October 25, 2007
Owls' defense among best in the MAC
Kenny Walter
OwlScoop.com Staff
Talk about it in the Message Boards
A defense can often be measured by how it performs in big spots.
If that's the case, then Temple might be onto something good.
Miami(OH) moved the ball on the Owls last Saturday at Lincoln Financial Field to the tune of 370 yards of total offense, but Temple clamped down in the second half for some crucial stops en route to a 24-17 victory.
The numbers don't lie. Defensive coordinator Mark D'Onofrio's unit is ranked second in the MAC in several categories, including total defense, rushing defense and red-zone defense.
"The defense is playing much better," Owls head coach Al Golden said. "We've got to finish the job a little bit better. Right now they are starting to become tough. It's obvious they have unity. You can see that the off-season program is starting to pay off because we are in good shape. When they get down to the red zone, they get tougher, so that part of it has been good."
The Owls, now 3-5 overall and 3-2 in the Mid-American Conference, had two red-zone stops in the fourth quarter, including a fourth-and-2 from the 4-yard line. With Temple ahead 21-7, Miami had marched down the field and was in position to cut the deficit to seven with a fourth-down conversion. But Miami running back Cory Jones took the handoff to the left side and was immediately planted into the ground by defensive end Leyon Azubuike.
"That's a result of our coach.," junior defensive tackle Terrance Knighton said. "In practice, he pushes us and pushes us every day to be tough and to finish every play."
One of the key players on the defensive side of the ball last Saturday was defensive end Junior Galette. The 6-foot-2, 235-pound sophomore came up with three sacks and a forced fumbled from Miami's 20-yard line, which led Temple to its first points of the game.
Throughout the game, Miami slid protection away from Galette on several occasions in order to focus on Knighton and fellow defensive tackle Andre Neblett.
"We just knew how big of a game this was," Galette said. "Coach told me that if you can't beat a running back, then you're not going to beat a tackle. I just tried to beat him with speed rush every time."
Golden liked what he saw from Galette.
"I thought there was a good duel there," the head coach said. "[Jones] was tough. There has to be a day where Junior absolutely has a day when that happens. He fought well, but he has to be dominant when that happens in the future."
Miami was able to move the ball well, especially through the air, but the damage was minimal.
Why?
The RedHawks were a paltry 3-for-19 on third down. Temple held Miami to just 56 yards rushing, sacked RedHawks quarterback Dan Raudabaugh four times, and forced two fumbles. Linebacker John Haley intercepted Raudabaugh with just over seven minutes remaining in the game, and safety Dominique Harris picked off Raudabaugh's Hail Mary attempt with four seconds remaining.
OwlScoop.com staff writer Kenny Walter can be reached at kenneth.walter@temple.edu.
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Roughed up at St. Joe's
Roughed up at St. Joe’s
Posted on 16 October 2007 by Kenny Walter
Whether it was the physical play of Saint Joseph’s or a litany of questionable calls by the refereeing crew, the men’s soccer team could not muster a victory.
The Hawks defeated the Owls, 1-0, at Finnesey Field Saturday night, spoiling the Owls’ Atlantic Ten Conference opener and dropping them to 4-5-1 overall.
Hawks senior forward Patrick Duddy scored the game’s only goal at the 81:22 mark, when he capitalized on an errant Temple pass, swept by two defenders and slid a goal into the net past the outstretched arms of Temple goalie Tony Pratico.
“It was a square ball - they know they aren’t supposed to pass square balls in the back,” coach David MacWilliams said of the Owls’ defense. “Then we do that and we get punished for it. Huge mistake.”
Duddy made the biggest play in a game marked by its physical play. The teams combined for 41 fouls, 23 of those committed by the Owls. Two yellow cards were given out, but that did not satisfy MacWilliams.
“I think there was a lot that wasn’t called today and it really disrupted the whole tempo of the game for us,” MacWilliams said. “We weren’t able to get the ball in our zone all game and we have to do a better job at that.”
From the start, it was clear the game would be a defensive battle. Neither team made any major scoring threat in the first half. Temple’s first real scoring opportunity came when sophomore midfielder Francois Sagna freed himself for a shot, but the shot soared wide right and well over the goal.
