Tyler turns the tables, stops English

October 9, 2007

Tyler turns the tables, stops English

Kenny Walter
OwlScoop.com Staff Writer

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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

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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

Kenny Walter
OwlScoop.com Staff Writer

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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.

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.

Injuries dash team’s expectations

Temple News

Posted on 10 April 2007 by admin

The men’s tennis team cannot seem to shake the injury bug this season. The Owls, who entered the season with high expectations following a successful 2006 season, were seriously hurt by the compounding amount of bumps and bruises that they ultimately suffered.

The team hobbled into last weekend’s Atlantic Ten Conference tournament in Monroeville, Pa., looking to make a splash but came up a little short of its goal. A 4-3 loss Thursday to Saint Louis ended the Owls’ hopes of an A-10 title. The next day, the Owls (9-13) defeated Philadelphia rival La Salle, 6-0, in a consolation match to end the year on a positive note.

“Toward the end of the year, we were really
banged up,” coach Steve Mauro said. “We just never really had a chance to heal once the season started.”

Two top players spent a majority of the season injured. The Owls’ No. 1 player, sophomore Eduardo Saavedra, but was posted a 6-5 individual record, was hampered with both wrist and ankle injuries. Junior Philip Gegenheimer, who went 9-9, sat out most of the year with a shoulder injury. It was a tough ending for a team that was poised to breakout this year, Mauro said.

“We were forced to work a little harder with these guys injured,” Mauro said. “In the end it all caught up to us.”

The season started promisingly, as the Owls had two three-match winning streaks. But the Owls lost six of their last seven matches, with a win against La Salle in their season finale ultimately saving them from ending the year on a seven-game slide.

Though Saavedra was still dealing with his injuries at the A-10 tournament, Mauro credited Saavedra with being a player who had stepped up toward the end. Saavedra won each of his matches at the tournament.

“He really impressed us and played well,” Mauro said.

With the season ending short of an A-10 Championship, that does not mean it is not too early to speculate about next year. The Owls will have to rebound from the departure of their lone senior Daniel Davis, but will be adding at least three top recruits to an already heavy returning class.

“We have two recruits from Atlanta coming
and a top player from Chicago coming for next season,” Mauro said. “We also will have a transfer player coming to us from Lees McRae College in North Carolina.”

Injuries or not, the losing will be all but forgotten and the coaches and players will work hard in the off-season to make sure next season is a memorable one.

Early five-goal deficit too big to overcome

Temple News

Posted on 03 April 2007 by admin

When the lacrosse team entered its game against No. 18 Rutgers Friday, the Owls wanted to stop the bleeding of their young season. The Owls, who as recently as last season were nationally ranked, had started the season slowly - especially on offense.

They brought a 2-5 record into their meeting with Rutgers, and looked to snap their two-game losing streak. But the bleeding continued. The Scarlet Knights scored the first five goals of the game and the Owls failed to make a serious push to even the score, eventually falling, 14-10, at Geasey Field.

Rutgers sophomore Nina Frankoski opened the scoring at the 22:08 mark with a crafty goal just over the left shoulder of Temple goalie Bridget McMullan.

Frankoski scored three of the Knights’ first five goals, and added four more for a game-high seven goals.Allison Frengs finally got Temple (2-6) on the board with 13:33 left in the first half. The senior captain slashed to the middle of the field, was briefly tripped up, but regained her balance long enough to net her first of a team-high four goals.

Moments later, Frengs had another goal attempt to bring the Owls within three, but a terrific save by Rutgers goalie Sandra Abel stopped her cold. Shortly after Abel’s save, Casey Cech beat the goalie, as Abel came away on top of a mad scramble in front of the goal to net another Temple goal. The rest of the first half was played at a pace that better suited Temple, as Rutgers’
speed seemed to throw the Owls off of their game early.

As the Owls regained control of the tempo, they brought themselves back into the game.

With 9:15 left in the first half, Frengs added her second goal of the game to bring Temple within two, at 5-3. The momentum however, swayed back to Rutgers, as Frankoski added two straight goals to pad Rutgers’ lead to 7-3 and boost her first-half goal total to five. Cech added the second of her three goals a few minutes before halftime and the 7-4 scored held until the break.

The second half was a similar story for Temple. The Owls gave up three unanswered goals in the first nine minutes to start the period.

Temple’s Whitney Richards added a goal at the 18:25 mark to answer the Knights (8-2) and Nicole Caniglia notched another a few minutes later to pull Temple’s deficit to 10-6. But Rutgers was able to withhold the Owls’ attack and build its lead back to five with just fewer than five minutes left.

Temple made a frantic comeback attempt
in the final minutes, but it was a case of too little too late. Frengs scored two goals and Cech knocked in another in the span of about a minute, pulling the Owls within 13-10 with 1:36 left. A final goal by Rutgers’ Jamie Farewell ended any last-minute comeback.

Temple will try to bounce back Friday when it hosts Massachusetts in a 3 p.m. tilt at Geasey Field.