Temple again braces for a top QB in UMass' Blake Frohnapfel
At least Temple's football team is familiar with the drill. For the third straight week Temple will face a highly regarded quarterback, who was among the 30 on the preseason Manning Watch List for the top players at that position in the nation. (That list also included Temple quarterback P.J. Walker.)
At least Temple's football team is familiar with the drill.
For the third straight week Temple will face a highly regarded quarterback, who was among the 30 on the preseason Manning Watch List for the top players at that position in the nation. (That list also included Temple quarterback P.J. Walker.)
This week, Temple will attempt to deal with Blake Frohnapfel when the Owls visit the University of Massachusetts in Saturday's 3 p.m. nonconference game at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass.
The 6-foot-6, 238-pound Frohnapfel began his career at Marshall and is in his second year at UMass as a second-year graduate student.
In last week's opening 48-14 loss at Colorado, he completed 20 of 34 passes for 275 yards, one touchdown and one interception.
"He is an NFL player and can make every throw," Temple coach Matt Rhule said of Frohnapfel. "A lot of people have him anywhere from 8 to 14 on their draft boards at quarterback."
Of course, facing NFL caliber quarterbacks hasn't bothered the Owls during their 2-0 start. They have put the clamps on Penn State's Christian Hackenberg and Cincinnati's Gunner Kiel.
Those two quarterbacks completed 41 of 77 passes for 530 yards, two touchdowns and five interceptions.
While Hackenberg and Kiel are ranked higher than Frohnapfel, Temple has been impressed while preparing for the UMass' quarterback this week.
"We will have our hands full," said linebacker Tyler Matakevich, named the American Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Week in both of Temple's games. "He is a good pocket passer who stays calm in there, has good vision and a strong arm."
UMass has a strong receiving corps led by seniors senior Tajae Sharpe and Marken Michel.
Against Colorado, Sharpe had 11 receptions for 138 yards while Michel added four catches for 60 yards and a touchdown.
Sharpe and Michel are special players," Rhule said. "I think they have Sharpe as a fourth round pick."
Of course on the other side, UMass coach Mark Whipple has seen what Temple has done against two quarterbacks and understands the challenge his team faces.
"On defense, they were special last year and have taken it to another level," Whipple said earlier this week on a conference call. "Matakevich is everywhere, the defensive line is strong, the secondary can run."
Still, the UMass offense may be able to move the ball, but it's the defense that will be a major concern for Whipple. Against Colorado, UMass allowed 558 yards of total offense, including 390 on the ground.
So while UMass may be able to move the ball, stopping Temple could be the biggest obstacle.
That said, Temple feels a major key will be limiting Frohnapfel from making big plays.
"They have a dangerous offense and we have to prove we can play defense against a passing offense," Rhule said.
The Owls actually have done exactly that the first two games, which should prepare them well while facing their third potential NFL draft choice at quarterback.
@sjnard