Temple collapsed against UConn. What’s K.C. Keeler’s plan against Charlotte?
In a search for consistency, Temple has a chance to get back on track against winless Charlotte this Saturday. For them, head coach K.C. Keeler, it's all about playing "clean" football.
Temple (2-4, 1-1 American Conference) scored two touchdowns in its first two drives against Connecticut on Saturday. The teams were tied at 14 entering the second quarter. The Owls then gave up20 points and scored just six of their own.
The loss to a 2-3 Huskies team came a week after Temple upset undefeated South Florida. Searching for consistency, Temple has a chance to get back on track against winless Charlotte (0-6, 0-2 American Conference) this Saturday (1 p.m., ESPN+).
Owls head coach K.C. Keeler is looking for attention to detail — from the entire team.
“We’re a bad football team right now,” Keeler said. “As a whole, you know, we’re just not playing clean. And I think if we play clean, we’re gonna win a bunch of football games from this point forward.”
Simplifying the game plan
After the loss to the Huskies, Keeler asked his staff if they’re installing too many schemes and what to remove to make things easier. He also asked the players to review the tape and focus on their positioning, adding that if everyone does their job, the collective succeeds.
The minuscule details that add up to a win or loss were one of the highlights in Temple’s first practice back.
» READ MORE: Temple has found its identity under K.C. Keeler. But there's still work to do.
“I want to see us have all 11 [players] aligned perfectly, and when the ball’s snapped, I want to see all 11 in the gaps they’re supposed to be in,” Keeler said. “That starts with me. I have to do a better job of working with the coordinators to get that squared away. But also our players, we need them to.”
He added the secondary is trying to focus on too much and instead needs to focus on its keys alone. UConn completed eight passes of 15 yards or more against Temple.
The updated injury room
Temple has wrestled with missed time from many of its key players through six weeks. In its last game alone, Jojo Bermudez, Eric Stuart, Eric King, and Curly Ordonez all went down with injuries. Stuart participated in Monday’s practice, but he and King are being evaluated day-to-day, while Ordonez is expected to play in the Week 7 matchup. Bermudez, who scored Temple’s longest touchdown of the season, is also under evaluation.
» READ MORE: Against UConn, Temple was unable to utilize ‘momentum’ in a dogfight at the Linc
John Watkins got hurt against Army on Sept. 25 and Jaxon Smolik was sidelined after the first snap at Toledo on Sept. 19. Keeler said both will return on Saturday, but is still evaluating how he plans to split time between Smolik and Ajani Sheppard at QB. Smolik dealt with an injured foot but looked “close to 100 percent” in training, according to Keeler.
Sam Brown, Temple’s leader in yards per game with 102.5, contributed on Monday while managing a hurt ankle. He last played in Temple’s loss to Army. Keeler hopes to continue progress in Brown’s recovery to ideally mark his return for Navy on Nov. 7, after the Owls’ bye week.
Passing against Charlotte
Temple’s bread and butter has been its rushing game. The Owls have rushed for more than 200 yards three times this season and rank fifth in yards per game in the American. But their passing has grown as well — specifically Sheppard’s. He’s thrown four touchdown passes of more than 50 yards this season.
Keeler wants to see more of that progress, believing the team has further room to grow. It’s got a chance against the 49ers. They concede 282.8 passing yards which ranks last in the conference.
On Saturday, Peter Clarke led the team in receptions with five and Bermudez headlined receiving yards with 96.
“I like our receiver group,” Keeler said. “I’d like to see us, you know, kind of capitalize on getting some of those guys the ball.”
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