College Football News Preview 2020: Temple Owls Keys To The Season
Biggest Key To The Temple Owls Offense
This team needs to score every time it gets the chance. The offense will be better, but it’s not going to crank up 40 points per game – it failed to get past 24 eight times.
While it managed to win most of the close games, the offense had a big, big problem closing out drives with points.
The kicking game was fine – Will Mobley came up with a good season – but the red zone offense was a disaster.
How bad was it? The Owls scored on all 12 trips inside the 20 against Bucknell and Tulane. In the 11 other games they only put the biscuit in the basket 25-of-38 times. The two empty trips – and a failed extra point – cost them the 15-13 loss to Cincinnati, and the two misfires were a factor in the loss to Buffalo.
Biggest Key To The Temple Owls Defense
With all of the new pieces in place, make sure the run defense shows up right away.
The overall numbers are helped by a pass rush that was among the best in the nation, but stopping opposing ground games should once again mean everything to the season.
The Owls allowed 198 yards or more five times, and went 1-4. Going back to 2015, they’re 1-12 in their last 13 games when allowing more than two touchdown runs.
That’s going to matter with road trips to Navy, Memphis and UCF.
Key Temple Owls Player To A Successful Season
DE Arnold Ebiketie, Jr.
Someone has to try chipping away at the lost production from Quincy Roche on the defensive outside.
13 sacks and 19 tackles for loss are a lot to make up, but the 6-4, 235-pound Ebiketie has been around long enough to get his shot.
He only made 13 tackles with two sacks, but with his experience and athleticism, the hope for getting the pass rush back starts with him.
Key Game To The Temple Owls Season
at Navy, Sept. 26
Temple hasn’t had a problem with Navy lately, winning three straight including the American Athletic Conference championship in 2016. It’s no longer an interdivisional game, but it’s the AAC opener with nasty games against Memphis, Tulane, and UCF still to deal with on the road. Don’t take care of the Midshipmen, and it’s going to take something massive to get one of those top two spots for the conference title.
– Temple Owls Schedule Breakdown & Analysis
2019 Temple Fun Stats
– Sacks: Temple 39 for 249 yards – Opponents 21 for 132 yards
– Onside Kicks: Temple 1-2 – Opponents 1-1
– Temple 1st Quarter Scoring: 65, 2nd Quarter Scoring: 106