Matt Rhule's son a Taney up-and-comer

Temple football coach Matt Rhule said he feels bad for the person who has to sit next to his son this week at the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pa.

Nine-year-old Bryant Rhule is "out of his mind" about the Taney Dragons, his father said. The Rhules live in Center City, and Bryant Rhule plays for a younger Taney team. He attends the World Series each year with his grandparents, who live in Montoursville.

"I wake up at 5:30 every morning and he's up with the app on his phone like, 'Look, Dad, look,' " Rhule said after Tuesday morning's football practice.

Center City-based Taney plays its first game at 3 p.m. Friday against South Nashville, Tenn. Manager Alex Rice likely will go with Mo'ne Davis, who pitched a complete-game shutout Sunday to clinch the Mid-Atlantic Regional title. Rhule said he was impressed when he watched her pitch earlier this season.

Davis will be the 18th girl to play in the Little League World Series.

"I'd be quite honest with you; I want to meet Mo'ne Davis," Rhule said. "She's something else."

Rhule and his son watched Sunday's regional championship together. He said the program "does a great job for the kids that live in Center City."

"Youth sports can be a slippery slope," Rhule said. "That's a league that does it right. They provide tremendous instruction for the kids, but they also let everybody play and teach the kids."

@matt_breen