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Athlon Sports
Temple Football: 2024 Owls Season Preview and Prediction
By Athlon Sports,
22 days ago
Temple head coach Stan Drayton has completely flipped the culture of the program for the better in the last few years. The wins just aren’t coming, however, after a third consecutive 3-9 season for the program. Temple hasn’t won a road game since September 2021. The transfer portal losses are going to make things even tougher. Figuring out a starting quarterback should be the immediate priority, followed by the shock to the system on defense, which will hopefully be spurred along by the new faces with impact opportunities in the secondary.
The most impactful departure in the transfer portal in the American Athletic Conference this offseason may have been that of quarterback E.J. Warner from Temple. Warner led the conference with 308 passing yards per game last season before transferring to Rice in the winter. Temple will have a couple of options in replacing him with returner Forrest Brock and Rutgers transfer Evan Simon.
To make things worse, the offensive line is a major concern. The group wasn’t particularly impressive last season, particularly in the run game, which mustered only nine touchdowns and averaged a league-worst 95.7 yards per game. Based on the Owls’ spring practice, that group still has a long way to go.
Linebacker Jordan Magee is another critical loss for the Owls as he moves on to the professional ranks. Magee led the team in tackles (80) and tackles for a loss (14) while tying for the team lead for sacks with 3.5. Replacing all of that production is a tough mountain to climb.
In the offseason, defensive coordinator Everett Withers installed a 4-3 scheme, which is a departure from what the Owls have done in the last several seasons. Because of that shift, it’s tough to say how the existing personnel will adapt, but the move will likely have at least some positive effect given the extra size in the box it will provide. Temple allowed 198.3 rushing yards per game (No. 13 in the AAC), although they did muster 22 sacks, 10th in the AAC.
New faces in the secondary, such as accomplished FCS Western Carolina safety Andreas Keaton, will also help improve a unit that was less than fearsome in 2023. The Owls intercepted just three passes and recovered two fumbles for the fewest turnovers forced in all of FBS.
Transfer placekicker Maddux Trujillo hit 38-of-53 field-goal attempts and 128 PATs at FCS Austin Peay over the last three years. Aussie punter Dante Atton is still learning the game after making his first-ever appearance last season.
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