Owls have a ‘pretty doggone good day’ in coach Stan Drayton’s first Cherry and White scrimmage

Temple students, alumni and community members gathered at the corner of 10th and Diamond Streets for hot dogs, burgers and Temple’s Cherry and White scrimmage on Saturday at Edberg-Olson Hall.

“The band and the fans, the support I felt here, [I’m] very proud to be a Temple Owl,” said coach Stan Drayton. “We had all kinds of people here, trying to see what direction we’re heading and I really appreciate that support.”

» READ MORE: Stan Drayton’s coaching roots trace back to Ken O’Keefe and his career at small town Allegheny College

The defense, in cherry jerseys, walked out with the win, defeating the offense, in white, 64-54. The game ran two halves, ending with two-minute situational drives.

It’s been four years since the Owls held a Cherry and White game open to fans. This was the first time an audience was present to watch the newly appointed coach and his staff run the team.

Here’s a deeper look at player performances, lineup arrangements, and former Owls’ thoughts on being back at the facility.

Saturday’s intersquad scrimmage had a specific set of scoring guidelines.

The offense tallied points the same way it would in a normal game -- touchdowns, field goals, and extra points. They also had opportunities to add points from explosive plays, defined as a run of 12-plus yards or a pass for 18-plus yards. For the defense, points came mainly via three-and-outs, sacks, turnovers and fourth-down stops.

Both units were assessed negative points for penalties based on severity.

Drayton’s biggest takeaway from the scrimmage was how far along the defense has come. Not only the first group, but he felt the second and third stringers added value and had a “pretty doggone good day.”

They accounted for three interceptions and three fumble recoveries.

Safety Chauncey Moore and Muheem McCargo both picked off D’Wan Mathis. The first on an underthrown deep ball and the latter in a goal-line situation. Jalen Ware added an interception on a deep pass from Mariano Valenti into double coverage.

Drayton noted how impressed he was with the defensive line, which returns just one starter (Jerquavion Mahone) from last season.

“I think what you’re starting to see is guys that really understand what they’re supposed to do within the play call,” Drayton said. “And they’re starting to cut it loose a little bit. That’s when you start to see those explosive type plays, when the defensive line knows exactly where to be given the play call.”

The offensive group took some time to get settled, scoring just one touchdown in the first half. Mathis fired a pass to De’Von Fox on a slant route. The redshirt sophomore slipped three defenders to find the end zone. Mathis added a second touchdown to Amad Anderson Jr. and Valenti threw one to Jordan Smith.

“I think the more [Mathis] continues to play and every little bit of success that he gets helps to add to his confidence level,” Drayton said of Mathis. “He’s definitely starting to put the pieces together as far as knowing what he’s doing.”

Drayton, who has 28 years of experience coaching running backs, said Temple’s backfield has a lack of discipline in what they’re seeing and how quickly they’re reacting. The flip side is he’s been impressed with their growth in pass protection.

Based on the group Temple trotted out Saturday, among some rotations, it appears the coaching staff is building a shell of a depth chart. Drayton is nowhere near ready to make those spots official, but they’re worth noting.

Returning starting cornerback Cameron Ruiz did not play due to a lower body injury. Sources tell The Inquirer that he should be fully recovered by August. Offensive lineman Isaac Moore was fully dressed but did not see the field. Lancine Turay and Balansama Kamara were both in street clothes due to undisclosed injuries.

Shaun Bradley, Paul Palmer, Isaiah Graham-Mobley, and Haason Reddick came out to support their alma mater. Brian Westbrook and Kurt Warner, a Hall of Famer and father of Temple signee Elijah Warner, were also in attendance.

“It’s a different vibe,” Palmer said. “The past couple of years have been kind of dreary. It hasn’t felt very welcoming to a lot of us older ballplayers, so this is a pleasant change for the better.”

Palmer, a runner-up for the 1986 Heisman Trophy, believes Drayton is the right fit to get Temple back to becoming a championship team. He said the biggest thrill about coming back to Temple is seeing the guys he played with and the younger guys who made it to the NFL, like Bradley and Quincy Roche.

“It’ll be interesting for me to just watch the development and see where it goes from here,” Palmer said. “It’s exciting, man; I’m excited to be back.”