“We knew before the game that the game was going to be physical and coach wanted us to react to the physical play,” Sagna said. “We didn’t really respond and that is why they out-battled us today.”
A few other opportunities arose during the rest of the first half, but the period featured more slide tackles and elbow shots than shots on goal.
The second half was a similar story. With just under 20 minutes left, Duddy scored on a pass through traffic by Hawks forward Colin Baker. The goal was called back because of an offside penalty. Minutes later, Duddy took advantage of careless Temple passing and finally put a score on the board.
Temple’s last scoring chance came with just under five minutes remaining, when a header by Mackenson Altidor fell into Hawks goalie Bryan Benedict’s chest. Temple never had another chance.
“Soccer is a very physical game,” freshman midfielder Kenechukwu Nwanah said. “We have to win our individual battles and get more physical. We lost a lot of our individual battles and that’s why we lost the game.”
“I didn’t like anything we did today,” MacWilliams said. “I am very disappointed.”
The Owls look to rebound against Richmond Friday at Ambler Field.
Kenny Walter can be reached at kenneth.walter@temple.edu.
Posted on 16 October 2007 by Kenny Walter
Whether it was the physical play of Saint Joseph’s or a litany of questionable calls by the refereeing crew, the men’s soccer team could not muster a victory.
The Hawks defeated the Owls, 1-0, at Finnesey Field Saturday night, spoiling the Owls’ Atlantic Ten Conference opener and dropping them to 4-5-1 overall.
Hawks senior forward Patrick Duddy scored the game’s only goal at the 81:22 mark, when he capitalized on an errant Temple pass, swept by two defenders and slid a goal into the net past the outstretched arms of Temple goalie Tony Pratico.
“It was a square ball - they know they aren’t supposed to pass square balls in the back,” coach David MacWilliams said of the Owls’ defense. “Then we do that and we get punished for it. Huge mistake.”
Duddy made the biggest play in a game marked by its physical play. The teams combined for 41 fouls, 23 of those committed by the Owls. Two yellow cards were given out, but that did not satisfy MacWilliams.
“I think there was a lot that wasn’t called today and it really disrupted the whole tempo of the game for us,” MacWilliams said. “We weren’t able to get the ball in our zone all game and we have to do a better job at that.”
From the start, it was clear the game would be a defensive battle. Neither team made any major scoring threat in the first half. Temple’s first real scoring opportunity came when sophomore midfielder Francois Sagna freed himself for a shot, but the shot soared wide right and well over the goal.
“We knew before the game that the game was going to be physical and coach wanted us to react to the physical play,” Sagna said. “We didn’t really respond and that is why they out-battled us today.”
A few other opportunities arose during the rest of the first half, but the period featured more slide tackles and elbow shots than shots on goal.
The second half was a similar story. With just under 20 minutes left, Duddy scored on a pass through traffic by Hawks forward Colin Baker. The goal was called back because of an offside penalty. Minutes later, Duddy took advantage of careless Temple passing and finally put a score on the board.
Temple’s last scoring chance came with just under five minutes remaining, when a header by Mackenson Altidor fell into Hawks goalie Bryan Benedict’s chest. Temple never had another chance.
“Soccer is a very physical game,” freshman midfielder Kenechukwu Nwanah said. “We have to win our individual battles and get more physical. We lost a lot of our individual battles and that’s why we lost the game.”
“I didn’t like anything we did today,” MacWilliams said. “I am very disappointed.”
The Owls look to rebound against Richmond Friday at Ambler Field.
Kenny Walter can be reached at kenneth.walter@temple.edu.
Sunday, September 7, 2008
Tyler turns the tables, stops English
October 9, 2007
Tyler turns the tables, stops English
Kenny Walter
OwlScoop.com Staff Writer
Talk about it in the Message Boards
Oct. 21, 2006 was a day Temple left tackle Devin Tyler and the rest of the offensive line spent the whole offseason trying to forget.
Playing at Northern Illinois, the Owls watched as Huskies defensive end Larry English terrorized Tyler and Temple to the tune of a career-high 4.5 sacks. Northern Illinois' defense held Temple to minus-6 rushing yards en route to a 43-21 victory.
