Temple University Athletics
OWLS CONCLUDE SPRING PRACTICE WITH ANNUAL CHERRY & WHITE GAME
4.26.03 | Football
"Overall, I'm pleased with the team's performance this spring," said Wallace at the conclusion of the game. "I think we have had some great individual improvements. Obviously, with 20 additional junior college transfers arriving in the fall, we are counting on people to come in and help us in certain areas. Specifically, in the receiving corps and in the defensive backfield."
The offense got off to a sluggish start on Saturday. In the first 18 plays from scrimmage, the White lost two fumbles and rushed for one net yard on 10 carries while completing just one of eight passes and suffering an interception. Sophomore DE Jason Johnson (Camp Hill, Pa./Cedar Cliff HS) and junior DB DeMarco McGregory (Philadelphia, Pa./Cheyney Univ.) each recovered fumbles while sophomore DT Adam Fichter (Mars, Pa./Mars HS) made an interception off a deflected pass to spark an early Cherry charge.
"We started poorly offensively," said Wallace. "The offense settled down eventually and played better but it was too late. Had we played an actual game today, we would have been behind at the end of the first quarter. From a defensive standpoint, however, that's great. We created turnovers and got after it."
After its early struggles, the offense, led by quarterbacks Mike McGann (Jr., Havertown, Pa./St. Joseph's Prep) and Satyen Bhakta (Jr., Gwynedd Valley, Pa./Wissahickon HS), found its rhythm en route to scoring five touchdowns and two field goals. McGann, the returning starter, completed nine of 22 passes for 157 yards and three TDs (one INT), while Bhakta connected on nine of 17 attempts for 131 yards and one score (one INT). In the field goal department, senior Jared Davis (Saunderstown, R.I./North Kingston HS) made a 49-yard attempt while sophomore Roger Price (Philadelphia, Pa./George Washington HS) connected from 34 yards on the final play of the scrimmage.
Senior Terrence Stubbs (Chesapeake, Va./Fork Union MA) made four catches for 77 yards, including a 55-yard scoring grab from McGann, to lead all receivers. Redshirt freshmen Bill Monan (Wayne, N.J./Wayne Hills HS) and Jamel Harris (Shrewsbury, N.J./Red Bank Regional HS), as well as sophomore Emeka Nwodim (Baltimore, Md./Overlea HS) also caught scoring aerials.
Junior Umar Ferguson (Silver Springs, Md./Einstein HS) led all rushers, carrying eight times for 65 yards, including a 40-yard touchdown run. Senior Makonnen Fenton (Somerville, Mass./Somerville HS) rushed seven times for 31 yards and sophomore Mark Miller (Somerville, N.J./Somerville HS) carried eight times for 29 yards.
In the tackle department, senior Anthony Nembhard (Harlem, N.Y./Nassau CC), paced the Cherry with five stops.
Temple returns 42 lettermen and 10 starters from the team that posted a 4-8 record in 2002, including a 2-5 mark in Big East Conference play to finish tied for sixth place. The 2003 schedule begins on Saturday, August 30 at Penn State and is highlighted by eight opponents that played in bowl games last season.
The 2003 campaign will mark the 105th season of collegiate football at Temple University.
Cherry & White Scrimmage Scoring Plays
McGann five-yard pass to Monan (Davis kick)
Bhakta 14-yard pass to Nwodim (Price kick)
Davis 49-yard field goal
McGann 55-yard pass to Stubbs (Josephson kick)
McGann 20-yard pass to Harris (Pettinelli kick)
Ferguson 40-yard run (Josephson kick)
Price 34-yard field goal
Offensive Statistics
Passing: McGann, 9-22-1-157; Bhakta, 9-17-1-131.
Rushing: Ferguson, 8-65; Fenton, 7-31; Miller, 8-29; Patterson, 3-22; Porter, 10-11; Jefferson, 3-5; Williams, 2(-4); McGann, 3-1; Bhakta, 2(-6); Team, 2(-5).
Receiving: Stubbs, 4-77; Szarka, 2-30; Nwodim, 2-28; Spencer, 2-21; Ferguson, 2-10; Pristas, 1-41; Fenton, 1-25; Harris, 1-20; Hannigan, 1-17; Miller, 1-14; Monan, 1-5.
