Photos/Videos: Mike Nance & Rich Flanagan
By: Rich Flanagan
PHILADELPHIA – The look of dismay on Stan Drayton’s face painted a picture as dark and grim as the weather outside pelting the Lincoln Financial Field grass with rain and howling wind.
Temple head coach Stan Drayton - PSD Photo by Mike Nance
Temple vs. Miami Game Highlights - PSD Video by Rich Flanagan
His Temple Owls had just been handed a 41-7 drubbing at the hands of the No. 20 Miami (Fla.) Hurricanes and their reasons for optimism were few and far between. The rushing attack was limited to a horrid 11 yards on the ground and never had an answer against the Hurricanes imposing front line.
The Owls had few opportunities to close the gap as the margin widened throughout and the responses to what went wrong were even fewer.
“We didn’t move them very well,” Drayton said. “That was very obvious early. There were a lot of stalemates, and we had a tough time moving them. We couldn’t find our inside game and their safeties came down to help.”
Miami scored points on its first three drives, starting with a 13-play, 82-yard drive that was culminated by a seven-yard touchdown reception to Xavier Restrepo from Tyler Van Dyke, who threw three scoring strikes on the day. Van Dyke found Colbie Young for a 28-yard touchdown catch to make it 14-0 at the 12:11 mark of the second quarter.
The game turned into a rout as the Hurricanes dominated at the line of scrimmage, rushing for a season-high 323 yards with running back Henry Parrish Jr. running for 139 of them. He also scored a pair of touchdowns, the first being a 13-yard scamper with 1:03 left before halftime to extend the lead to 24-0.
Temple starting safety Tywan Francis, who came in leading the Owls with 32 total tackles, racked up nine more but knew that the defense came up small today against a more vaunted offensive unit that dictated the flow and pace of the game from the start.
“We just have to be in our assignments and hit our gaps,” Francis said. “If we don’t do that, they’re going to take advantage.”
Temple vs. Miami - PSD Gallery by Mike Nance
On a day where the defense surrendered 543 total yards, the offense needed to make up the slack but sputtered on multiple occasions. E.J. Warner threw for 240 yards and found a groove early in hopes of keeping the Hurricanes offense off the field after their first scoring drive. The sophomore signal caller and son of NFL Hall of Fame inductee Kurt Warner found Amad Anderson Jr., who recorded 10 receptions for 117 yards, for a 46-yard connection and the Owls (2-2) were set up at the Miami 29-yard line.
Five plays later, Warner was looking for tight end Jordan Smith in the right corner of the end zone, but the ball was underthrown, and linebacker Te’Cory Couch tallied one of his two interceptions.
Warner had 194 passing yards at halftime but that interception cost Temple points and could have likely steered the game the other way if the offense was able to put the ball in the end zone.
“It was just some miscommunication,” Warner said. “In that situation, I need to do a better job and maybe hold it to not make a bad play worse.”
Post game interview with Temple safety Tywan Francis - PSD Video by Rich Flanagan
Post game interview with Temple QB E.J. Warner - PSD Video by Rich Flanagan
Post Game interview with Temple head coach Stan Drayton - PSD Video by Rich Flanagan
Later in the second quarter, the Owls again drove deep into Miami (4-0) territory but came away empty. It started with another big play as Warner hit running back Darvon Hubbard out of the backfield and down the seam for 37 yards and Temple was in position to come away with points at Miami’s 33-yard line. Warner took a sack on 3rd & 6 then the Owls turned it over on downs on the very next play as the Owls quarterback’s pass to Zae Baines was wide of its target.
Drayton was pleased with the offensive success for much of the first half, but the frustration had to do with the complete lack of a running game.
“Even in that first quarter, I thought we were throwing and catching successfully but it’s tough,” Drayton said. “Even without the conditions, the style of offense that we’re trying to play is going to struggle.”
The Owls were limited to less than 68 rushing yards for the third time in four games this season whereas they have allowed at least 254 yards on the ground twice already in the early part of the season. Temple’s lone scoring drive of the game came in a spot where it appeared there was still a legitimate opportunity to mount a comeback.
Warner found Anderson for completions of 15 and 18 yards then a roughing the passer penalty moved the ball to the Miami 10. Warner found Reese Clark streaking down the middle of the zone for a nine-yard touchdown with only two seconds left in the first half.
The Hurricanes halted any chance of a comeback to begin the third quarter as they drove 63 yards, highlighted by a 28-yard throw from Van Dyke to Brashard Smith to the Temple 19-yard line. Two plays later, Parrish rumbled in for his second touchdown and it was 31-7 at the 11:44 mark of the third.
Temple is 6-16 against ranked opponents since 2012, including 5-8 at the Linc, and has not beaten a ranked opponent since upending No. 21 Maryland in 2019. Saturday’s game showed the Owls still have a long way to go before getting back to putting competitive performances against Power 5 teams. They will have to have a short memory as American Athletic Conference play begins on Thursday night at Tulsa.