Temple Football: Jahad Thomas, PJ Walker will smash program records
Jahad Thomas and P.J. Walker lead Temple football to its best season since 1979. The Owls’ pro-style offensive approach helped them control the clock and play efficient football.
Temple head coach Matt Rhule has an offensive gold mine returning for the upcoming 2016 season. Temple returns its all-time touchdown pass leader (52) in senior quarterback P.J. Walker. The Owls also return their 2015 leading rusher in fellow senior Jahad Thomas.
This duo led Temple football to an impressive accomplishment setting school records in yards (5,134) and points (417). Walker set the tone for the Owls offense. The three-year starter threw for 2,972 yards and an efficient 19 touchdowns to just eight interceptions. Walker added some output on the grounds as well with 215 yards and two touchdowns.
The only thing to improve his game is a consistent completion percentage. He only completed 56.7 percent of his passes last season which is obviously below average. However, that is the only problem in his game, which isn’t a big deal for an experienced three-year starter. Walker should crush the Temple career passing yards record in the first week needing just 123 yards. If he can repeat his 2015 success expect him to set a record in the 10,000 career yard range.
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Temple football found its starting running back last season in the form of converted defensive back Jahad Thomas. Thomas didn’t disappoint in his shift to the offense by rushing for 1,262 yards and 17 touchdowns in his debut season.
His straightforward downhill running style has fit perfectly in Temple’s pro-style attack. He doesn’t have blazing speed, but his shifty running style creates big plays for an offense lacking a playmaker out wide.
In a college football era built on 100-play-a-game offenses and 2:00-minute scoring drives. Temple is taking college football back to the smashmouth, run-first era of offense.
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The American Athletic Conference isn’t a particularly deep conference. Temple football owns an impressive backfield and outside of the leader in Houston and up-and-comer in South Florida the conference is wide open. If the Owls offense can improve on a record-breaking 2015 then they could be among the best in the American.