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Kicker Aaron Boumerhi won’t return to Temple football team in fall

Slated to battle for the kicking job, Boumerhi announced that he will graduate from Temple likely this summer, but won't be on the football team.

Temple kicker Aaron Boumerhi was hampered by a hip injury that required season-ending surgery following the second game of last season.
Temple kicker Aaron Boumerhi was hampered by a hip injury that required season-ending surgery following the second game of last season.Read moreTIM TAI

After undergoing hip surgery in October, Temple redshirt junior Aaron Boumerhi was ready to battle to reclaim the kicking job he owned since midway through his redshirt freshman season.

Boumerhi, however, posted on Twitter that he won’t be returning in the fall.

Contacted on Friday night, Boumerhi said he will graduate from Temple, likely by the summer, but won’t play football in the fall.

“For the respect of others I have decided at this time not to comment on things,” Boumerhi said.

He said that his options are open about playing football elsewhere.

Asked about it after Saturday’s practice, Temple coach Rod Carey talked about the situation.

“We are bringing in a kicker this week,” Carey said. “We had a great talk, I don’t want to talk about all that was in there because there was some personal stuff with Aaron and nothing bad, it has all been good. He has been as good a Temple football player as I have had in my three months and talking to everybody who has been here, as there has been here Unfortunately with his injury last year we are going to bring a kicker in here and go recruit some.”

Last season Boumerhi only kicked in two games before undergoing the season-ending hip surgery on Oct. 5.

He had not been kicking this spring but had said he would be ready by fall camp.

In Boumerhi’s place, redshirt sophomore Will Mobley performed well last year. Mobley converted 11 of 15 field goals and 54 of 55 PATs. Ten of his 76 kickoffs were touchbacks.

Carey said that Mobley will compete with the kicker Temple brings in.

Boumerhi experienced the same situation from Mobley’s point of view his freshmen year. A walk-on, Boumerhi was forced into duty in midseason when kicker Austin Jones suffered a season-ending ACL injury in a 34-27 loss Oct. 6, 2016, at Memphis.

Boumerhi stepped in and made 15 of 17 field goals, earning second-team all-American Athletic Conference honors.

He also was the starter in 2017, making 15 of 23 field goals.

Last season he started the first two games, but after missing a 40-yarder in a 36-29 loss to Buffalo, he knew something was wrong. He decided to have hip surgery.

Carey also announced that sophomore punter Connor Bowler has left the team. The Owls have a commitment from a punter, but Carey can’t talk about him because the paper work isn’t in.

Last season Bowler averaged 42.6 yards on 57 punts.

The Owls were able to announce that they have signed offensive lineman Joseph Hooper, a 6-1, 285-pound offensive lineman from Butler Community College. He will have two years of eligibility remaining.

Carey also said that promising freshman running back Onasis Neely suffered a knee injury recently that will require surgery. At this time, Carey said he was told the surgery could keep Neely out for a good part of the season.

A source said the Owls are expected to bring in a defensive lineman from the junior college ranks. In addition, linebacker L.J. Holder has left the team.