College Football News Preview 2020: Previewing, predicting, and looking ahead to the Temple Owls season with what you need to know.
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– What You Need To Know: Offense | Defense
– Top Players | Key Players, Games, Stats
– What Will Happen, Win Total Prediction
– Schedule Analysis
– Temple Previews 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015
2019 Record: 8-6 overall, 6-2 in AAC
Head Coach: Rod Carey, 2nd year, 8-6
2019 CFN Final Opinion Ranking: 54
2019 CFN Final Season Formula Ranking: 54
2019 CFN Preview Ranking: 80
No one knows what’s going to happen to the 2020 college football season. We’ll take a general look at where each team stands – doing it without spring ball to go by – while crossing our fingers that we’ll all have some well-deserved fun this fall. Hoping you and yours are safe and healthy.
5. College Football News Preview 2020: Temple Owls Offense 3 Things To Know
– The offense wasn’t anything special – there wasn’t much of a running game, and the passing attack was just okay – could use some tweaking and more of an identity. The offensive line should be able to do its part again after being one of the team’s biggest strengths.
CFN in 60 Video: Miami Preview
Temple at Miami, Sept. 5
C Matt Hennessy left, and the Atlanta Falcons picked him up in the third round. On the way from Northern Illinois is CJ Perez to push for the opening, and former LSU transfer Leon Pinto has a start under his belt. If the middle can be settled, the other parts will be just fine with two solid tackles with 6-7, 305-pound junior Isaac Moore and 6-5, 295-pound junior Adam Klein back, and a few transfers coming in to help the cause.
– It’s a good thing to be the main running back under head coach Rod Carey. 5-9, 210-pound sophomore Re’Mahn Davis led the team with 936 yards and eight scores – and he caught two touchdown passes – but he’ll need help in the rotation. Tayvon Ruley and Kyle Dobbins got in a wee bit of work, but the battle for the No. 2 guy is open.
– The quarterback situation got interesting – in a good way. Todd Centeio – who finished third on the team in rushing – left for Colorado State, but in comes former Iowa State star recruit Re-al Mitchell to make a run. However, he’s likely going to be the main man next year – senior Anthony Russo is the returning No. 1 after throwing for 2,861 yards and 21 scores, but with 12 picks.
Most of the top wide receivers are back, but TE Kenny Yeboah left for Ole Miss. Purdue’s Darius Pittman is coming in to push for the job, and if he’s eligible, Nazir Burnett is in from Georgia Tech to potentially make a splash at one of the receiver spots.
Leading receiver Jadan Blue is back after coming up with 95 catches for 1,067 yards and four scores, and 6-5, 220-pound Braden Mack returns after leading the way with seven touchdown catches and serving as more of a deep threat – he caught 59 passes for 904 yards.
NEXT: College Football News Preview 2020: Temple Owls Defense 3 Things To Know
4. College Football News Preview 2020: Temple Owls Defense 3 Things To Know
– The defense that held seven teams to 17 points or fewer has to undergo a major overhaul of talent. The biggest problem early on might be on the ends for a pass rush that finished 14th in the nation and 15th in tackles for loss.
Quincy Roche took his talents and 13 sacks to South Beach to be on the Miami line, and Zack Mesday is done. The addition of Wake Forest transfer Manny Walker should help, and junior Arnold Ebiketie has a little experience, but it’s going to take a lot to replace Roche.
The interior, though, is good around 6-2, 285-pound Ifeanyi Maijeh at one tackle – he was second on the team with 6.5 sacks – next to 6-6, 300-pound senior Daniel Archibong.
– Losing the starting ends hurts, and having to replace the top three linebackers – the team’s top three tacklers – isn’t going to be fun, either.
Step One is replacing Shaun Bradley and his team-leading 87 tackles in the middle. After sitting out last year to keep a year of eligibility, 6-1, 230-pound senior William Kwenkeu will get the first look. Senior Isaiah Graham-Mobley made 36 tackles in the rotation, and a slew of true freshmen will get their shot for time.
– As if losing the top ends and all the starting linebackers wasn’t bad enough, losing star CB Harrison Hand early to the Minnesota Vikings doesn’t help, and not having fifth-leading tackler Benny Walls around at safety is another piece needing to be replaced.
Senior Amir Tyler is the team’s leading returning tackler after making 54 stops – he’ll take one safety job. Christian Braswell is a decent veteran corner, and 6-2, 200-pound junior DaeSean Winston got in a little bit of safety time.
NEXT: College Football News Preview 2020: Top Temple Owls Players
College Football News Preview 2020: Top Temple Owls Players
Best Temple Owls Offensive Player
WR Jaden Blue, Jr.
