By: Austin Boynes
Photos: Zamani Feelings
PHILADELPHIA- Coming home after a 45-24 road loss to Georgia Tech, head coach K.C. Keeler and Temple had their bye week and set their sights on conference play when they had an afternoon matchup against the UTSA Roadrunners on Saturday.
Despite the sluggish start, the Owls secured their first American Athletic Conference win of the season, defeating UTSA 27-21.
“We have a bad habit of starting slow,” Temple linebacker Curly Ordonez said. “We weren’t playing our football, Temple football, second half we really just locked back in and really focused.”
The Temple defense was tested early as Roadrunner quarterback Owen McCown was a perfect 4-4 on his first drive, hitting his targets, but it was running back Robert Henry Jr. who made his mark as he averaged almost 5 yards a carry on the first drive. The six minute drive ended in a rushing touchdown by tight end Patrick Overmyer on the goal line for the early 7-0 Roadrunner lead.
“That’s been our problem, the amount of times that we duck in and out of gaps and then we don’t know how to fill those gaps because you’re in this gap one minute, and in another gap another minute,” coach Keeler said. “You got to trust, take that gap and I got someone behind me who will fill the next gap.”
Post game press conference with Temple head coach K.C. Keeler after 27-21 win vs. UTSA - PSD Video by Austin Boynes
The Owls had a promising first offensive drive of their own as they were balanced in their attack. Quarterback Evan Simon did well on his opening series to bring the team to the UTSA 13 yard line but two straight incompletions on second down forced kicker Carl Hardin to nail his field goal as Temple got their first points of the game making it 7-3.
Temple’s defense made an instant impact as they forced a three and out which included a 10 yard sack as middle linebacker Jayvant Brown and defensive end Sultan Badmus both got to McCown on third down to force the Roadrunners to punt the ball back to the Owls. Simon and the offense were unable to make anything of the defensive stop as they were not able to make it to midfield which was followed by a Dante Atton punt.
Henry Jr. ran out the remaining seven seconds left in the opening quarter as both sides swapped ends of the field.
McCown continued to feast on the Temple defense but was feeding his tight ends this time as Dan Dishman got himself a reception and Overmyer got another touchdown reception, accounting for both Roadrunner scores. The Owls could not get anything going on the offensive side of the ball, even with an offsides penalty on third down to make it third and one. Running back Jay Ducker could not even get back to the line of scrimmage, as he lost two yards, which forced another Atton punt.
Evan Simon TD pass to JoJo Bermudez - PSD Video by Austin Boynes
Neither side was able to gain any momentum, as both punters did their best to give their respective defenses good field position. This trend continued into the halftime break, as the Overmyer touchdown was the only score of the second quarter. UTSA entered the locker room with a 14-3 lead.
“I did something unique at halftime, where I had a very honest conversation with our boys and said, ‘This is the first time in 10 months that I’m embarrassed to be your coach,’” coach Keeler said. “They responded, they had to, we put too much into this not to respond.”
Simon found tight end Peter Clarke early in their first possession of the second half for a 36 yard gain and the rushing attack of Ducker was exactly what the Owls needed out of the halftime break. Simon was able to convert two third and longs and finished off the picture perfect drive with an eight yard strike pass to JoJo Bermudez to put Temple right back into it 14-10.
McCown and his offense had a promising drive to start. After a false start made it first and 15 close to midfield, the Roadrunner quarterback made his first mistake of the afternoon as safety Jamere Jones picked off McCown for 12 yards. Owls running back Hunter Smith wasted no time making use of the opportunity as he gashed the UTSA defense for a 54 yard touchdown rush as all of a sudden, Temple found themselves ahead 17-14 midway through the third quarter.
“Shout out to the o-line, it started up front with them, they took care of it, they made a gap and all I did was run through it,” Smith said. “Honestly could not have asked for anything easier.”
Evan Simon TD pass to Peter Clarke - PSD Video by Austin Boynes
The Roadrunners came back out on offense as they looked to right their wrong from the previous possession and did just that. In just three plays, which included a 16 and a 36 yard reception to receiver AJ Wilson, it was receiver Devin McCuin who caught the 18 yard pass in the back corner of the end zone to give his side the lead right back.
Both sides went three and out on their respective drives but the Temple defense stood up as they forced a third and 29 after a sack by defensive end Sekou Kromah. This was followed up by Ordonez forcing Henry Jr. to lose another three yards, which ended up in a UTSA punt. After a bad punt by Caile Hogan that gave the Owls starting field position on the opposing 38 yard line, Simon and the offense found the end zone in just two plays as Clarke got his first score of the afternoon.
”It’s instinct but I’m also a big dude and Simon knows where to put the football where only I could get it and once the ball is in the air, it’s up to me to make the play,” Clarke said. “And if I want the football, I have to keep making plays. So it's props to Simon to keep giving me those opportunities but it goes down to focus, practicing technique and good practice habits which coach Keeler preaches.”
Temple went into the fourth quarter with all of the momentum as they had the lead and their defense began to contain the tough Roadrunner offense.
Game sealing sack by Temple DT Demerick Morris - PSD Video by Austin Boynes
Badmus continued to have a great afternoon as his deflection on McCown allowed Avery Powell, who was in the right place at the right time, to pick the pass off just as UTSA was close to getting points that they desperately needed as they were down 24-21 with nine and half minutes to go.
"It’s really just focusing on your assignment, the details and little things,” safety Jamere Jones said. ”We knew that they wanted to get the ball to one (Devin McCuin) and obviously three (Robert Henry Jr.) so we just focused on our assignment, the keys and the ball will come to you.”
The Owls defense refused to budge. A three-and-out forced a fourth down by the Roadrunners and linebacker Cam’Ron Stewart forced McCown to rush his throw, hitting the dirt and giving Temple the ball at the UTSA 31 yard line.
The Temple offense still held their slim three point lead heading into the two minute timeout but Hardin nailed his second field goal of the afternoon, this time from 35 yards to give the Owls a 27-21 lead as the Roadrunners had just under two minutes to work with and no timeouts.
The defense held up yet again as the Roadrunners shot themselves in the foot with an offensive pass interference penalty to make it third and 20. A sack by defensive tackle Demerick Morris to put the nail in the coffin, as Temple won their first conference game of the season 27-21.
Temple Head Coach K.C. Keeler addresses the media on Monday about the Owls upcoming game vs. Navy for the Midshipmen's 250th anniversary year - Video by Austin Boynes
“We’re trying to develop a culture here and we’re not there yet,” coach Keeler said. ”I can tell that they heard the message and then responded to that message.”
This week, Temple will host the Navy Midshipmen on Saturday at 4 p.m. for the Owls’ homecoming game. This year marks the U.S. Navy’s 250th anniversary, a historic milestone that coach Keeler and the Owls are honored to be a part of.
“We’re going to fight them (Navy) til the end,” said Keller. “But when that thing (game) is over, then it's all about respecting what they do and what they will do for us in the future, knowing that they are going to go and serve our country. It’s really neat to be part of this celebration.”