Temple University Athletics
Temple Football Travels to Navy For Last Non-Conference Game
10.27.08 | Football
Oct. 27, 2008
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THIS WEEK
Temple packs its bags for its sixth road trip of the season and its last non-conference game. The Owls open the month of November at Navy on Nov. 1 on the fifth annual National College Football Day. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. at Navy-Marine Corps Stadium in Annapolis, Md. CBS College Sports Network [channel 274 on Comcast Philadelphia] will televise the game live nationally with Tom Hart (play-by-play) and Trev Alberts (analyst) calling the game. The game will be simulcast on the MOJO HD channel to Comcast digital customers with HD service throughout much of Pennsylvania, Maryland, New Jersey, Ohio, West Virginia, Delaware, Virginia and Washington, D.C.
The Owls' radio broadcast will air on WPHT 1210 AM with Harry Donahue calling the play-by-play and Steve Joachim providing color analysis. Live gametracker stats and audio streaming will be available on the Temple Athletics website at www.owlsports.com.
Under the direction of third-year head coach Al Golden, Temple stands 3-5 overall and 2-3 in Mid-American Conference play. The Owls moved into second place in the MAC East standings following a 14-10 come-from-behind win over Ohio on Oct. 21 at Lincoln Financial Field.
Returning 20 seniors and 26 juniors, Temple returns 21 starters this season and the top defense in the MAC. Senior WR Bruce Francis (Sicklerville, N.J.) is the Owls' top receiver with 28 catches for 363 yards and a team-best six touchdowns. Freshman RB Kee-ayre Griffin (East Orange, N.J.) leads the Owl rushers with 197 yards and three touchdowns on 40 carries in three games. Redshirt senior QB Adam DiMichele (McKees Rocks, Pa.) has completed 60-of-107 for 699 yards and six touchdowns. Redshirt freshman QB Chester Stewart (Hanover, Md.) has completed 53-of-106 for 524 yards and four touchdowns in five games. Defensively, sophomore DB Jaiquawn Jarrett (Brooklyn, N.Y.) has 57 tackles, including 33 solos, two fumble recoveries and an interception. The Owls will utilize their East Coast offense and 4-3 defense. The Owls continue to lead the nation in kickoff returns with 29.00 yards per return.
Under the guidance of first-year head coach Ken Niumatalolo, the Midshipmen stand 4-3 overall after a 34-7 win over Southern Methodist. Niumatalolo has been with the academy for a combined 10 seasons, including the last six as the assistant head coach and offensive line coach. Having won four of its last five games, Navy returns 12 starters to its spread offense and 3-4 defense. Senior SB Shun White is the Midshipmen's top rusher with 768 yards and five touchdowns on 87 carries. At quarterback, senior Jarod Bryant has completed 18-of-32 for 265 yards and two touchdowns, while senior Kaipo Kaheaku-Enhada is 10-of-14 for 192 yards and two touchdowns. In the air, senior WR Tyree Barnes has 13 receptions for 246 yards and two touchdowns. Defensively, sophomore S Wyatt Middleton has 49 tackles, 32 solos, four break-ups, and an interception. Navy ranks second nationally in rushing offense (309.88 yards per game). While the Midshipmen rank 118 out of 119 team in passing offense (62.00 yards per game), when they do pass, they rank seventh in passing efficiency (162.20 rating).
Temple has 10 players on its roster from the state of Maryland, but none from Annapolis. Navy has seven players from Pennsylvania, including four-- OT Jeff Battipaglia (Newtown / St. Joseph's Prep), K/P Joe Buckley (Downingtown / Malvern Prep), LS Jerry Feehery (Wallingford / Cardinal O'Hara HS), DE Michael Walsh (Newtown / Notre Dame HS)-- from the Philadelphia suburban area. Junior LB Ross Pospisil went to a different Temple-- Temple High School in Temple, Texas.
TEMPLE-NAVY CONNECTIONS
Navy offensive line coach Ashley Ingram served as a graduate assistant coach at Temple during the 1998 season. He is in his first year with the Midshipmen. Ingram served as the offensive coordinator at Bucknell during the 2006 season, the same year TU's defensive line coach Jared Backus was the defensive coordinator for the Bison.
Navy secondary coach Danny O'Rourke earned his master's degree in education administration at Temple in 2002. He served as graduate assistant to the director of football operations for the Owls in 1999.
TEMPLE-NAVY-- THE SERIES
Saturday's game will mark the ninth meeting between the Owls and Midshipmen with the series tied at four wins each. In the season opener last fall, Navy claimed a 30-19 win at Lincoln Financial Field before a then-Temple record crowd of 30,368 for the stadium.
During Al Golden's first season, Navy defeated the Owls 42-6 at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in what was the final regular-season game for TU. It marked the second straight season that Temple closed its season with a loss at Navy (38-17, 2005). Prior to the 2005 season, the Owls had won two straight under head coach Bobby Wallace, defeating Charlie Weatherbie led teams in Annapolis in 2000 (17-6) and at Franklin Field in 2001 (45-26). The Midshipmen beat the Ron Dickerson-led Owls 49-17 in 1997 to earn their first win in the series. Temple won the first meeting by a 12-7 margin in 1988 under Bruce Arians before capturing the second meeting by a 21-14 score in 1991 under Jerry Berndt. The Cherry & White is 2-3 all-time in Annapolis.
SERIES INFORMATION Temple all-time vs. Navy: 4-4 Temple in games at Temple: 2-1 Temple in games at Navy: 2-3 First meeting in series: 1988 at Navy-Marine Corps Stadium; W, 12-7 Last meeting in series: 2007 at Lincoln Financial Field; L, 19-30SERIES HIGHS Temple Owls Rushing: Tanardo Sharps, 31-180, 1 TD (2000) Passing: Mike McGann, 24-38-245, 1 TD (2005) Receiving: Bruce Gordon, 10-125, 1 TD (2005)
Navy Midshipmen Rushing: Kaipo Kaheaku-Enhada, 19-140, 2 TD 2006) Passing: Chris McCoy, 7-8-128, 2 TD (1997) Receiving: Gene Reese, 4-61(2001)
Year Site Results TUCoach NavyCoach 1988 Navy-Marine Corps Stadium W, 12-7 Bruce Arians Elliot Uzelac 1991 Veterans Stadium W, 21-14 Jerry Berndt George Chaump 1997 Navy-Marine Corps Stadium L, 17-49 Ron Dickerson Charlie Weatherbie 2000 Navy-Marine Corps Stadium W, 17-6 Bobby Wallace Charlie Weatherbie 2001 Franklin Field W, 45-26 Bobby Wallace Charlie Weatherbie 2005 Navy-Marine Corps Stadium L, 17-38 Bobby Wallace Paul Johnson 2006 Navy-Marine Corps Stadium L, 6-42 Al Golden Paul Johnson 2007 Lincoln Financial Field L, 19-30 Al Golden Paul Johnson
