Temple football notes: Local product chooses the Owls; non-league schedule set through 2023, All-Star participants

Haverford High senior Trey Blair decided to call an audible and accept a football scholarship to Temple.

Blair had originally committed to Buffalo but switched to Temple on Thursday. Recruited as a safety, he will sign a letter of intent Wednesday, the first day of the early signing period.

“As it was getting closer [to signing day], Buffalo didn’t have the majors I was interested in and also I was getting nervous leaving my family behind that far,” Blair said in a phone interview. “Temple offered, and I loved the campus, there are a lot of awesome majors, and I am 30 minutes from home, so it was a great deal.”

A former running back, the 5-foot-11, 195-pound Blair was converted to quarterback during his senior year and he put up big numbers as a dual-threat performer. He rushed for 2,165 yards and 28 touchdowns on 183 carries and completed 85 of 120 passes for 1,154 yards and 14 touchdowns. Blair also intercepted two passes as a cornerback and had a touchdown on a punt return and kickoff return.

Haverford High finished 11-3, advancing to the District 1 Class 6-A semifinals before losing a wild 49-42 decision to Downingtown West.

“Words can’t describe how much fun this season was,” Blair said. “Senior year, playing with all my best friends who I grew up with, it meant a lot that I ended my high school career the right way.”

It ended with a 42-18 Thanksgiving Day victory over rival Upper Darby.

While Blair said he will concentrate on playing safety, that could change.

“That is where I will start, but if they need me to move around, I will,” he said. He could also be a return man.

This weekend he made his official visit to Temple.

“It has all worked out great,” he said. “I am so excited.”

Temple’s non-league football schedule has been completed through 2023. The Owls recently added two non-league games to fill the slate.

Temple will host Wagner on Sept. 25, 2021, and Norfolk State on Sept. 16, 2023.

Here are Temple’s non-conference opponents

2020: at Miami (Sept. 5), Idaho (Sept. 12), Rutgers (Sept. 19), at UMass (Oct. 10)

2021: at Rutgers (Sept. 4), at Akron (Sept. 11), Boston College (Sept. 18), Wagner (Sept. 25)

2022: at Duke (Sept. 3), Lafayette (Sept. 10), Rutgers (Sept. 17), UMass (Sept. 24)

2023: Akron (Sept. 2), at Rutgers (Sept. 9), Norfolk State (Sept. 16) Miami (Sept. 23)

2024: at Oklahoma (Aug. 31)

2025: Oklahoma (Sept. 13), at Georgia Tech (Sept. 20)

2026: Penn State (Sept. 12)

2027: at Penn State (Sept. 18)

2028: at Oklahoma (Sept. 2), Duke (Sept. 16)

Temple has four players who will compete in postseason All-Star Games.

Linebackers Chapelle Russell and Shaun Bradley, along with offensive guard Jovahn Fair, will compete in the NFLPA Bowl on Jan. 18 at the Rose Bowl.

Receiver-return man Isaiah Wright will be play in the East-West Shrine Game, which will also be Jan. 18 and played at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Fla. That’s the stadium where Temple last won a bowl game, beating FIU, 28-3, in the Bad Boy Mowers Gasparilla Bowl on Dec. 21, 2017.