Temple University Athletics

Saturday, November 17
West Point, N.Y.
Noon

Temple University

at

Army

Football
RB Matt Brown
Photo by: Mitchell Leff

Football Travels to Army on Nov. 17

11.12.12 | Football

GAMENOTES IN PDF

THIS WEEK

Temple travels to West Point, N.Y., to take on Army on Nov. 17.  Kickoff is set for Noon at Michie Stadium.

CBS Sports Network will broadcast the game live with Ben Holden calling the action and Randy Cross providing color commentary. Cadet Dan Sprouse '14 will work the sidelines.

The Owls' radio broadcast will air on 1210 AM WPHT with Harry Donahue calling the play-by-play and Steve Joachim providing color analysis.

Under the direction of second-year head coach Steve Addazio, Temple stands 3-6 overall and 2-4 in BIG EAST play after a 34-10 loss to Cincinnati.  The 2012 Temple squad returns 35 lettermen, including nine starters.  The Owls utilize a multiple offense and a 4-3 defense.

Senior RB Montel Harris (Jacksonville, Fla.) is the Owls' top rusher with 597 yards and five touchdowns on 129 carries.  Sophomore WR Jalen Fitzpatrick (Harrisburg, Pa.) is the top receiver with 24 catches for 322 yards and two touchdowns.  Junior QB Chris Coyer (Oak Hill, Va.) is 84-of-164 for 946 yards and eight touchdowns while rushing for 444 yards and two TDs. True freshman LB Tyler Matakevich (Stratford, Conn.) is the top defender with 74 tackles, including 47 solo takedowns, and three break-ups.

In this week's national rankings, Temple is ranked among the nation's best in several categories—  No. 11 net punting (40.40), No. 22 in kickoff returns (24.41), No. 32 sacks (2.44), and No. 35 in punt returns (10.33).   Individually, senior RB Matt Brown is No. 8 in punt returns (14.60), No. 22 in all-purpose running (149.00), and No. 34 in kickoff returns (25.48), while senior PK Brandon McManus (Hatfield, Pa.) is No. 9 in punting (45.02) and No. 36 in field goals (1.33).

Under the tutelege of fourth-year coach Rich Ellerson, Army is 2-8 overall after a 28-7 loss at No. 23 Rutgers.  The Black Knights return 17 starters to their spread/triple option offense and double-eagle flex defense. An independent (no conference affiliation), Army has one common opponent with Temple on its football schedule this season. Both played (and loss to) nationally ranked Rutgers.

Among the Top 25, Army leads the nation in rushing offense (366.10) and is ranked No. 5 in sacks allowed (0.70). Sophomore LB Geoffrey Bacon is No. 5 in tackles (11.20), while senior LB Nate Combs is No. 18 in tackles for loss (1.44)?and No. 25 in sacks (0.75). Senior QB Trent Steelman is No. 32 in rushing (101.30), while junior SB Raymond Maples is No. 37 (96.50).

Senior QB Trent Steelman is Army's top rusher with 1,013 yards and 13 touchdowns on 204 carries. Junior SB Raymond Maples follows with 965 yards and two TDs on 181 carries.  Sophomore WR Chevaughn Lawrence has 17 receptions for 266 yards. Under center, Steelman is 36-of-78 for 549 yards and a touchdown. Freshman QB A.J. Schurr is 7-of-17 for 112 yards and two TDs in five outings.  Sophomore LB Geoffrey Bacon leads the defenders with 112 tackles, an interception, a forced fumble, a hurry, and a break-up.

TEMPLE-ARMY CONNECTIONS
Temple has four New York players on its roster— senior DB Zamel Johnson (Staten Island, N.Y.), r-freshman QB Chad McCloskey (Gloversville, N.Y.), junior OL Scott Roorda (Westmoreland, N.Y), and senior OL Martin Wallace (New York, N.Y.).

Army's roster has eight players from Pennsylvania, including junior  SB Raymond Maples (Philadelphia, Pa. / West Catholic) from the Southeastern area.

In his sixth season at Temple, running backs coach Tyree Foreman spent three seasons (2004-06) as the assistant running backs coach at?Army.

Sophomore QB/H Connor Reilly (Fairfax, Va.) has carried the U.S. flag on the team's stadium entry during the last two seasons. His father Neil Reilly, who recently served with the Army in Afghanistan, flew the Temple flag over his battalion while deployed and traveled with the flag on each mission.

Andy Heater, son of Temple defensive coordinator Chuck Heater, is currently an Airborne Army Ranger. He recently returned safely from overseas deployment. Andy played defensive tackle at the University of Washington.

