Will Temple look past FCS Stony Brook: No chance
After losing its opener 28-13 to Army, the thought of Temple taking a Football Championship Subdivision team lightly this week is preposterous to head coach Matt Rhule.
After losing its opener 28-13 to Army, the thought of Temple taking a Football Championship Subdivision team lightly this week is preposterous to head coach Matt Rhule.
That team is Stony Brook, which visits Lincoln Financial Field Saturday at 1 p.m. and is coming off a 13-9 win over last week's No. 19 FCS team North Dakota.
The Seawolves, who compete in the same Colonial Athletic Association as Villanova, traditionally have benefitted from Football Bowl Subdivision transfers. This year's roster includes eight former FBS athletes.
"They have some NFL players on their team," Rhule said of Stony Brook. "That left tackle is fantastic."
Rhule was referring to Timon Parris, a 6-foot-5, 310-pound junior.
Stony Brook coach Chuck Priore says that senior defensive end Aaron Thompson (6-3, 260) and two graduate receivers, Tim Keith and Harrison Jackson, have been getting looks from pro scouts.
The Seawolves didn't do much offensively last week, but defense and special teams came through big. The winning score came in the fourth quarter on Kye Morgan's 7-yard return of a blocked punt.
Even though Stony Brook sophomore Joe Carbone completed just 16 of 31 passes for 159 yards, Rhule is impressed with the Seawolves sophomore.
"Carbone is a winner and he figures how to get it done and they have fast wideouts," Rhule said. "We will be challenged defending their passing game and play action passing game."
Temple's secondary will also more challenged by simply seeing more passes. Last week Army completed 2 of 5 passes but also earned a pass interference call during its opening scoring drive in the third quarter.
While Stony Brook will look to establish the run, the Seahawks will give Temple's secondary much more action this week.
"It was tough last week," Temple cornerback Artrel Foster said about defending so few passes. "We had to be patient and couldn't get lulled to sleep and had to stay on our keys."
As for stopping the run, Temple allowed 329 yards last week against the Army triple option and now will be facing a Stony Brook team that rushed for 62 yards on 34 carries.
Temple rushed for just 83 yards on 28 carries (3.0 average).
"I think they missed not having their tailback," Priore said about Temple's Jahad Thomas, who missed the game with a dislocated thumb and won't play this week, according to Rhule.
Prior went on to praise Thomas' replacement - sophomore Ryquell Armstead. Against Army, Armstead rushed for 77 yards on 16 carries and one touchdown, but only had one carry in the fourth quarter.
In short, this is a game in which both offenses are looking to find their way.
Temple also has to do a better job against the blitz. The Owls allowed four sacks last week. Stony Brook senior safety Jaheem Woods, a product of New Jersey's Neptune High, had three sacks and he is somebody the Owls must watch on the blitz.
Most of all, the emphasis this week has been on playing with more energy and urgency. And if he senses his players are too confident, Rhule only has to mention one word - Fordham.
In the third game of his first season as head coach in 2013, Temple lost to Fordham, an FCS school, 30-29.
"Anybody who lost to Fordham knows what it is like," Rhule said.
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