterno, who will not coach tomorrow's game as he's recovering from Sunday's knee surgery.

Golden credits his time at Penn State for having fostered his enthusiasm and passion for coaching and college football in general.

"If I didn't have a good experience at Penn State, I don't think I'd be in coaching right now," Golden said. "I hope that's the impact I'll have on my players at Temple."