Temple Football Preview: Tough Road Test Versus New-Look Toledo

Temple Football will travel to play Toledo at 3 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 19, taking on a new-look Rockets team under first year head coach Mike Jacobs. The Rockets have been one of the best teams in the Group of Five over the last few seasons, making five straight bowl games, but longtime head coach John Candle hit the road for UConn last December.

Temple head coach K.C. Keeler praised the Rockets for their continuity during his weekly press conference, noting how Jacobs brought over a series of players from his previous job at Mercer. The Rockets are a 5.5 point favorite for Saturday’s game, with Temple facing +180 odds on the money line and winning in only 30.5 percent of ESPN Analytics simulations. Both teams are 1-1 this season, dropping tough losses to Power Four opponents and taking care of business in their FCS matchups.

The Owls should benefit from the return of senior running back Sam Brown V, who missed the first two weeks to injury but will warm up to game speed in a backfield tandem with Keveun Mason this week. Their offensive line remains banged up but another week closer to full health as offensive coordinator Tyler Walker “jury rigs” the offense, in Keeler’s words.

Scouting the Rockets

Starting quarterback John Alan Richter stands 6-foot-3 and weighs 225 pounds, an athletic junior who has completed 27 of 45 passes for 448 yards, five touchdowns and just one interception this season. Keeler praised Richter for his mobility, noting how it opens up downfield shots to receivers like six foot tall Adjatay Dabbs (eight catches for 135 yards and three touchdowns) and 6-foot-2 Rich Bond (four catches for 135 yards and a score).

The Rockets take a committee approach on the ground, with Connor Walendzak (13 carries for 110 yards — most of them coming on a 71-yard burst — and two touchdowns) and CJ Miller (17 carries for 78 yards and a score) splitting the majority of carries. Toledo’s defense has four sacks, ten tackles for loss and ten pass breakups through two games, so there’s plenty of potential for splash plays.

Scouting the Owls

Quarterback Jaxon Smolik got the majority of reps against Penn State on Sept. 12, but Keeler remains coy about his battle with Ajani Sheppard for the starting role, saying that he thought Sheppard fit in best in red zone packages against the Nittany Lions. No matter who’s taking snaps, Temple’s offense is at its best when they’re running the football. Mason has 34 carries for 234 yards and two touchdowns this season and even managed to post more than five yards per carry against Penn State’s vaunted defense.

The Owls have playmakers like tight end Peter Clarke (six catches for 31 yards) and receivers Jayce Freeman (two catches for 57 yards and a score), JoJo Bermudez (four catches for 46 yards) and Colin Chase (three catches for 43 yards)… but as those numbers suggest, the passing game is anemic.

Keeler hopes that the running game will open up throwing lanes for whoever is under center, but Temple has just 249 passing yards and one touchdown through two games. The Owls’ defense is another strength, starting with a deep defensive line room. With three sacks, seven tackles for loss, seven pass breakups and two interceptions returned for touchdowns, Temple has plenty of playmakers. Linebacker Curly Ordonez has 20 total tackles, and safety Saboor Kariem is a hard hitter lurking in the secondary.

As such, the Owls have the talent to win games even as they sort out their passing game… but they’ll want to find a spark sooner rather than later.