Saturday, Tyler was able to flip the script and get the better of English. This time, English was held to just four tackles and no sacks. The job Tyler and backup left tackle Jabari Ferguson did on English was one of the reasons Temple was able to edge out a 16-15 win on Homecoming weekend at Lincoln Financial Field.
"I have to tell you that Devin Tyler really got beat up bad in this game a year ago," Temple head coach Al Golden admitted after Saturday's win. "And to have the courage to face your demons the way he did today … maybe, and I say maybe, because he's go to do it every day, maybe this will be the kind of the impetus to propel him in his career, because he really battled 51 (English) real well today. I thought this was the first time Devin really responded and looked it in the eye and stared it down and didn't look for any trap doors or any excuses."
Tyler said this was a game he was thinking about as soon as the schedule was released.
"I remember playing him last year and he did a good job," Tyler said. "We just had to focus more and trust our techniques our coaches are teaching us."
Ferguson kept things simple when it came to explaining his technique in dealing with English.
"We kept hitting him and hitting him and hitting him," Ferguson said. "We just tried to slow him down."
English came into the game with seven sacks, good for second in the MAC. He had 12 last season.
Saturday's game was an encouraging one for both Tyler and Ferguson, as both have had their fair share of struggles this season. Golden has been waiting for one of them to step up and claim the starting job, and Tyler may be on the verge of doing so. Although they still split time, Tyler received the majority of Saturday's snaps.
In addition to Tyler and Ferguson at left tackle, the entire offensive line clamped, especially in the second half. The Owls amassed 114 rushing yards in the second half after netting just 36 in the first half. Daryl Robinson led the balanced attack with 71 rushing yards, all of which came in the second half.
OwlScoop.com staff writer Kenny Walter can be reached at kenneth.walter@temple.edu.
Tyler turns the tables, stops English
Kenny Walter
OwlScoop.com Staff Writer
Talk about it in the Message Boards
Oct. 21, 2006 was a day Temple left tackle Devin Tyler and the rest of the offensive line spent the whole offseason trying to forget.
Playing at Northern Illinois, the Owls watched as Huskies defensive end Larry English terrorized Tyler and Temple to the tune of a career-high 4.5 sacks. Northern Illinois' defense held Temple to minus-6 rushing yards en route to a 43-21 victory.
Saturday, Tyler was able to flip the script and get the better of English. This time, English was held to just four tackles and no sacks. The job Tyler and backup left tackle Jabari Ferguson did on English was one of the reasons Temple was able to edge out a 16-15 win on Homecoming weekend at Lincoln Financial Field.
"I have to tell you that Devin Tyler really got beat up bad in this game a year ago," Temple head coach Al Golden admitted after Saturday's win. "And to have the courage to face your demons the way he did today … maybe, and I say maybe, because he's go to do it every day, maybe this will be the kind of the impetus to propel him in his career, because he really battled 51 (English) real well today. I thought this was the first time Devin really responded and looked it in the eye and stared it down and didn't look for any trap doors or any excuses."
Tyler said this was a game he was thinking about as soon as the schedule was released.
"I remember playing him last year and he did a good job," Tyler said. "We just had to focus more and trust our techniques our coaches are teaching us."
Ferguson kept things simple when it came to explaining his technique in dealing with English.
"We kept hitting him and hitting him and hitting him," Ferguson said. "We just tried to slow him down."
English came into the game with seven sacks, good for second in the MAC. He had 12 last season.
Saturday's game was an encouraging one for both Tyler and Ferguson, as both have had their fair share of struggles this season. Golden has been waiting for one of them to step up and claim the starting job, and Tyler may be on the verge of doing so. Although they still split time, Tyler received the majority of Saturday's snaps.
In addition to Tyler and Ferguson at left tackle, the entire offensive line clamped, especially in the second half. The Owls amassed 114 rushing yards in the second half after netting just 36 in the first half. Daryl Robinson led the balanced attack with 71 rushing yards, all of which came in the second half.
OwlScoop.com staff writer Kenny Walter can be reached at kenneth.walter@temple.edu.
O-line woes continue
September 9, 2007
O-line woes continue
Kenny Walter
OwlScoop.com Staff Writer
Talk about it in the Message Boards
Temple's offensive line looked like it had made some progress in last week's season opener against Navy.
