Preview 2019: Previewing 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 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015
2018 Record: 8-5 overall, 7-1 in AAC
Head Coach: Rod Carey, 1st year
– CFN Preview 2019: All The Team Previews
5. WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE TEMPLE OFFENSE
– The offense was sort of weird. It didn’t crank up a ton of yards, but it was ultra-effective and amazing at taking advantage of seemingly every break. Putting up points in bunches wasn’t a problem, but five starters have to be replaced and the new coaching staff has to find a bit more explosion. However, head coach Rod Carey is more than happy to rely on a tough defense and great offensive line, and …
– He’s got a great offensive line. Four starters are back on one of the best lines in the AAC. It led the league with the fewest sacks allowed, did a good job when needed for the ground game – but it could’ve been stronger – and it should be just as good with a whole lot of toughness around guard Jovahn Fair and center Matt Hennessy.
– Carey knew how to get a running game going at Northern Illinois, but he doesn’t get 2018 star back Ryquell Armstead and No. 2 back Rob Ritrovato. Senior Jager Gardner is a big 6-2, 215-pounder who ran for 253 yards last season and will see plenty of action early on, but it’ll take a rotation to get it done with junior Jeremy Jennings and redshirt freshman Kyle Dobbins adding more dash to the backfield. Junior Tyliek Raynor can fly – he’ll be used in a variety of ways.
– The new coaching staff gets a veteran talent at quarterback, but Anthony Russo has to cut down on the picks and be more accurate. He’s a 6-4, 230-pound passer with a live arm and all the tools, but he’s not quite the runner that Carey likes to have in his offenses.
Even so, Russo is the main man with sophomore Todd Centeio a bit more of a mobile option and redshirt freshman Trad Beatty in interesting left-handed talent to throw into the equation.
– Losing top target Ventell Bryant stinks, but junior Branden Mack is a 6-5, 215-pound go-to guy who led the team with five touchdowns on his 44 grabs for 601 yards. Randle Jones is a speedster who averaged over 19 yards per catch and Isaiah Wright is a big 6-2, 220-pound physical midrange guy. 6-5, 230-pound junior Kenny Yeboah is back at tight end coming off a 13-catch season.
NEXT: What You Need To Know About the Defense, Top Players, Keys to the Season, What Will Happen
4. WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE TEMPLE DEFENSE
– Six starters and four of the top seven tacklers are back from the second-best defense in the AAC. The Owls allowed just 372 yards and 27 points per game, and they were killers at taking the ball away.
– The secondary got hit for 23 touchdowns and cursed the New York Giants with Daniel Jones – after getting hammered in the bowl game loss – but it was strong overall. When it rained, it poured – allowing three touchdown passes or more in six games, and just one in the other seven games – but the DBs made up for it with a whole ton of picks, coming up with 18 in all.
Rock-Ya Sin is gone at one corner, but Baylor transfer Harrison Hand is an excellent get to step right in, and Linwood Crump is back on the other side. The senior combination of Benny Walls and Keyvone Bruton have to rise up and rock at safety with the loss of stars Delvon Randall and Jyquis Thomas. Sam Franklin is an excellent 63-tackle Rover who can work in a variety of spots.
– Can the pass rush emerge like it did at Northern Illinois under new head man Rod Carey? Quincy Roche has to step up and become even more of a factor on the end after finishing second on the team with nine tackles for loss, senior Dana Levine is a decent end option on the other side. There’s not a ton of bulk on the inside, but there’s just enough experience around veteran junior Dan Archibong to be fine.
– 225-pound Shaun Bradley is one of the best linebackers in the American Athletic. He’s good, senior Chapelle Russell is a tackling-machine of a playmaker, and 230-pound Williams Kwenkeu can bring some thump. Depending on how he’s used, 220-pound Isaiah Graham-Mobley can make a whole lot of plays, too.
NEXT: Top Players, Keys To the Season, What Will Happen
3. TOP TEMPLE PLAYERS
Best Temple Offensive Player
OG Jovahn Fair, Sr.
He’s not quite the right size at 6-2 and 300 points, but he’s tough, the grinder to run behind on key plays, and he can move. After leading the league with the fewest sacks allowed, four starters are back on one of the AAC’s best lines, with Fair the anchor at left guard.
