Temple lands a prized recruit in Karamo Dioubate
Temple football coach Matt Rhule was enthusiastic Wednesday afternoon when introducing his 24-player recruiting class. Imagine how Rhule's mood elevated that evening when the class grew to 25 with the Owls' most high-profile recruit.
Temple football coach Matt Rhule was enthusiastic Wednesday afternoon when introducing his 24-player recruiting class.
Imagine how Rhule's mood elevated that evening when the class grew to 25 with the Owls' most high-profile recruit.
Prep Charter defensive end Karamo Dioubate, the 6-foot-4, 275-pound four-star recruit and Inquirer first-team All-Southeastern Pennsylvania selection, announced to a crowd at a local restaurant that he would be attending Temple.
"He is one of the best players in the nation who had a chance to go anywhere and he wanted to come here," Rhule said Wednesday evening in a phone interview after receiving Dioubate's letter of intent.
Listed as a defensive end, Rhule said Dioubate has the ability to play anywhere along the defensive line.
"He can play outside and has the size to play inside," Rhule said. "He runs like a 215-pound kid and is an elite athlete."
Rhule has known Dioubate for a few years and says he has frequently been at Temple's football facility.
"He is a great player and we feel even better about him as a person," Rhule said.
Reached by phone Wednesday, Dioubate had a simple explanation for choosing Temple.
"I felt good about the school and the program," he said.
Dioubate, who had originally committed to Penn State but changed his mind last month, was considering Temple and South Carolina. There were rumors that Alabama was a late entrant, which he confirmed.
"Alabama was a consideration," he said.
The Temple breakdown of recruits is as follows: four defensive linemen, two offensive linemen, seven defensive backs, three wide receivers, two linebackers, two tight ends, one quarterback, running back and fullback, and two players recruited as athletes.
With the proliferation of spread offenses, a team can't have enough defensive backs. Rhule said that in a game he often plays four safeties, so that is why so many defensive backs were recruited.
Plus some of them may grow into outside linebackers, giving more flexibility. Plus of course, Temple's leading rusher this past year, all-conference junior Jahad Thomas, was recruited as a defensive back, and played in the secondary until switching part way through last season to running back.
Temple has done a good job evaluating talent. The Owls often get to see players perform at their own football camp, and Rhule and his staff have done a great job evaluating them in this setting.
The coaches look for toughness, a passion for football and a willingness to compete. Rhule loved the competitive nature of Archbishop Wood quarterback Anthony Russo, who originally committed to Rutgers, but changed to Temple after the Scarlet Knights coaching change.
The 6-foot-4, 220-pound Russo is one of the signature recruits of the class and has the type of strong arm that can make all the throws. Besides Russo, among the most impressive parts of this class is the trio of wide receivers, Isaiah Wright, (6-2, 207) from Kingswood-Oxford in Connecticut and two Florida products, Freddie Johnson (6-1, 190) from North Ft. Myers High and Randle Jones (6-0, 171) of North Miami Beach High.
"I think we have some serious weapons in this class, especially with our outside receivers," Russo said
Rhule said the team lost six receivers who have either graduated or moved on, thus he was looking for some quality replacements.
"Randle Jones is a dynamic kid, a deep threat," Rhule said.
As for Johnson, Rhule said the staff had to hold their collective breath as to whether they would get his signature.
"He had some opportunities to stay down Florida with major elite programs and thankfully in the end we were able to get him," Rhule said. "He is a speed demon and a guy who can help us in returns."
Rhule is just as high on Wright.
"Isaiah is a playmaker and a star in the making," he said.
One should always keep in mind that Temple has done an outstanding job in recruiting players who aren't as highly regarded. Other than Dioubate, there are no four-star recruits, but Temple, which tied a school record for wins during a 10-4 season, has thrived on getting under-the-radar players to perform at a high level.
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