Temple University Athletics
TEMPLE FOOTBALL SPRING PRACTICE OUTLOOK
3.27.02 | Football
The Owls begin spring practice on Monday, April 1. The team will hold 15 practice sessions culminating with the annual Cherry & White football game at the former Temple Stadium site on Saturday, April 27.
All seven of Temple's losses in 2001 were to teams that ended their respective seasons bowl eligible, with a combined .750 (63-21) winning percentage. Six received bowl invitations, with five earning victories. The Owls also played five teams that ended the season ranked in both the Associated Press and ESPN/USA Today Coaches polls, including eventual national champion Miami. The Big East Conference produced the best post-season winning percentage of any Bowl Championship Series Conference with a 4-1 mark (.800).
Now entering his fifth season at Temple, Wallace heads into spring drills with every player on the roster having been recruited during his tenure in Owl Country. In total, Temple returns 52 letterwinners, including 17 starters in 2002.
OFFENSE
The biggest challenge facing the team this spring will be installing a spread offense under the direction of new offensive coordinator David Brock. Brock was hired on March 4, after serving as associate head coach at Hofstra University.
"I feel very comfortable with the offense we are putting in," said Wallace. "But it is still going to take additional time to learn the plays and get comfortable with the terminology. It's a spread, no-huddle system that takes what the defense gives. If they cover the receivers, you run the football. If they don't, you throw the football."
The Owls return 10 starters on offense. The lone position not returning a starter is fullback, which is not found on the new depth chart.
"There is no fullback in this offense," said Wallace. "All backs are running backs. There are tight ends and we have some good, young tight ends coming back. There will be times that we have a tight end on the field and there will be times that we don't and have four wideouts. When we do that, there might be a running back in a wideout position.
"We want to keep Tanardo Sharps and Makonnen Fenton on the field as much as possible. We have a lot of skill people that need to touch the football. The coaching staff has a lot of decisions to make this spring about players we need to get the ball to. The best 11 players are who we need to play on offense"
Sharps has played in 26 games and made 21 starts at tailback. The senior Doak Walker Award candidate ranks fifth all-time at Temple with 1,993 career rushing yards. Fenton, a junior, played in all 11 games last season and was outstanding on kickoff returns. He led the Big East with a 26.1 yards per return average.
Also in the mix at running back is senior Lester Trammer, who made one start and rushed for four touchdowns last season. Umar Ferguson, Jeremy Irwin, Alex McClean, Andrew Smith and Lawrence Wade will compete for playing time.
Another area where the Owls feature a mix of talented athletes is at wide receiver, where Sean Dillard earned second-team All-Big East Conference accolades in 2001. Dillard led the league in receptions per game (4.64), and placed second in receiving yards (747) and receiving yards per game (67.9). The senior ranks 10th all time at Temple with 1,254 receiving yards in 30 games.
"Dillard took a big step last year and became an outstanding player," said Wallace. We also have some very talented players at receiver yet to reach their potential because of injuries."
Junior Zamir Cobb, senior Krishan Lewis and junior Gerald Butler also performed in starting roles last season. Cobb played in five games, starting three, before being sidelined with a hernia that required surgery. Lewis started three games and Butler received the starting call twice. Butler will not be with the Owls during spring drills but is expected back in the summer.
Juniors Ikey Chuku and Terrence Stubbs are also returning from injuries. Chuku suffered a season-ending knee injury in the season opener. Recovery from the surgery will likely keep him out of spring drills. Stubbs was sidelined for the entire 2001 campaign after sustaining a leg injury in preseason practice. He will be ready to go in the spring. Joining the mix at wide receiver are junior Donnie Coleman, sophomore Scott Pristas and much-anticipated freshman Jamel Harris.
The tight end position features four young, returning letterwinners, including starter Eric Carpenter. Carpenter was named to the Sporting News Big East All-Freshman team after playing in all 11 games and making seven starts in 2001. Carpenter is joined by fellow sophomores Dan Bosnic, Jordan Witzel and Thomas Sheehan. Redshirt freshman Mike Costello will compete for playing time.
The offensive line, hampered by injury through the course of the 2001 campaign, returns seven letterwinners and all started at least four games last year. This experience will be utilized by new offensive line coach John Reagan, who has switched to the front five after directing the defensive line the past two seasons. Temple allowed 39 quarterback sacks in 2001.
At tackle the Owls return 2001 starters Dave Yovanovits and Damian Hendricks, a local product from nearby Millville, N.J. Yovanovits, a three-year starter who has played every snap in 30 of 33 career games at tackle, played through a nagging leg injury in 2001. Hendricks started the season's final eight games. Anthony Nembhard, a junior college transfer, is experienced at both tackle and guard and made six starts in nine games last year.
