Temple defense putting up stellar numbers so far

THE NUMBERS are staggering, eye-popping even, when you consider where Temple was only a year ago.

Through four games, including Saturday's 36-10 rout of Connecticut, the Owls have forced 17 turnovers - good for a second-place tie nationally with Florida International, and only one behind Virginia. Both of those teams have played five games.

Temple forced only 13 turnovers in the entire 2013 season.

The Owls are one of only four teams in the country averaging 35 points per game and allowing fewer than 12. They have more special teams or defensive touchdowns (seven) scored than they have allowed on defense (six).

One of those defensive touchdowns, a 93-yard interception return from junior cornerback Tavon Young, opened the scoring Saturday and changed the momentum. Another, an 11-yard fumble return from defensive end Praise Martin-Oguike, extended Temple's lead to 28-3 midway through the third quarter.

Add it all up and it's no surprise the Owls are 3-1, well ahead of last year's dismal 2-10 season.

"I think it started to occur last year," coach Matt Rhule said yesterday during the weekly American Athletic Conference media conference call. "I just think our kids were developing at the time and we were patient with them."

He added: "I think the biggest thing is, it's the players. "[Defensive coordinator Phil Snow] is running the same system we ran last year; the calls are the same. I just think our players have 100 percent bought in to what we're doing."

Temple is off this weekend, its second bye of the season, which Rhule thinks is good.

"For them," Rhule said of his players, "this is a good week to just focus on themselves, focus on their bodies, focus on school and allow us - starting next Monday - to really, really focus on Tulsa and get back into that process."

That process, as the Owls get further into their conference schedule, will involve big tests for the defense, which Rhule said the team recognizes. After all, Temple's three wins came against a depleted Vanderbilt squad, FCS Delaware State and a UConn team that started 0-9 last year and hasn't beaten a FBS school this year.

"We're going to face some dynamic offenses," Rhule said of the schedule ahead.

Temple plays Tulsa on Oct. 11, followed by tough games at Houston and at Central Florida the following weeks.

"We haven't shown what we can do, sort of, against the no-huddle, four-wide teams," Rhule said.

"We saw Teddy Bridgewater last year, we saw Blake Bortles last year, we saw Garrett Gilbert last year. Those guys, at the time, hurt us. We've seen some more pro-style offenses so far. We're going to have to prove that we can handle the spread, handle the passing game as we move forward."

Temple defensive end Praise Martin-Oguike was named AAC Defensive Player of the Week following his strong effort Saturday when he recorded six tackles, a forced fumble and an 11-yard fumble return for a touchdown.

Kicker Austin Jones was named Special Teams Player of the Week. Jones hit field goals from 47 and 34 yards and was 4-for-4 on extra-point attempts. Jones has made more field goals (five) already this year than Temple did all of last season (three).

Quarterback P.J. Walker and cornerback Tavon Young were named to the conference's weekly honor roll. Walker completed 20 of 29 passes for 231 yards. He threw for a touchdown and ran for another. Young was recognized for his TD.