Aggressive defense has led Temple turnaround

Temple's defense has scored more touchdowns than it has allowed during the Owls' two-game win streak. The unit has scored three times, twice on interceptions and once on a fumble, and allowed two touchdowns over that stretch.

When the Owls visit Boston College on Saturday for a nonconference matchup, they will likely need their defense to be on the offensive again if they have designs of upsetting the Eagles. Temple (2-2) is a 15-point underdog to the Eagles (3-1).

After two subpar efforts in losses to Villanova and Buffalo, Temple's defense has been a difference-maker.

"We want to shut down the offense as much as possible, and any opportunity to get a takeaway and turn them into points, that is always the goal," said safety Rodney Williams, a graduate transfer from Syracuse who has seemed much more comfortable in the defense the last two weeks.

The players on defense are trying to outdo each other with spectacular plays. Six players have interceptions, and nine have at least one sack.

"We have the saying if one of us makes a play all make a play, and the energy is contagious," said cornerback Rock Ya-Sin, who has been one of Temple's best defensive players and is seemingly improving his NFL stock.

The 6-foot-2, 190-pound Ya-Sin had a spectacular interception in last week's 31-17 win over Tulsa, but he was involved in so many parts of the game. He was second on the team with 10 tackles, one behind linebacker Shaun Bradley.

This aggressive, sometimes gambling Temple defense hasn't been lost on Boston College coach Steve Addazio.

"They come at you with a lot of coverages and a lot of pressure and a lot of different stuff, in an effort to – they're going to play physical," Addazio said Wednesday in the Atlantic Coast Conference media call. "But they also want to be disruptive and get you to turn the ball over … so it's led to people turning the ball over."

The Owls defense has caused seven turnovers during the two-game streak. Two weeks ago, in a 35-14 win at Maryland, the unit didn't allow a point. Maryland scored on an interception return and a blocked punt.

Addazio said his team will look to take advantage of this aggressive defense, hoping to find a player out of position.

"They present a lot of problems with that," he said. "Of course, with that comes the opportunity sometimes for people to make a mistake in the coverage or be out of a gap, and you've got to be able to capitalize on those things."

What has helped Temple is that the pass rush has come to life the past two games. Temple had a total of two sacks in its first two games. In the last two, the Owls have recorded 13.

"The leadership on the defensive side of ball is at an all-time high," Temple coach Geoff Collins said. "The way they are playing, the way they are pushing each other, challenging each other at practice, they are playing to a really high standard."

When, where: Saturday, noon, Alumni Stadium, Chestnut Hill, Mass.

Records: Temple, 2-2; Boston College (3-1).

Coaches: Temple, Geoff Collins (second season, 9-8); Boston College, Steve Addazio (sixth season, 34-34; overall, 47-45).

TV/radio: ESPNU/97.5 FM, The Fanatic.

Series history: Boston College leads, 28-7-2. The Eagles have won the last five, with the most recent game a 34-17 win Nov. 20, 2004 at Lincoln Financial Field.

Boston College is tied for second in the nation in sacks with 16. Temple is tied for fifth with 15. The team that wins the sack race probably wins the game. Boston College has allowed six sacks and Temple has allowed only three and none in the last two games. Entering the season, Boston College's offensive line was second in the nation with 139 career combined starts. Senior guard Chris Lindstrom (6-4, 310) is Boston College's best offensive lineman, and it will be interesting to see him work inside against one of the strengths of Temple's defense: the tackles, led by Michael Dogbe (6-3, 280), who has a team-high 3 1/2 sacks.

Can Boston College quarterback Anthony Brown shake off a poor performance in last week's 30-13 loss at Purdue? Brown completed 13 of 27 passes for 96 yards and four interceptions. In an earlier  41-34 win over Wake Forest, the redshirt sophomore completed 16 of 25 for 304 yards, five touchdowns and no interceptions. Against Wake Forest, he threw a great deep ball. That said, Temple will probably try to make Brown beat them and attempt to take away the running game, led by workhorse AJ Dillon, last year's ACC rookie of the year.

Temple safety Delvon Randall has not been the impact player that he was last year when he earned first-team all-American Athletic Conference honors. Randall is tied for sixth on the team in tackles with 21 and has two pass breakups. His strength is making game-changing plays, and there haven't been as many this year. It's not that he has played poorly, but rather, he hasn't been the difference maker of the past. It will be interesting if Randall has a breakout game, especially since he plays the run so well and Boston College will be trying to pound the ball against Temple.