The 6-0, 185-pounder has the speed and explosion to be a whole lot more dangerous, but he filled out the role as a No. 1 target with a team-high 95 grabs – catching ten or more four times and five 100-yard games – but with just four touchdowns. With Branden Mack back to stretch the field, defenses can’t key on Blue.
2. RB Re’Mahn Davis, Soph.
3. OT Isaac Moore, Jr.
4. QB Anthony Russo, Sr.
5. WR Branden Mack, Sr.
Best Temple Owls Defensive Player
DT Ifeanyi Maijeh, Jr.
With all of the changes at defensive end and the need for more pass rushers, it might come from the interior early on. The 6-2, 285-pound Maijeh earned all-star honors after making 52 stops with 6.5 sacks and ten tackles for loss. With the quick Maijeh paired with the 300-pound Daniel Archibong, the Owls are set at tackle.
2. S Amir Tyler, Sr.
3. LB Isaiah Graham-Mobley, Sr.
4. CB Christian Braswell, Jr.
5. DT Daniel Archibong, Sr.
NEXT: College Football News Preview 2020: Temple Owls Keys To The Season
College Football News Preview 2020: Temple Owls Keys To The Season
Biggest Key To The Temple Owls Offense
This team needs to score every time it gets the chance. The offense will be better, but it’s not going to crank up 40 points per game – it failed to get past 24 eight times.
While it managed to win most of the close games, the offense had a big, big problem closing out drives with points.
The kicking game was fine – Will Mobley came up with a good season – but the red zone offense was a disaster.
How bad was it? The Owls scored on all 12 trips inside the 20 against Bucknell and Tulane. In the 11 other games they only put the biscuit in the basket 25-of-38 times. The two empty trips – and a failed extra point – cost them the 15-13 loss to Cincinnati, and the two misfires were a factor in the loss to Buffalo.
Biggest Key To The Temple Owls Defense
With all of the new pieces in place, make sure the run defense shows up right away.
The overall numbers are helped by a pass rush that was among the best in the nation, but stopping opposing ground games should once again mean everything to the season.
The Owls allowed 198 yards or more five times, and went 1-4. Going back to 2015, they’re 1-12 in their last 13 games when allowing more than two touchdown runs.
That’s going to matter with road trips to Navy, Memphis and UCF.
Key Temple Owls Player To A Successful Season
DE Arnold Ebiketie, Jr.
Someone has to try chipping away at the lost production from Quincy Roche on the defensive outside.
13 sacks and 19 tackles for loss are a lot to make up, but the 6-4, 235-pound Ebiketie has been around long enough to get his shot.
He only made 13 tackles with two sacks, but with his experience and athleticism, the hope for getting the pass rush back starts with him.
Key Game To The Temple Owls Season
at Navy, Sept. 26
Temple hasn’t had a problem with Navy lately, winning three straight including the American Athletic Conference championship in 2016. It’s no longer an interdivisional game, but it’s the AAC opener with nasty games against Memphis, Tulane, and UCF still to deal with on the road. Don’t take care of the Midshipmen, and it’s going to take something massive to get one of those top two spots for the conference title.
– Temple Owls Schedule Breakdown & Analysis
2019 Temple Fun Stats
– Sacks: Temple 39 for 249 yards – Opponents 21 for 132 yards
– Onside Kicks: Temple 1-2 – Opponents 1-1
– Temple 1st Quarter Scoring: 65, 2nd Quarter Scoring: 106
NEXT: College Football News Preview 2020: Temple Owls Win Total Prediction, What Will Happen
1. College Football News Preview 2020: Temple Owls Win Total Prediction, What Will Happen
Rod Carey knows how to win eight games – or more.
The Temple head coach hasn’t had a lick of luck in bowl games – going 0-7 between Northern Illinois and Temple, losing most in all-time miserable fashion – but he’s been able to win eight games or more in six of his seven full seasons as a head coach.
This year, that’s going to be a stretch.
He was able to put together a nice opening act with eight victories, Power Five wins over Maryland and Georgia Tech, and he and his Owls handed Memphis its only regular season loss. However, the offense sputtered too often and the defense couldn’t always pick up the slack.
When the D didn’t work, it really didn’t work.
Set The Temple Owls Regular Season Win Total At … 6.5
Bet at BetMGM Win Total Line: 6
There are way too many missing parts and unknowns to make a huge push for one of the top two spots to get into the American Athletic Conference title game, but the defense should still be okay despite losing all the top linebackers and ends, and the offense has the experience to bring a bit more pop.
There aren’t a slew of easy wins – Idaho and UMass are the layups – but four of the first six games are against teams that didn’t go bowling, and three of the four dates in November are in Philadelphia.
The Owls will get to six wins, but it’s Rod Carey – it’ll probably be eight … and another bowl loss.
– What You Need To Know: Offense | Defense
– Top Players | Key Players, Games, Stats
– Schedule Analysis
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