Behind Enemy Lines: Temple Week
It has been a rocky start of the football season for the University of South Florida Bulls, who have managed just a single win over an FCS opponent and none against the FBS. Last week’s game against Tulsa looked like the game to end the losing streak, but a last minute touchdown by the Golden Hurricane stole the win. This week, the Bulls will face a 3-3 Temple team which has had a tough season of their own. They have a conference win over Memphis, but are trying to rebound from a 52-3 drubbing at the hands of #2 Cincinnati in their last game. For the first time this season, the Bulls are the favorite, although modestly, against an FBS opponent. Despite the mixed record, the Owls will not be an easy out for the Bulls. They have their top two receivers back from injuries and their running game is powered by four big running backs, which USF has struggled with this season. Bulls Insider went Behind Enemy Lines with Owl Scoop’s Dante Collinelli to learn more.
BI: Temple started the season 1-2 with a win over Akron, but suffering big losses to Rutgers and Boston College. However, then the Owls go 2-1 over their next three, with the only loss being to current #2 Cincinnati. It’s notable that things seemed to turn around when D’Wan Mathis returned from injury to play quarterback. How important is Mathis to Temple’s odds of winning?
DC: Mathis is the most important player on the Owls. If he plays well, the Owls will play well. He's the best combination of athletic ability and arm strength the Temple has had at quarterback in a pretty long time. His ability to extend plays with his legs behind the line of scrimmage and work the scramble drill is an added dimension he gives this offense that they haven't had since Rod Carey was hired.
BI: Mathis is clearly doing well for the Owls as a transfer from Georgia. Are there any other transfers into the program who are in starting roles or otherwise making a big impact?
DC: There are several worth mentioning. The main two are starting outside cornerbacks Cameron Ruiz and Keyshawn Paul, who transferred from Northwestern and UConn, respectively. They've helped Temple achieve a top-10 passing defense in the country, and the unit even sat at number two in the country for several weeks. On offense, former Purdue receiver Amad Anderson is starting to make an impact with his speed and explosiveness in the open field. He scored the game-sealing touchdown against Memphis on fourth down off a jet motion pass.
BI: Temple linebacker, William Kwenkeu, was on a lot of preseason award watch lists and is leading the team with three sacks this season. Who else can USF fans expect to see making big plays on defense for the Owls?
DC: I mentioned the two starting cornerbacks already, and I think the rest of the linebackers are worth keeping an eye on. Jordan Magee, George Reid, and Yvandy Rigby have all made big plays through this season. Rigby was recently moved to the BUBO position which has allowed Temple to get its best linebackers out onto the field way more consistently. On the defensive line, Manny Walker is worth watching. He's got a couple of interceptions this season, and although his sack numbers aren't great, he does create pressure pretty consistently.
BI: It has recently been announced that the American Athletic Conference will add six teams from Conference USA to replace the loss of UCF, Houston, and Cincinnati. How does this impact Temple? What is the temperature of the fanbase regarding these developments? For? Against? Excited?
DC: From a competitive standpoint, it's hard not to look at the new AAC and not say they got worse. However, there isn't really a better place for Temple to go and the AAC will still provide them with the best TV deal they can find. As for the fanbase, I'd describe the feeling as "lukewarm." Some are happy to point out how well UAB has played recently and how much money Rice could spend on its athletic department in recent years. Others are concerned about what this means for basketball and are just underwhelmed by the lack of big-name schools.
BI: Temple holds a 5-2 lead in the overall series and has won the past three matchups with the Bulls. USF is clearly still in a rebuilding stage, yet are basically a field goal favorite in this game. What do you think Temple needs to do for the win? And, on the other side of the coin, what does a USF victory look like?
DC: Temple needs to get its running game going. USF has the worst run defense in the AAC, but Temple has one of the worst running offenses in the AAC. If Temple can't run on the Bulls I worry about them being able to move the ball consistently given USF's defense is already more concerned with stopping the pass. For USF to win, they'll need to find a way to rip off some big plays. Whether that's a trick play or they catch Temple blitzing, they'll need to get an explosive play or two. Trying the methodically move the ball down the field plays right into Temple's hands.
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