Tony Temple (22) coasts into the end zone in the Cotton Bowl.

Kansas City, Mo. ? Former Missouri running back Tony Temple just wants a chance.

One chance to prove he should have been snagged in April’s 2008 NFL Draft. One chance to prove the Cotton Bowl-record 281 rushing yards and four touchdowns he recorded in his final game in a Missouri uniform wasn’t a fluke.

Five NFL teams (Chiefs, Colts, Browns, Jets and Bills) have invited Temple for workouts. None has offered Temple a contract.

“I’m just waiting for that phone call,” Temple said at the Kansas City Sports Commission annual banquet last month at Sprint Center.

Talk about a competitive business.

Temple’s 2,648 rushing yards rank fifth in Missouri history. In MU’s 38-7 Cotton Bowl beating of Arkansas, Temple stole the tailback spotlight from Heisman finalist Darren McFadden (105 yards, TD), who was selected No. 4 overall a few months later by Oakland.

“It was great for me and great for my confidence,” Temple said. “It gave me a lot of motivation going on to this year.”

So that’s the plan, for now: Hustle his tail off at workouts and hope for that phone call inviting him to training camp, which begins for most NFL teams later this month.

Proving himself is nothing new for Temple, who was part of a Missouri team that went 12-2 last year and was one win away from playing for a national title.

Missouri had no trouble proving itself instead in the Cotton Bowl. It was likely simple to get motivated for the game against Arkansas, considering where the computers placed the Tigers in the BCS picture.

After Missouri defeated Kansas, 36-28, on Nov. 25, the Tigers were pounded in the Big 12 title game by Oklahoma. The 38-17 loss must have stuck with bowl representatives, who chose the Jayhawks for a BCS game, but not the Tigers.

Temple holds no grudges.

“We were definitely disappointed, but then again, you have to take the good with the bad,” Temple said. “It’s a Big 12 team (Kansas) going in there (to BCS game). When a Big 12 (team) can represent, especially from the North, which everyone thought was horrible at the beginning, and did what they did to Virginia Tech, it was great. I mean, we beat them, but it was great for the Big 12.”

Thanks to last year’s game against KU at Arrowhead Stadium, Temple has a small taste of what it’s like to play at an NFL venue.

“We loved it. Every time any college player gets the opportunity to play in an NFL stadium, that’s just exciting in itself,” said Temple, who attended Rockhurst (Mo.) High. “I mean, our city, I remember talking to my family and we were so excited that the game was in Kansas City.”

As for right now, Temple can only hope his cell phone lights up and an NFL representative is on the other end.