"Yovanovits displayed a great deal of toughness and dedication last season playing through injury," said Wallace. "He has proven to be a leader and we are expecting an outstanding senior year from him."
A watchful eye will surely be focused on two highly-regarded redshirt freshmen in the spring, Yohance Perry and John Gross. Both will compete for playing time at tackle.
At guard, the Owls return three players with starting experience. Joe Laudano started 10 games last season. The junior has put on over 30 pounds of muscle since arriving at Temple in 1999 as a 258-pound tight end. Senior Anthony Bolden, a junior college transfer, made nine starts in 2001. Junior Jose Portillo returns after earning four starts. Portillo is also experienced at center, after playing the position last season due to injuries among the front five. Portillo, however, will be slowed in the spring due to post-season knee surgery.
The position of greatest concern in the spring will be in the middle, where the Owls will be without an experienced center able to practice at full speed. Returning starter Donny Klein will be limited in spring drills due to post-season shoulder surgery. Klein played 10 games and made seven starts, performing well despite an extremely sore shoulder. Vincent Gabriele, who played in five games and made two starts at center in 2001, has left the program after an injury-plagued career.
Juniors Adam Boyd and Jason Heilman and sophomores Frank McAndrew and Joe Johnsonbaugh are also in the mix for playing time in the front five.
Who will be calling the shots under center in 2002 is one of the more intriguing questions seeking an answer. Sophomore Mike McGann, who started seven games as a true freshman before missing the final two contests with a sprained thumb, enters spring practice atop the depth chart. McGann is a local product from Haverford, Pa., who attended St. Joseph's Prep, a high school just blocks away from the Temple campus. Senior Mike Frost, a junior college transfer, was redshirted in 2001 after starting three games in 2000. Sophomore Collin Hannigan played in three games last season.
"We have three big, strong quarterbacks that can throw the football," said Wallace. "This offense depends on the quarterback's ability to make good decisions. We're going to allow them to compete and we'll see who wins the job. On day one, McGann will be our starting quarterback, but that's just the first day. I think all three of them have a chance to win the job."
DEFENSE
Defensive coordinator Raymond Monica will be looking to fill some holes after a productive 2001 season that saw the Owls finish 19th nationally in total defense, allowing just 312.64 yards per contest. Temple also ranked among the country's best in turnovers gained (T15th, 29) and fumbles recovered (T16th, 14). At the conclusion of the season, this defensive production was recognized when head coach Bobby Wallace and Monica were selected to coach the Blue (North) defense in the annual Blue-Gray All-Star Football Classic. Two key players that the Owls will have to replace in 2002, defensive end Raheem Brock and cornerback Chonn Lacey, played in the game.
The first player to merit attention when focusing on the Temple defense is senior defensive tackle Dan Klecko, the only returning unanimous All-Big East Conference defensive player in the league. He is one of three unanimous all-league selections returning overall, joined by Miami quarterback Ken Dorsey and kicker Todd Sievers. The Colts Neck, N.J. native made 19.5 tackles for loss and an impressive 27 quarterback hurries from an interior position last season.
"Klecko is a great player, no question. His challenge this year is to be a dominant player and it is our challenge is to get him in position to do that, whether it is at defensive tackle or defensive end. We will move him around but that won't happen until the fall," said Wallace.
Joining Klecko on the defensive interior will be senior Rob Sack, who not only possesses the name for a defensive lineman but the ability to carry the moniker. Sack has made 14 career starts at defensive tackle.
"Sack is one of the most underrated players on this football team," said Wallace. I think he is an outstanding defensive tackle that has played extremely well for us."
Senior David Terry, juniors Taso Apostolidis, Luis Lumpis and Dominique Veney as well as redshirt freshman Adam Fichter are in the mix at defensive tackle.
Newly hired defensive line coach Toby Neinas has a challenge at hand. It is to find replacements at defensive end for departed seniors. The Owls lose Brock at one spot and both Jason Davis and Almonese Boyles at the other. Brock's name will likely be called at April's NFL draft.
"We have a lot of defensive ends that will be fighting for jobs," said Wallace. "Nobody is ahead of anyone right now. J.D. Stanley and Arlan Johnson have the most experience but there are some talented, young players that have a chance to break through this spring."
Stanley, a junior, has appeared in 16 games, primarily on special teams. Johnson, a Philadelphia native from Mastbaum Tech High School, played in one game as a first-year sophomore last season. Competing for playing time is senior Tyrone Ditzel, who has rejoined the program after a one-year hiatus, redshirt freshmen Jason Johnson and Rodney Wormley as well as sophomores Marques Coleman and Ismael Seals.
The inside linebacking corps did a good job in 2001. This season, Wallace is looking for excellence from the group. The Owls must also find a replacement for the departed Akeiff Staples.