But Saturday's 42-7 loss to Buffalo showed the unit still has plenty of work to do.
The Bulls' defense was in the Owls' backfield all game, holding Temple to minus-36 yards rushing and collecting five sacks in the rout. Owls quarterback Adam DiMichele felt pressure bearing down on him all game and suffered through an afternoon that saw him go 13 for 23 for 160 yards and two interceptions.
"We've got to get some continuity in our offensive line," Temple head coach Al Golden said in his postgame press conference. "Honestly, we've got to settle on an offensive line that's going to be around here for a while. We've got to start training some guys who are going to be around and do it the right way and are tough. I don't know who that is, but I'm going to evaluate that (Saturday night)."
Perhaps the lone bright spot of the afternoon was a 10-yard touchdown run by sophomore Jason Harper that saw him break a tackle after cutting back to create some running room. The second quarter score brought Temple to within two touchdowns at 21-7.
The Owls had an opportunity to cut into that deficit right before the half, but the offensive line woes doomed Temple again. DiMichele completed four straight passes, the last of which was a 27-yard strike to freshman wide receiver Marquise Liverpool, to bring the Owls from their own 14-yard line to the Buffalo 23. But after an incompletion on first down, the pocket closed in on DiMichele again, forcing him to scramble and toss an errant pass to the sideline. The play resulted in a 17-yard intentional grounding penalty and pushed the Owls out of field goal range after they failed to convert on a difficult third-and-27 from the Bulls' 40-yard line.
The second half was not much better. Buffalo added three more sacks to its total, and Temple's line was flagged for two holding penalties early in the fourth quarter.
The frequent blitzes and stunts got the better of the Owls all afternoon. Buffalo was bringing pressure from the edges, forcing DiMichele to either take the hit or scramble.
He did a lot of both on Saturday.
"They did nothing today that we didn't see on film," junior center Alex Derenthal said. "They just worked harder then we did."
Buffalo's edge rushers prevented Temple from establishing any offensive flow, forcing the Owls to use some two tight end sets on an afternoon when they were already without Matt Balasavage. Golden said the freshman tight end, who caught his first career touchdown last week against Navy, wasn't able to make the trip to the game but didn't elaborate on any injury.
Buffalo outside linebacker Larry Hutchinson was someone the Owls simply could not stop. He collected eight tackles and three sacks and forced two fumbles. Defensive end Trevor Scott added two sacks and six tackles of his own.
The minus-54 yards from DiMichele's sack totals made Temple's rushing yardage an ugly statistic in the books, and Harper led four Owls' ball carriers with just 25 yards on six carries.
"We never got any run game going," a visibly disappointed Golden said. "That's the understatement of the year, maybe the decade."
Life my not necessarily get easier for the Owls when they travel next week to East Hartford to play Connecticut. The Huskies haven't exactly had the toughest of schedules so far, rolling to easy wins over Duke and Maine, but they've done what they're supposed to do. In a 45-10 drumming of Duke, UConn allowed just 23 rushing yards, and it held Maine to 64 yards on the ground in a 38-0 rout Saturday.
Golden hasn't been afraid to shake things up and try different combinations on the offensive line. Aside from Derenthal, no one's starting job on the line would be considered safe. Neither Devin Tyler nor Jabari Ferguson has done enough to stake a firm claim at left tackle, and freshman Lloyd Codada is still learning at left guard. Brison Manor and Andre Douglas were listed as Saturday's starters at right guard and right tackle, respectively, but perhaps Dwavon Battle and freshman Derek Dennis could see some time there in the future.
A team as young as Temple is bound to go through some growing pains, but Saturday's rout at the hands of Buffalo was a step backward for the Owls, literally and figuratively.
O-line woes continue
Kenny Walter
OwlScoop.com Staff Writer
Talk about it in the Message Boards
Temple's offensive line looked like it had made some progress in last week's season opener against Navy.
But Saturday's 42-7 loss to Buffalo showed the unit still has plenty of work to do.
