American Athletic Conference: Post-spring 2017 power rankings

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Dec 27, 2016; Annapolis, MD, USA; Temple Owls quarterback Phillip Walker (8) rolls out to pass during the third quarter of the Military Bowl against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons at Navy-Marine Corps Stadium. Wake Forest Demon Deacons defeated Temple Owls 34-26. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports /

The defending American champions entered spring practice with a new head coach after Matt Rhule’s departure to take over at Baylor. The team must also replace four-year starter Phillip Walker at quarterback. After spring practices and the spring game, it appears that these losses are not going to be easily papered over in Philadephia.

Redshirt junior Frank Nutile has the inside track on taking over Walker’s job as the starting QB, with a pair of touchdown passes in defeat. Instead, it was freshman Todd Centeio who hit the game winner on an 18-yard pass to Marshall Ellick with 28 seconds remaining. The Owls have a logjam of decent passers, and inclement weather made every passer look a little worse.

But no one really separated himself from the pack either this spring. Temple is almost certainly looking at offensive regression in 2017. The defense should be solid enough to return to the postseason, but it will be harder to keep pace in the East. Spring revealed too many question marks at QB to put the Owls at the head of the American pack.

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