SHARING THE HOMEFIELD
When Army visits Lincoln Financial Field on Dec. 8 to play Navy, the team won't have trouble getting around.  During previous Army-Navy games at the Linc [2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, and 2010], the Black Knights have used Temple's locker room as their locker room. Army is winless at Lincoln Financial Field [0-9].

FROM THE ARCHIVES
In the teams' first meeting in 1943, Army was coached by the legendary Earl “Red” Blaik, who guided the Cadets to a 121-33-10 record from 1941-58. His 1944, 1945, and 1946 teams were national champions. Temple was coached by Ray Morrison.

In 1987, Jim Young coached Army to an ambush of Bruce Arians' Temple squad, 17-7. The score was tied, 7-7, at halftime, and the Cadets opened the second half running. They finished with 75 rushes in 76 plays for the game. However, on their fourth play of the half, QB Otto Leone caught Temple over-playing the run. He faked a handoff and hit TE Mark Charette for a 64-yard touchdown pass. It would be the key play of the game as the Owls were not able to score aside from Tom Quinn's two-yard run in the first half. Quinn rushed for 144 yards on 29 carries. The teams combined for just 12 passing attempts on the afternoon.

Beginning with the 1999 season, Army changed its nickname from the Cadets to the Black Knights.

TEMPLE-ARMY— THE SERIES
Saturday's game is the10th meeting between the Owls and the Black Knights. Temple leads the series, 5-4, winning five of the last six meetings.  

Last fall at Lincoln Financial Field, Temple captured a 42-14 win. The Owls led 28-0 at intermission.  Junior RB tandem Matt Brown and Bernard Pierce each rushed for more than 100 yards and combined for five touchdowns. The Owls totaled 335 rushing yards on 42 attempts in a record-setting day. Returning from injury, Pierce rushed for a game-high 157 yards and three touchdowns, breaking the team record for rushing touchdowns in a season. With just over five minutes to go in the game, Pierce broke five tackles on a 49-yard run en route to the endzone for his third TD of the game.

During the Owls' last visit to West Point in 2010, then-sophomore RB Matt Brown scored a career-high four touchdowns to cap a 15-point comeback as Temple took down Army, 42-35, before a Homecoming crowd of 33,065 at Michie Stadium.

In the teams'  2009 meeting at Lincoln Financial Field, Temple claimed a 27-13 Homecoming win. True freshman Bernard Pierce had 65 yards and a touchdown.

SERIES INFORMATION
Temple all-time vs. Army:     5-4
Temple in games at Temple:     2-1
Temple in games at Army:     3-3
First meeting in series:     1943 at Michie Stadium; L, 51-0
Last meeting in series:     2011 at Lincoln Financial Field; W, 42-14

Year    Site                        Results    TU Coach    Army Coach
1943    Michie Stadium    L, 52-0    Ray Morrison    Earl Blaik
1987    Michie Stadium    L, 17-7    Bruce Arians    Jim Young
1993    Veterans Stadium    L, 56-21    Ron Dickerson    Bob Sutton
1994    Michie Stadium    W, 23-20    Ron Dickerson    Bob Sutton    
2007    Michie Stadium    L, 37-21    Al Golden    Stan Brock
2008    Michie Stadium    W, 35-7    Al Golden     Stan Brock
2009    Lincoln Financial    W, 27-13    Al Golden    Rich Ellerson
2010    Michie Stadium    W, 42-35    Al Golden    Rich Ellerson
2011    Lincoln Financial    W, 42-14    Steve Addazio    Rich Ellerson

SERIES HIGHS
Temple Owls 
   
    Rushing:     Matt Brown, 28-226, 4 TDs (2010)
    Passing:     Adam DiMichele, 23-42-314, 2 TD (2007)
    Receiving:     Michael Campbell, 5-124, 2 TDs (2010)

Army Black Knights
    Rushing:     Akili King, 14-163 (1993)
    Passing:     Carson Williams, 11-26-175, 2 TD (2007)
    Receiving:    Jeremy Tremble, 5-125, 1 TD (2007)


THANKSGIVING FOOD DRIVE
On Thursday, November 15, (time TBA) the Temple football team will make some special deliveries as part of its sixth annual Thanksgiving Food Drive. The Owls will drop off non-perishable food items, collected by the players, coaches, and staff over the last two weeks, to the Bethesda Project (722 North Broad Street).  

The entourage will then head over to St. John's Hospice (1221 Race Street) to drop off 30 frozen turkeys with all the trimmings for Thanksgiving dinner. The dinners were made possible through monetary donations from the players and coaches. All players on the team donated their per diem to the cause. 

UP NEXT
Temple closes its home slate in its BIG EAST finale with Syracuse on Friday, Nov. 23 at Lincoln Financial Field.  The Senior Class will be honored in a pregame ceremony.  Kickoff is set for 11 a.m. on ESPN2.  

Next Event

Army
W, 63-32

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