The Bulls' defense was in the Owls' backfield all game, holding Temple to minus-36 yards rushing and collecting five sacks in the rout. Owls quarterback Adam DiMichele felt pressure bearing down on him all game and suffered through an afternoon that saw him go 13 for 23 for 160 yards and two interceptions.
"We've got to get some continuity in our offensive line," Temple head coach Al Golden said in his postgame press conference. "Honestly, we've got to settle on an offensive line that's going to be around here for a while. We've got to start training some guys who are going to be around and do it the right way and are tough. I don't know who that is, but I'm going to evaluate that (Saturday night)."
Perhaps the lone bright spot of the afternoon was a 10-yard touchdown run by sophomore Jason Harper that saw him break a tackle after cutting back to create some running room. The second quarter score brought Temple to within two touchdowns at 21-7.
The Owls had an opportunity to cut into that deficit right before the half, but the offensive line woes doomed Temple again. DiMichele completed four straight passes, the last of which was a 27-yard strike to freshman wide receiver Marquise Liverpool, to bring the Owls from their own 14-yard line to the Buffalo 23. But after an incompletion on first down, the pocket closed in on DiMichele again, forcing him to scramble and toss an errant pass to the sideline. The play resulted in a 17-yard intentional grounding penalty and pushed the Owls out of field goal range after they failed to convert on a difficult third-and-27 from the Bulls' 40-yard line.
The second half was not much better. Buffalo added three more sacks to its total, and Temple's line was flagged for two holding penalties early in the fourth quarter.
The frequent blitzes and stunts got the better of the Owls all afternoon. Buffalo was bringing pressure from the edges, forcing DiMichele to either take the hit or scramble.
He did a lot of both on Saturday.
"They did nothing today that we didn't see on film," junior center Alex Derenthal said. "They just worked harder then we did."
Buffalo's edge rushers prevented Temple from establishing any offensive flow, forcing the Owls to use some two tight end sets on an afternoon when they were already without Matt Balasavage. Golden said the freshman tight end, who caught his first career touchdown last week against Navy, wasn't able to make the trip to the game but didn't elaborate on any injury.
Buffalo outside linebacker Larry Hutchinson was someone the Owls simply could not stop. He collected eight tackles and three sacks and forced two fumbles. Defensive end Trevor Scott added two sacks and six tackles of his own.
The minus-54 yards from DiMichele's sack totals made Temple's rushing yardage an ugly statistic in the books, and Harper led four Owls' ball carriers with just 25 yards on six carries.
"We never got any run game going," a visibly disappointed Golden said. "That's the understatement of the year, maybe the decade."
Life my not necessarily get easier for the Owls when they travel next week to East Hartford to play Connecticut. The Huskies haven't exactly had the toughest of schedules so far, rolling to easy wins over Duke and Maine, but they've done what they're supposed to do. In a 45-10 drumming of Duke, UConn allowed just 23 rushing yards, and it held Maine to 64 yards on the ground in a 38-0 rout Saturday.
Golden hasn't been afraid to shake things up and try different combinations on the offensive line. Aside from Derenthal, no one's starting job on the line would be considered safe. Neither Devin Tyler nor Jabari Ferguson has done enough to stake a firm claim at left tackle, and freshman Lloyd Codada is still learning at left guard. Brison Manor and Andre Douglas were listed as Saturday's starters at right guard and right tackle, respectively, but perhaps Dwavon Battle and freshman Derek Dennis could see some time there in the future.
A team as young as Temple is bound to go through some growing pains, but Saturday's rout at the hands of Buffalo was a step backward for the Owls, literally and figuratively.
Recruiting Spotlight: Ryan Murray
August 28, 2007
Recruiting spotlight: Ryan Murray
Temple football coach Al Golden literally made a big splash on the recruiting scene when he landed a verbal commitment from 6-foot-6, 333-pound offensive tackle Ryan Murray, a local product from Philadelphia's Edward Bok Technical School.But for as imposing as Murray is on the football field, he wants to make just as much of an impact in the classroom.
In other words, he gives equal weight to both parts of his role as a student-athlete.
"I know I've got to stay on top of things," Murray said. "I'm a student before I'm a football player, and that's really important to me."
When Murray visited Temple, the university's academics impressed him, and so did the people involved with a football program that is perceived to be on the rise.
