Owls’ defensive struggles glare as Temple loses to UConn
PHILADELPHIA – Ugly is certainly a word to describe the Owl’s defense today.
Temple welcomed the UConn Huskies to Lincoln Financial Field on Homecoming weekend. But for a game that was supposed to be a momentum shift after last weekend’s big win against South Florida, the Owls were a little too welcoming, letting the Huskies walk all over the field en route to a 34-20 Homecoming loss for Temple.
The Owls won the coin toss and elected to defer, giving the Huskies the first chance with the ball.
On the second play of the game, Huskies quarterback Kalieb Osborne found wide receiver Ryder Treadway for a huge 38-yard gain, which ended up being a sign as to what’s to come for the Owls.
Three plays later, a missed tackle led to Osborne taking it in himself to put the Huskies up early, just over two minutes into the game.
But quarterback Ajani Shepard wasn’t going to let the fun last long for the Huskies.
On the Owls first play of the game, Shepard found wide receiver JoJo Bermudez wide open down the field for a big 79-yard touchdown to answer right back.
“That was really all film. We knew we were going to get quarters, and that’s exactly what they came out in.” Shepard said when asked about the big play to Bermudez.
But on the next drive, the Huskies stormed again. running back Christian Kenji broke free for a 39-yard touchdown run to put UConn back on top.
“[We were] Just not on the same page. Everybody not doing their job.” Linebacker Eric Stuart said regarding the Owls’ messy defense during the first half.
Barely five minutes into the game, the two offenses exploded, and the Owls were prepped for another response.
After getting down the field and to the UConn 29, tight end Peter Clarke was open and walked in for the touchdown off the throw from….Colin Chase?
The Owls decided to run a trick play, and Chase found Clarke wide open for the easy touchdown to tie things up.
The Huskies turned the ball over on downs on their next drive, in part thanks to safety Jaeden Gould getting his first career sack.
With this, the Owls went down the field again and unfortunately had to settle for three to go up.
This was the last and only lead the Owls had all game.
After this things just crumbled for the Owls offense and defense.
Owls defenders allowed the Huskies to march back down the field again and score.
Next drive, the Owls were marching but a bad fumble by running back Keveun Mason allowed the Huskies to get back into position, and get a quick field goal.
The Huskies were up 24-17 at the half.
In the first half alone, Owls defenders allowed 373 yards, 283 of which came off of big plays.
By the end of the game, the Owls had allowed 505 total yards.
The offense couldn’t help keep it competitive, as they mustered only three points in the second half, while the defense was a bit better after halftime.
“All I’m asking [the players] on Monday is to come in and look at the tape and just worry about your position and how you could have played better,” said the head coach K.C. Keeler. “Because we’re not playing clean, just way too many mistakes.”
Keeler really went in on the Owls inability to play clean consistently week to week, especially in a game that could have been a huge momentum swing.
“We all knew how important this game was in terms of to see if we get some momentum going.” Keeler said, “But you know, for how well we played down at South Florida, how clean we played, we didn’t play clean this weekend.”
Early in the fourth quarter, a fumble by Shepard, which could have been ruled either way, shot down all the momentum the Owls were building in the drive.
Off the rip, the call was controversial. The play went under official review quickly.
The replay review of the fumble showed Sheppard’s arm coming forward, the motion of attempting a pass, as the ball was knocked loose. But the replay booth deemed it was still a fumble.
Once referee Edwin Lee came out to midfield and announced that the call on the field after review was in fact a fumble, the crowd exploded in distaste.
Keeler and Shepard disagreed with the call.
“We thought looking at it that it was an incomplete pass, his hand was coming forward,” said Keeler.
“I for sure thought it was [an incomplete pass],” Sheppard said. “But I can’t control it.”
UConn capped off the game scoring a touchdown and a field goal in the fourth to finish it off.
The Owl’s defense looked better in the second half, allowing only 22 yards in the third quarter, and 132 in the second half.
But the offense couldn’t follow, having multiple three-and-outs and stalled drives.
In all, this was a game to forget for the Owls with ugliness on both sides of the ball.
The Owls face Charlotte next week, and it sounds like Sheppard will be the starter again, as Keeler stated that quarterback Jaxon Smolik still was not ready for this week after sustaining an injury against Toledo.
“I don’t think Jaxon was an option because when we watched Jaxon in practice,” Keeler said. “It was like okay, he’s definitely on the way back, but he’s not back to where one of things he does well [pulling the ball and running].”
Even with offensive struggles in the second half, the Owls defense was the bigger issue, as the offense managed to rack up 435 total yards.
The defense allowed over 500 total yards, with 248 coming on the ground, as the Huskies run game gashed through the Owls defensive line.
On a positive note, tight end Peter Clarke had his best game at the midway point of the season, hauling in five receptions for 88 yards and a touchdown. Mason also continued his success on the ground, carrying 13 times for 88 yards.
The Owls have a lot to work on this week if they want to secure bowl eligibility, as they now sit at 2-4 on the season after dropping this one 34-20 against UConn.
The Owls have to win four of their last six to secure bowl eligibility for the first time since 2019.
The journey for a bowl game continues next week as Temple (1-1 American Conference) will remain in Philly against an 0-6 Charlotte team for a conference matchup at 1:00 pm next Saturday.
