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Temple receiver Robby Anderson is cleared to return

NEWPORT, R.I. - Robby Anderson was a difference maker at wide receiver for Temple in 2013 before he was ruled academically ineligible last season. Now he is eligible to play again this year.

NEWPORT, R.I. - Robby Anderson was a difference maker at wide receiver for Temple in 2013 before he was ruled academically ineligible last season. Now he is eligible to play again this year.

The 6-foot-3, 175-pound Anderson successfully completed summer courses at Temple and the coaching staff received word that he would be eligible Monday night at an American Athletic Conference function. Tuesday is AAC media day.

"I am elated," Temple coach Matt Rhule said. "I love the kid, and just on a personal level, even when it looked like he wasn't coming back, I maintained a relationship."

A former star at Plantation High in Davie, Fla., Anderson caught 44 passes for 791 yards and nine touchdowns as a redshirt sophomore in 2013.

He becomes the second receiver to recently become eligible for the Owls. Last week, Adonis Jennings, a former Timber Creek standout who attended Pittsburgh last year, successfully petitioned the NCAA for a waiver and will be eligible immediately after transferring. Normally, transfers have to sit out a year, according to NCAA rules.

Jennings appeared in five of the first six games with Pitt before he was sidelined by an ankle injury.

Anderson provides the deep threat that the Owls were lacking.

"I think No. 1, it will make our defense better going against him and No. 2, we have a lot of talented receivers and it will make them better," Rhule said. "And No. 3, we hopefully have a weapon outside that forces people to defend us differently."

Rhule said he admired that Anderson did the work in the classroom to become eligible. "He went to junior college, did the work, came back to Temple and did the work," Rhule said. "Honestly, I am excited to have a great player like that on the field."

Anderson is listed as a redshirt senior. He may petition to gain another year of eligibility, but those connected to the Temple program feel this likely will be his final season. He played six games in 2012, mostly on special teams, after redshirting his first year in 2011.

The addition of Anderson and Jennings will have a major impact on quarterback P.J. Walker, who threw 20 touchdowns with just eight interceptions as a freshman but threw 13 TDs and 15 picks last year.

Temple begins practice Thursday in preparation for the Sept. 5 opener against Penn State at Lincoln Financial Field. Single-game Owls football tickets will go on sale Tuesday at 10 a.m.

@sjnard