After loss, Temple's Addazio pledges to rekindle the fire

Temple must regain its edge to contend for the Mid-American Conference title.

The Owls (3-2, 1-1 MAC) realize that last week's effort in a 36-13 setback against Toledo won't hold up this Saturday against Ball State in Muncie, Ind. Nor will it hold up in key conference games against Bowling Green and Ohio.

"This is going to be one up-tempo week at Temple," Owls coach Steve Addazio said at Monday's MAC coaches' teleconference. "We are going to make sure that we are going to get that edge back.

"I hope by the end of the week we have a pissed-off football team on every front."

The Owls will face a Cardinals team that is coming off a 62-6 defeat at No. 3 Oklahoma.

Like Temple, Ball State (3-2, 1-0) is eager to get back to winning. The Cardinals have extra motivation. This is homecoming weekend.

"I think it is going to be about, once again, two good football teams playing each other," Addazio said. "We are going to find out if we are going to get that chip back on our shoulder."

The Owls might find that out at this week's practice.

Addazio said he made things "rough" for his players on Sunday. He plans to do the same Tuesday.

"We departed from who we were, and that's not going to happen," Addazio said. "It's going to be no kumbayas around here this week. I can tell you that right now."

Quarterback update. According to the Temple depth chart, released Monday evening, Chester Stewart will make his third consecutive start at quarterback on Saturday.

However, Addazio was asked Monday morning about his quarterback situation.

Will there be an open competition? Or will Stewart be the starter on Saturday?

"It's always an open competition," Addazio said. "But I felt that Chester competed really hard in the football game. I said it after the game. I watched the tape and I saw it.

"He had a couple of tough throws in there. But you know it's not evaluated on just a throw or two. That's like saying an offensive lineman missed two blocks, so let's bench him."

The fifth-year senior completed 10 of 20 passes for 173 yards to go with a touchdown and two costly interceptions against Toledo.

Wounded Cardinals. As they did in their previous two MAC games, the Owls will face a team dealing with key injuries.

Ball State has two starters - cornerback Jason Pinkston (undisclosed injury) and offensive tackle Austin Holtz (knee) - among five players listed as day-to-day for Saturday's game.

The other players are center David Raffin (leg), and cornerbacks Odis Prunty (concussion) and Quintin Cooper (knee). All five missed last week's game.

Two others, running backs David Brown (back) and Cory Sykes (thumb), have been out since the start of the season. Brown is done for the year.