"Temple has a lot to offer me," Murray said. "I really liked the facilities, the coaching staff, and the future that awaits me here. Being close to my family and being able to have them at all of my games was a big factor for me."
Per NCAA rules, Murray cannot sign an official national letter of intent until February. He said he received recruiting interest from Maryland and Pittsburgh, but he chose to conclude his recruitment early and stay close to home.
Murray said he's become a solid trap blocker, but he knows he has one more season of high school football to refine his game before he gets to North Broad Street.
"I'm going to take this season to work on my speed," Murray said. "The next level is a much faster game at a faster pace."
Murray, who said he is leaning toward majoring in engineering or business, should be prepared for the rigors of athletic and academic life in college, at least when it comes to getting up early to start his day. In order to get from his home in Northeast Philadelphia to Bok's campus in South Philadelphia, he has to take four SEPTA buses to make it to school on time.
"I think waking up early and taking the bus to school gives me an advantage for the early morning routines of a college athlete," Murray said.
Saturday, August 30, 2008
Seifert readies for life after college, whether on gridiron or under water
Temple News
Posted on 01 May 2007 by admin
Temple honored every student-athlete owning a grade point average of 3.0 or higher last Wednesday at the Fifth Annual Breakfast of Champions Awards Banquet. More than 200 student-athletes were in attendance, but there was one male athlete who rose above his counterparts.
Elliot Seifert was named Male Student-Athlete of the Year, an award given to the student-athlete who best demonstrates excellence in athletics, academics and community involvement.
“I was completely surprised,” Seifert said of the award. “I didn’t expect to win it with so many great student-athletes at Temple.”
Seifert, a four-year letter winner, has a lengthy list of accomplishments. He was a semi-finalist for the Draddy Award, which is annually awarded to the athlete with the best combination of academic and athletic success.
He won the Top Hog Award, given each year to the Owls’ top lineman. Seifert is also a member of the National Society of Collegiate Scholars.
Seifert said he is ready for success at the next level, with or without football. Seifert went undrafted this weekend in the NFL’s draft.He plans to receive his master’s degree in biology next spring and he said he would like to become a marine biologist when his college career concludes.
“I hope to finish my degree and get my doctorate and become a marine biologist, possibly in California,” Seifert said. “It’s something I was always interested in.”
Seifert spent a week in Ambergis Caye, Belize, conducting research for a tropical marine biology class.
“No player has given back more to the community,” coach Al Golden said in a statement read aloud at the banquet.Seifert has control of his life off the field, but he is as good as anyone on the field, too.
The offensive tackle fought through injuries early in his career to become a steady and dependable fixture on the offensive line for the Owls. He ended his career by making 34 consecutive starts at left tackle.
Seifert credited his success to an understanding of the balance of life.
“Preparing for my future was more difficult than preparing for a football game against a school like Miami,” Seifert said. “With football, the techniques are always there and we are always prepared. It is not always the case with school work.”
Seifert said he would like to see more student-athletes take such action.
“It is great to give back to the community
and go out and have a good time,” he said. “Everyone should get involved.”
Team will take to field after 4 cancellations
Temple News
Posted on 17 April 2007 by admin
The softball team is hungry to add to its three-game win streak on Wednesday after
its last four games were cancelled. The Owls have not been able to take the field since April 11 because of the recent rash of inclement weather.
The Owls will face Saint Joseph’s at 2 p.m. at the Ambler Sports Complex. The Hawks fought through a tough opening schedule and have turned their season around with a five-game winning streak of their own. With their final four home dates coming up, the Owls hope to send seniors Jessica
Rohn, an outfielder, and Adrienne Repsher,
a first baseman, off with an elongated winning streak.
In the Owls’ most recent game, Repsher
blasted her ninth home run of the season, which put her alone atop the Owls’ all-time home run list. Repsher leads the team with a .456 batting average, 29 RBI and 26 runs. She is the only regular yet to commit an error this season.
Rohn is batting .319 with four homers and 17 RBI, which tie her for second on the team with Krystle Metzler. Rohn’s 20 runs are also second.
Temple, which opened the season with an eight-game losing streak while playing in two respective tournaments, owns a 9-14 overall record. They are 3-3 in the A-10.
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