Temple University Athletics
Honors Continue for Football
12.22.14 | Football
The honors keep coming in for a quintet of Temple Owls. Center Kyle Friend, defensive tackle Matt Ioannidis, defensive end Praise Martin Oguike, linebacker Tyler Matakevich and defensive back Tavon Young have been on nearly all-conference list.
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Since season's end, the American Athletic Conference, Phil Steele Publications, College Sports Madness and the Eastern College Athletic Conference have honored a number of Owls.
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The best news for Temple fans is that they are all juniors returning for the 2015 season.
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C Kyle Friend
Second Team – American Athletic Conference
Second Team – Phil Steele Publications
Second Team – College Sports Madness
In a season that saw six different offensive line combinations, Friend was the center of all of them. Now a rising senior, Friend has played in 35 consecutive games, 33 straight starts, and continues to be one of the toughest players on the team.
DL Matt Ioannidis
Second Team – American Athletic Conference
Third Team – Phil Steele Publications
Second Team – College Sports Madness
ECAC FBS All-Star Team
A rising senior, Ioannidis has been a leader for the defensive line. Ioannidis led all defensive linemen with 46 tackles, 11 TFLs, and started in all 12 games this season. Ioannidis' best game this season came against the Houston Cougars, where he posted 10 tackles, five solo, 2.5 TFLs, and a career-high 1.5 sacks.
DE Praise Martin-Oguike
Second Team – American Athletic Conference
Second Team – Phil Steele Publications
First Team – College Sports Madness
ECAC FBS All-Star Team
After he was missing from the Temple roster for two years, Martin-Oguike was a shining force on the defense this season. Against #21 East Carolina, Martin-Oguike accounted for 1.5 sacks, 3.5 TFLs, three forced fumbles and a blocked field goal and was named the Walter Camp Defensive Player of the Week. Overall this season, Martin-Oguike accounted for 36 tackles, nine for a loss, a team-leading 7.5 sacks, and one recovery for a TD. His five forced fumbles were fourth-best in the NCAA.
LB Tyler Matakevich
First Team – American Athletic Conference
First Team – Phil Steele Publications
Second Team – College Sports Madness
A stable member of the linebacker unit, Matakevich has proven to be a tackling machine, posting 88 solo tackles this season, which led the conference and ranked second in the nation. Matakevich again led the Owls with 117 tackles and tied the school record with 16 solo tackles vs #21/19 East Carolina. He joined Joe Klecko and Steve Conjar as the only three players in school history to top the century mark in tackles for three straight seasons. With 355 career tackles, Matakevich enters 2015 as the only NCAA player with more than 300.
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DB Tavon Young
Honorable Mention – American Athletic Conference
Third Team – Phil Steele Publications
Third Team – College Sports Madness
ECAC FBS All-Star Team
Young set the tone early for the Owls with two interceptions in the season opener at Vanderbilt. One of only five players to start in every game this season, Young accounted for four interceptions for a conference-leading 153 yards, including a 93-yard touchdown return at Connecticut; the second longest in school history. Young also had a 63-yard fumble recovery that was returned for a touchdown that gave the Owls the first score in their 20-10 victory over #21 East Carolina.Â
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In addition, senior wide receiver Jalen Fitzpatrick was named to Phil Steele's second team All-Conference team.
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WR Jalen Fitzpatrick
Second Team – Phil Steele Publications
A fourth-year senior, Fitzpatrick saved his finest season for his senior year. In 2014, he had career-highs in receptions (53), yards (730), and touchdowns (7). The 53 catches were the third most in Temple history and his yardage total was good for eighth. He recorded touchdowns in each of the team's first five games and had a career-long 75-yard TD at Penn State. Fitzpatrick finished his Temple career having played in 44 consecutive games, including at least one reception in his final 27 contests.
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Since season's end, the American Athletic Conference, Phil Steele Publications, College Sports Madness and the Eastern College Athletic Conference have honored a number of Owls.
Â
The best news for Temple fans is that they are all juniors returning for the 2015 season.
Â
C Kyle Friend
Second Team – American Athletic Conference
Second Team – Phil Steele Publications
Second Team – College Sports Madness
In a season that saw six different offensive line combinations, Friend was the center of all of them. Now a rising senior, Friend has played in 35 consecutive games, 33 straight starts, and continues to be one of the toughest players on the team.
DL Matt Ioannidis
Second Team – American Athletic Conference
Third Team – Phil Steele Publications
Second Team – College Sports Madness
ECAC FBS All-Star Team
A rising senior, Ioannidis has been a leader for the defensive line. Ioannidis led all defensive linemen with 46 tackles, 11 TFLs, and started in all 12 games this season. Ioannidis' best game this season came against the Houston Cougars, where he posted 10 tackles, five solo, 2.5 TFLs, and a career-high 1.5 sacks.
DE Praise Martin-Oguike
Second Team – American Athletic Conference
Second Team – Phil Steele Publications
First Team – College Sports Madness
ECAC FBS All-Star Team
After he was missing from the Temple roster for two years, Martin-Oguike was a shining force on the defense this season. Against #21 East Carolina, Martin-Oguike accounted for 1.5 sacks, 3.5 TFLs, three forced fumbles and a blocked field goal and was named the Walter Camp Defensive Player of the Week. Overall this season, Martin-Oguike accounted for 36 tackles, nine for a loss, a team-leading 7.5 sacks, and one recovery for a TD. His five forced fumbles were fourth-best in the NCAA.
LB Tyler Matakevich
First Team – American Athletic Conference
First Team – Phil Steele Publications
Second Team – College Sports Madness
A stable member of the linebacker unit, Matakevich has proven to be a tackling machine, posting 88 solo tackles this season, which led the conference and ranked second in the nation. Matakevich again led the Owls with 117 tackles and tied the school record with 16 solo tackles vs #21/19 East Carolina. He joined Joe Klecko and Steve Conjar as the only three players in school history to top the century mark in tackles for three straight seasons. With 355 career tackles, Matakevich enters 2015 as the only NCAA player with more than 300.
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DB Tavon Young
Honorable Mention – American Athletic Conference
Third Team – Phil Steele Publications
Third Team – College Sports Madness
ECAC FBS All-Star Team
Young set the tone early for the Owls with two interceptions in the season opener at Vanderbilt. One of only five players to start in every game this season, Young accounted for four interceptions for a conference-leading 153 yards, including a 93-yard touchdown return at Connecticut; the second longest in school history. Young also had a 63-yard fumble recovery that was returned for a touchdown that gave the Owls the first score in their 20-10 victory over #21 East Carolina.Â
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In addition, senior wide receiver Jalen Fitzpatrick was named to Phil Steele's second team All-Conference team.
Â
WR Jalen Fitzpatrick
Second Team – Phil Steele Publications
A fourth-year senior, Fitzpatrick saved his finest season for his senior year. In 2014, he had career-highs in receptions (53), yards (730), and touchdowns (7). The 53 catches were the third most in Temple history and his yardage total was good for eighth. He recorded touchdowns in each of the team's first five games and had a career-long 75-yard TD at Penn State. Fitzpatrick finished his Temple career having played in 44 consecutive games, including at least one reception in his final 27 contests.
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Players Mentioned
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DB
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