Five things to know about Temple: Two-QB system, linebacker depth, opening schedule, and more

Temple almost reached a bowl game during K.C. Keeler’s first season. The Owls began their 2025 campaign 5-3 and needed one more win to be eligible, but four consecutive losses left them short of their first bowl appearance since 2019.

Keeler enters his second season with a revamped roster, higher expectations, and uncertainty at the sport’s most important position. Temple added 22 players through the transfer portal and plans to play quarterbacks Ajani Sheppard and Jaxon Smolik in its season opener on Saturday against Rhode Island at Lincoln Financial Field (2 p.m., ESPN+).

Before kickoff, here are five things to know about Temple’s key players, newcomers, schedule, and preseason expectations.

Temple’s well-documented quarterback battle will continue in the season opener.

Smolik and Sheppard have battled for the starting job since the spring and it has persisted through preseason camp. Both quarterbacks have seemingly struggled and thrived in unison, making any decision difficult for the Owls coaching staff.

» READ MORE: QBs Ajani Sheppard and Jaxon Smolik could both play in Temple’s season opener

Keeler has shown little urgency in naming a signal caller.

“Early on, I think it was sort of a battle, but they weren’t playing great,” Keeler said. “The quarterback play was just OK. Now, all of a sudden, they’ve both made dramatic improvements. I think we feel like we can live with two quarterbacks. I’m going to ask one of those guys to go out there and start the game, obviously. But I think it’s a little bit like last year — we had no idea. We had to go out there and put some stuff down, see where they were, and let somebody steal that job and give us some peace of mind.”

Neither candidate has extensive college experience. Smolik appeared sparingly during three seasons at Penn State and never attempted a collegiate pass. Sheppard played in five games across two seasons at Rutgers, completing both of his attempts for 23 yards, before missing the entire 2025 season at Washington State because of an injury.

Keeler faced a similar decision last season with Evan Simon and Gevani McCoy. Both were expected to play in the opener against Massachusetts, but Simon seized the job by throwing six touchdown passes in a 42-10 victory. Keeler will again lean on game action to produce separation.

Sam Brown enters Saturday’s matchup as the Owls’ starting running back, a role he carved out for himself in spring and fall camp.

Brown has been primarily healthy through the past six months, which is notable considering the fifth-year senior has yet to compete in a full season of his collegiate career. He suffered injuries in 2022, 2024, and 2025 at Rutgers.

Over the past two weeks — and for the first time since joining the Owls — Brown has been limited in practice. He did not participate in team or contact drills after taking a hard hit on Aug. 20.

“It’s one of those things where we’re trying to protect Sam from Sam, because Sam is a compulsive worker,” Keeler said. “When you get into those situations, you just try to back him off. That’s what we’re trying to do — back him off a little bit and have a fresh version of him when we get to game day, and if we had a game today, he’d be playing.”

Assuming Brown takes the field on Saturday, it’ll be a huge boost for the offense.

» READ MORE: Sam Brown almost walked away from football. Now he looks to lead Temple’s backfield.

Entering his second season, Keeler added several transfers and recruits in the offseason, but kept nearly all his returning starters, which is consider rare in today’s college football climate.

That effort comes from a culture shift in the wake of Keeler’s hiring. The Owls broke their streak of four consecutive 3-9 seasons last year.

In 2026, Keeler and company will be tasked with taking another step forward.

“I’ve driven this team really hard — maybe as hard as any team I’ve ever driven,” Keeler said. “I strongly believe in them. We have a lot of new players, and we had to get them up to the culture and how we do things. I don’t want to get to game day and, all of a sudden, we’re under some adversity or strife and don’t know how to handle those things. As a collective group — and me in particular — we pushed this team quite hard. I don’t think you push a team hard if you think its ceiling is right there. You push it hard when you think the ceiling is really high.”

» READ MORE: Q&A: Temple coach K.C. Keeler’s second-year expectations, his Delaware foundation, and more

Almost every great Temple football team has been spearheaded by a strong, gritty linebacker core.

In the mid-2010s, Temple boasted names like Tyler Matakevich and Avery Williams. Al Golden’s teams featured Tahir Whitehead, while even Wayne Hardin’s 1970s glory-day teams had former pros, including Mike Curcio.

Now, the 2026 defense will be led by linebackers Eric Stuart and Curly Ordonez. Stuart was also selected as a defensive captain and awarded a single-digit for the season.

The defense wreaked havoc throughout preseason camp. On the defensive line, Keeler and defensive coordinator Brian Smith are planning to regularly rotate 10 players during games. The safety room is also deep, with Avery Powell and former Illinois defensive back Saboor Karriem leading the room.

“I feel like we have one of the best rooms,” Ordonez said. “We have guys and can go three or four deep. I just feel like there is no slack off. That’s one thing I see in our room, just how ready everyone is, no matter what, whenever we need them.”

After six months of facing each other, the Owls will finally get their first game action against Rhode Island. It will be a measuring stick for Temple’s nonconference schedule.

Rhode Island is one of the FCS’ best squads. Then Temple will face No. 18 Penn State in Philadelphia in Week 2.

The rest of September includes a Week 3 matchup with one of the Mid-American Conference’s best teams, Toledo, which will also be Temple’s first road game. The Rockets won eight games last season and punched a ticket to the Boca Raton Bowl. Toledo was selected third in the MAC preseason coaches’ poll.

» READ MORE: Temple’s linebackers built a tight-knit bond off the field. They’re hoping it helps them on the field too.

The month will conclude with Temple’s American Conference opener against Army at Lincoln Financial Field. The Owls lost, 14-13, in West Point, N.Y. last season after a potential game-winning field goal was blocked in the final seconds.

By the end of September, the Owls could show if they’re capable of reaching a bowl game.