"We have some very talented players at inside linebacker, but we have to find two guys that are going to make more plays than we made last year. It will be a very competitive situation in the spring," added Wallace.
Junior Troy Bennett, a local product out of Paulsboro (N.J.) High School, and senior J.D. Nichols look to have the edge entering the spring. Both started at inside linebacker last season. Nichols made six starts as a junior college transfer and Bennett received the starting call twice as a first-year sophomore. Seniors Terrence Belvin and Leon Gray, as well as redshirt freshmen Manuel Tapia and Rian Wallace make up a talented group vying for starting positions.
The outside linebacker spots, made up by the owlback and strong safety positions, look to be a definite strength. The Owls return two starters, in addition to experienced reserves at the positions. Additional depth will need to be found in the spring.
Senior Jairo Almonte was the Owls most valuable newcomer as a junior college transfer in 2001. After beginning the season at cornerback, he flourished at owlback when moved in week four. Almonte led the team and was tied for fourth in the Big East with three forced fumbles, in addition to making 13.5 tackles for loss.
"I was very pleased with the performance of Almonte once we moved him last year," said Wallace. "He is very physical and plays the owlback position the way it is meant to be played."
Gerard Bishop also returns at owlback. The senior has played in 27 career games.
Senior Lafton Thompson, a local product out of Norristown (Pa.) High School, holds down the fort at strong safety. Thompson has played in 33 games at strong safety and has made 22 consecutive starts. Senior Shawn Walker, another local product out of Deptford (N.J.) High School, returns at the position with 17 games under his belt.
The secondary, made up of the free safety and cornerback positions, returns four contributors, including two starters in 2002. The Owls will be without all-conference candidate Jamal Wallace in the spring, however. The Millville, N.J. native has started 22 straight games at free safety. He is expected back in Owl Country for preseason practice. In addition to the loss of Wallace in the spring, the defensive backfield must find a replacement for starting cornerback Chonn Lacey.
Senior Terrance Leftwich returns at cornerback after starting all 11 games last season, when he made three interceptions and six pass break-ups. Leftwich has seven aerial thefts in two seasons at cornerback to rank tied for ninth all-time at Temple.
"We're going to look for some young guys to step in the spring," said Wallace. Yazid Jackson is probably going to play two positions, both corner and free safety. We count on Wallace coming back in the summer but we don't know for sure, so we have to prepare."
Jackson, a junior, played in all 11 games, making one start last season. Joel Gray also returns in the secondary after seeing action in three games in 2001. Redshirt freshman Delonne Wilbourne will get a good, hard look in the spring. As will freshman David Reese, a member of the 2002 recruiting class that enrolled at Temple for the spring semester.
SPECIAL TEAMS
With both kicker Cap Poklemba and punter Jace Amore back in the fold, the kicking game looks to be in good shape. Poklemba, a senior, has connected on
22 of 35 career field goal attempts and converted 60 of 61 career PATs. Amore struggled at times as a true freshman in 2001 but performed well enough to be named to the Sporting News Big East
all freshman team.
Amore will be pressure by junior Garvin Ringwelski, who handled the Owls' punting duties in 2000. Poklemba will have competition in senior Jared Davis. Davis, believed to be the lightest player in Division I-A football at 5-6, 139 pounds, performed in eight games in 2001, often as a kickoff specialist. Davis, a communications major, has twice been named to the Big East Conference all-academic team.
Redshirt freshman punter Shane Van Sciver, as well as redshirt freshmen kickers Roger Price and Stephen Josephson are also in the kicking game mix.
Sophomore wide receiver Scott Pristas enters the spring as the holder. Departed quarterback Mac DeVito performed the duties the past four seasons.
"Our kicking game is a competitive situation, which is good because it means we have depth. We need to improve our consistency punting the football and we have to improve our whole punt team operation. That's going to be a major goal for us this spring," said Wallace.
Wallace's goal of improving the punt units will be hampered by the lack of an experienced long snapper in the spring. Returning letterwinner Brandon George will not be available for spring drills and Kevin Czaban, the Owls starting long snapper the previous four seasons, has completed his eligibility. Tight end Eric Carpenter will take up the task during spring practice.
Return teams are an area of strength. Makonnen Fenton and Tanardo Sharps prove a dangerous mix on kickoff units. Fenton led the Big East and placed 21st nationally with a 26.1 yards per return average last year. Sharps, whose five returns didn't qualify for the league's final stats, averaged 26.2 yards per return in 2001.
Sean Dillard and Zamir Cobb can pose big problems for opposing coverage units on punts. Dillard placed fourth in the Big East with a 9.0-yards per return average on 26 returns last season. Cobb was averaging 12.4 yards per return before being sidelined with a hernia. In the season opener versus Navy, he returned a punt 47 yards for a score to become the first Owl to return a punt for a touchdown since 1994.