2. WR/KR Isaiah Wright, Sr.
3. QB Anthony Russo, Jr.
4. WR Branden Mack, Jr.
5. C Matt Hennessey, Jr.
Best Temple Defensive Player
LB Shaun Bradley, Sr.
The team’s second-leading tackler came up with 78 stops with a sack and four tackles for loss, showing off his speed and sideline-to-sideline range with ten tackles or more four times from his spot on the inside.
The 6-1, 225-pound former running back got a few carries last season, but he’s an all-star leader for the rebuilding D.
2. LB Sam Franklin, Sr.
3. CB Harrison Hand, Sr.
4. DE Quincy Roche, Jr.
5. LB Chapelle Russell, Sr.
NEXT: Keys to the Season, Prediction & What Will Happen
2. KEYS TO THE SEASON
Biggest Key To The Temple Offense
Slow the roll on the turnovers. The offense was bailed out by a defense that took just about everything away, but the mistakes have to stop.
The Owls didn’t get killed when it came to turnover margin – again, thank you, defense – but the O gave it away two times or more in nine games with interceptions the biggest issue. They only went one game without a pick and threw 19 on the year. Only Cal and Rutgers threw more.
Biggest Key To The Temple Defense
Find more plays behind the line. Rod Carey’s Northern Illinois team cranked up 50 sacks and 110 tackles for loss. Even more than that, the Huskies were able to turn up the intensity and change games around when the stars on the outside were turned loose. Temple’s pass rush wasn’t miserable, but it could to more.
The Owls came up with 81 tackles for loss and 36 sacks, but the production disappeared for too many stretches. The D came up with two sacks or fewer in five games, and the team won the five times it generated nine or more tackles for loss.
Key Player To A Successful Season
RB Jager Gardner, Sr.
Or Kyle Dobbins, or Jeremy Jennings, or Tyliek Raynor, or a committee of backs to replace Ryquell Armstead. Selected by the Jacksonville Jaguars, Armstead took off for close to 1,100 yards and 13 touchdowns despite missing three games.
The 6-2, 215-pound Gardner can catch a little bit and has the speed to go along with his size and power. However, he didn’t take over the No. 1 job this offseason, but he’ll get his chance to be the main man in fall camp after running for 253 yards and a score last season.
Key Game To The Temple Season
UCF, Oct. 26
2-4 all-time in the series against the Knights, Temple has to get back over the hump to have a real shot to take the East. USF will be good, Cincinnati will be fantastic, and both of those games are on the road.
Lose to UCF for a third straight season, and that means there’s almost no shot at the AAC title without getting on the right side of the showdown against the league’s defending champ.
– Temple Schedule Breakdown & Analysis
2018 Temple Fun Stats
– Sacks: Temple 36 for 218 yards – Opponents 18 for 106 yards
– Fumbles: Opponents 25 (lost 13) – Temple 14 (lost 6)
– Average Yards Per Pass: Temple 7.4 – Opponents 5.6
NEXT: What Will Happen
1. TEMPLE WIN TOTAL PREDICTION: WHAT’S GOING TO HAPPEN
It’s going to be a strong team under new head man Rod Carey, but can he pull off big home wins?
The Owls get Maryland and Georgia Tech in Lincoln Financial, and they host UCF in an East showdown and Memphis and Tulane in tough battles against the West. They’re going to have to win at least three of those five games, though.
Overall, the road game isn’t all that bad considering Buffalo is the lone non-conference road game. However, SMU is going to be more dangerous, and that’s on the road. East Carolina is going to have more firepower, and then look out for the road showdowns against USF and Cincinnati.
Temple will be good enough to win several of those tough battles, but there are just enough problems and concerns to …
Set The Regular Season Win Total At … 7
The offense needs to be sharper and more consistent. The line has the upside to be good, the skill players are strong enough, and the offense will be just fine, but it’ll have to be ready to rise up and be a whole lot better.
On the other side, the D will be good enough to keep taking the ball away and be one of the best in the league, but can the pass rush step up and shine against the UCFs and Cincinnatis or the AAC world? Yeah.
Throw in a great kicking game, and this will be one of the AAC’s best teams as the season goes on – even if it comes up just short of taking down the East.
– What You Need To Know: Offense | Defense
– Top Players | Key Players, Games, Stats
– Schedule Analysis
