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Temple's Kevin Newsome settling into a new position

Temple has a new role for Kevin Newsome: ballcarrier. The senior moved from quarterback to H-back in March before suffering a shoulder injury during spring drills. Since then, Chris Coyer, another former quarterback, has established himself as the Owls' reliable pass-catching H-back/tight end. So Newsome will have a different role.

Temple's Kevin Newsome was moved from quarterback to H-back last week. (Ed Hille/Staff Photographer)
Temple's Kevin Newsome was moved from quarterback to H-back last week. (Ed Hille/Staff Photographer)Read more

Temple has a new role for Kevin Newsome: ballcarrier.

The senior moved from quarterback to H-back in March before suffering a shoulder injury during spring drills. Since then, Chris Coyer, another former quarterback, has established himself as the Owls' reliable pass-catching H-back/tight end. So Newsome will have a different role.

"I think we are going to try to play Kevin more as a running back, more of a tailback type of body if he can do it," Temple coach Matt Rhule said. "That [H-back] position is such a hybrid position. So you can tailor it one way or the other. But I think Kevin is going to be more of a tailback."

The 6-foot-2, 231-pounder is an explosive runner. He had a 42-yard run against Louisville in what was his first play from scrimmage last season. Newsome finished the season with 52 yards on five carries. His lone pass attempt in two games was an incompletion.

The former Penn State quarterback arrived at Temple a day before last year's training camp began. Consequently, he was not given the opportunity to battle Coyer for the starting job.

The Virginia native, who left Penn State in August 2011, was out of football for a year while attending Tidewater (Va.) Community College, which does not have a football team.

He spent last season as the Owls' third-string quarterback while trying to get back into game shape. Newsome asked former Temple coach Steve Addazio to be switched to wideout or safety after a 36-27 setback to Maryland on Sept. 8. He even lined up at wideout in practice Sept. 12 before resuming his duties as the scout-team quarterback.