E.J. Warner set to return as Temple seeks its first conference win of the season vs. Navy

The schedule makers were not kind to Temple (2-6, 0-4 American Athletic Conference) when it came to conference play this season. With games against SMU and UTSA early on, the Owls seemed doomed from the start.

While Navy (3-4, 2-2 AAC) may not be as tough an opponent as SMU or UTSA, the Midshipmen still present a challenge for the Owls on Saturday at Lincoln Financial Field (2 p.m., ESPN+).

The biggest news from Edberg-Olson Hall this week was the return of starting quarterback E.J. Warner. Warner has missed the last two games with a concussion, but, as of Monday, head coach Stan Drayton said he was “good to go”

This bodes well for a Temple team that has a tough matchup against the Midshipmen. However, Warner’s return isn’t the only thing that must happen for the Owls Saturday afternoon.

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Everyone in the stadium knows what’s coming when Navy’s offense is on the field.

The triple option became a staple for Navy’s offense under former longtime head coach Ken Niumatalolo. Despite Brian Newberry taking over for him this season, the scheme still is a vital part of the Midshipmen’s attack.

To contain it, defending players must be disciplined with their eyes and control their gaps, something Temple has notably struggled with this season.

And not only will Temple need to be disciplined in the run game, but it’ll need to be wary of Navy’s aerial attack.

“There’s still an option component to their offense,” said head coach Stan Drayton. “But you have to watch the quarterback throwing the ball downfield from time-to-time … it makes you prepare for a whole lot.”

Navy quarterback Tai Lavatai is on pace to have the most passing yards (820) since Malcolm Perry’s 1,084-yard 2019 season.

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As simple as that sounds, scoring is something the Owls have struggled to do consistently this season, especially over the last two games as the offense has failed to find a rhythm without Warner.

With Quincy Patterson and Forrest Brock at the helm, the offense has only totaled 478 total yards and 14 points in two games. Compare that to the Owls’ 542 total yards and 34 points against UTSA, Warner’s last game.

While Warner’s availability surely will help the offense’s production, Navy has one of the best defenses in the American.

Navy boasts the third-best scoring defense in the AAC, allowing 22.1 points per game.

Luckily for the Owls, Navy only averages 18.3 points per game. Navy is not built to play from behind with its style of offense. Temple must score points early and force Navy to do something it is not comfortable doing — throw the ball.

Navy is fourth in the American in time of possession with just under 31 minutes per game.

The Midshipmen do a good job of limiting the number of possessions their opponents get, and Temple must find ways, on both sides of the ball, to keep Navy off the field. The Owls will need every possession they can get, even if they have to take some from the Midshipmen.

“We all have to be aware of that as a football team, not just offense,” Drayton said.

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