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Will Temple football see progress in 2022 after sharp decline?

By Michael Hanich

PHILADELPHIA, PA - OCTOBER 2: D'Wan Mathis #18 of the Temple Owls before the game agains the Memphis Tigers at Lincoln Financial Field on October 2, 2021 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Cody Glenn/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA - OCTOBER 2: D'Wan Mathis #18 of the Temple Owls before the game agains the Memphis Tigers at Lincoln Financial Field on October 2, 2021 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Cody Glenn/Getty Images) /
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Nov 6, 2021; Greenville, North Carolina, USA; Temple Owls quarterback D’Wan Mathis (18) throws the ball during the first half against the East Carolina Pirates at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium. Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 6, 2021; Greenville, North Carolina, USA; Temple Owls quarterback D’Wan Mathis (18) throws the ball during the first half against the East Carolina Pirates at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium. Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-USA TODAY Sports /

Temple’s offense looks to be more aggressive

The bad news for the Owls’ offense last season was that they were in rough shape as lack of confidence, inexperience, and injuries were a constant oversight.

The good news for these Owls is that they can not get worse across the board again. Temple was ranked 126th in the nation in points game (16.3) and 125th in total offense (287.4 yards per game). In many areas, Drayton and offensive coordinator Danny Langsdorf feel confident in their new offense.

D’Wan Mathis enters into his redshirt sophomore season at Temple, but he enters into his fourth season in the collegiate ranks. He has a full offseason under his belt as the quarterback of the Owls. There were some good moments for Mathis last season before missing the season’s final three games with an injury. Mathis completed 116-of-195 of his passes for 1,223 yards, six touchdowns, and four interceptions. He also knows there are key aspects of his game to touch upon as a starting quarterback, but he knows he has the talent as a former four-star prospect.

The Owls look to be more aggressive in the run game as Drayton comes to help lead the offense. As the running backs coach, Drayton has created some highly efficient rushing offenses. He has helped spark six running backs who have rushed for 1,000 yards in a season, including Ezekiel Elloit, Carlos Hyde, and Bijan Robinson. He is eager to create another efficient rushing offense at Temple, with sophomore Edward Saydee and Texas A&M transfer Darvon Hubbard being a huge addition.

The Owls will return two of their top three leading receivers from last season in Jose Barton and Amad Anderson Jr. Together, they had 64 receptions, 723 yards, and four touchdowns. The passing offense was mostly inefficient as the Owls ranked 110th in the nation (178.1).

The passing game is unproven as Athlon Sports has the wide receiver group ranked 10th in the conference. There isn’t as much confidence with the tight end group either, as Jordan Smith returns as the starter after catching 18 receptions for 283 yards and two touchdowns. Coach Drayton and Langsdorf feel the Owls can improve significantly in the passing game.

Temple will return four offensive linemen that accounted for significant starts last season. This was an offensive line that allowed 29 sacks all season, tied for 81st in the nation. There is a demand for improvement with the run-heavy offense being established with Temple’s offense. The offensive line will be led by four-year starter at left tackle in Isaac Moore, a preseason third-team All-AAC selection by Athlon Sports. He is a player heavily considered a potential pick of the 2023 NFL Draft.

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