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Temple football notes: An injury in practice sidelined center Matt Hennessy against UCF

Redshirt junior Leon Pinto started in place of Hennessy

Randle Jones (left) is mobbed by Jose Barbon (center) and Jadan Blue after his first-quarter touchdown catch for Temple against UCF.
Randle Jones (left) is mobbed by Jose Barbon (center) and Jadan Blue after his first-quarter touchdown catch for Temple against UCF.Read moreCHARLES FOX / Staff Photographer

Matt Hennessy, Temple’s standout center, missed Saturday night’s game against Central Florida with an injury suffered in practice during the week.

The 6-foot-4, 295-pound redshirt junior has been one of the leaders on the offensive line. He was replaced by redshirt junior Leon Pinto.

Hennessy has made 31 career starts.

Last season Hennessy missed two games because of injury. His latest injury ended a string of nine consecutive starts.

After Saturday’s 63-21 loss to UCF, Temple coach Rod Carey said that Hennessy had suffered a concussion.

Guard Jovahn Fair, who missed most of last week’s 45-21 loss at SMU with an injury, was back in the starting lineup. Fair had been replaced by Pinto last week. It was the graduate student’s 38th career start.

Receiver returns

Receiver Randle Jones, who had been sidelined with an injury since playing in the season opener, returned in style by scoring on Temple’s first drive on a 32-yard pass from Anthony Russo.

It was Jones’ 24th career reception and fifth touchdown catch.

First-quarter score

When Jones scored that touchdown, it was only the third touchdown that UCF had allowed in the first quarter.

The Knights, who took a 14-7 lead after one quarter, have now outscored opponents 125-21 in the opening quarter.

Another 100 for Mack

Receiver Branden Mack had four receptions for 100 yards (including a 75-yard touchdown) in the first half. It was the redshirt junior’s fourth 100-yard game of the season, tied for second with Michael Campbell (2010) in school history. Van Johnson owns the Temple single-season record with five 100-yard receiving games in 1996.

Bye week

Temple will have its second and final bye of the season next weekend. The Owls had a bye after their season-opening 56-12 win over Bucknell.

Temple won’t return to action until Nov. 7, when the Owls visit South Florida. With injuries mounting, it is a good time for the Owls to have a week off.

The Bulls will also have a bye heading into the Temple game.

On Saturday, South Florida won, 45-20, at East Carolina, to improve to 4-4 overall and 2-2 in the American Athletic Conference.