A Temple State of Mind

A program on the rise is not a rare occurrence within college football, as the spinning carousel of talented coaches and all-star athletes breeds a system of spikes in success and doldrums stuck in the cellar.

Not unlike the stock market, though, identifying such a program before its surge is no simple task. Well, perhaps a few Wall Street investment firms should take a look into Owl defensive end Praise Martin-Oguike, who jumped in at the ground floor based solely off the potential he saw in the Temple.

"One thing that drove me here was the development of the program and the school as a whole," Martin-Oguike recalled. "Over the past six years, this place has really transformed. If I had gone to a school that was already developed, that would've been fun, but I wanted to be part of building something special."

Special indeed. The sixth-year senior has been a part of the most dramatic rise in program history, all behind the guidance of fourth-year head coach Matt Rhule. And while Temple has yet to become the next Alabama, the waves up and down the northeast corridor have made a serious impression for the future.

Looking back on his own recruitment, Martin-Oguike identified what stood out about the Owls from an outsider's perspective. Not the NFL stadium, the burgeoning campus or the blue-collar culture, but rather the people.

"Temple fits with me, first of all, because of the type of people in the program," Martin-Oguike said. "There are a lot of programs out there where they really don't care about each other, where it's all 100 percent business all the time. At Temple, though, you notice people are actually there for you. That's been true since day one, and that's stuck out with me."

Martin-Oguike would know better than most about the quality personnel the program has to offer, as a two-year-long court battle sidelined him indefinitely prior to his sophomore season. With the charges cleared, though, Rhule and his staff were able to welcome Martin-Oguike back to Temple, despite the university initially expelling him.

The athletic department even went to bat for the sophomore against the NCAA, appealing successfully for the rare extra year of eligibility Martin-Oguike lost during his hiatus.

"A lot of people were telling me to go elsewhere, but I knew that if I came back that Coach Rhule would take care of me," Martin-Oguike said. "If I went to a new program, it would be with a bunch of people I don't know, and I don't know if I could trust them. I knew I could trust them no matter what."

Moving forward, that same level of trust has transformed into a leadership role for the senior, who remains thankful he's still able to compete for the Owls.

"I'm around the type of people I want to be around," Martin-Oguike continued. "I like being around the type of players who are working toward a goal, and there is never a dull moment. It's always fun to be around these guys, and they go after it every day."

As an active member on the defensive line, Martin-Oguike has served a unique purpose within the unit. Due to his overall strength, powerful frame and quick get-off, defensive line coach Elijah Robinson has sought to use the senior as a utility athlete capable of playing any of the four positions up front.

The varying sizes and speed of the unit usually keeps the ends and tackles from mixing up positions, but Robinson remains confident Martin-Oguike has the right "toolbox" to make an impact anywhere on the field.

"Praise has a toolbox, and every guy has a different set of tools to work with," Robinson said. "What comes with Praise is his relentlessness, how strong he is and how he plays with power. He has the ability, with his stature and his body frame, to play anywhere on the D-Line. He's as strong as a defensive tackle but as quick as a defensive end. He's a guy who can play inside for us on some third down passing situations, or he can play outside for us. He's a guy who can play all four positions."

For the Owls' defense this season, the line has actually served as a pleasant surprise, as a number of athletes have emerged as serious playmakers thus far into the year. Ranging from breakout star Haason Reddick to up-and-comer Michael Dogbe, the unit has demolished offensive fronts on more than one occasion.

As a sixth-year stand-in, Martin-Oguike has watched each and every one of these players transform into who they are today. The senior chuckled at how he used to be the "man" of the group, but nowadays the whole unit is making plays.

"For me, it's actually funny, I started out really good and most of the guys now were behind me," Martin-Oguike joked. "Now, though, they've all gotten so good and we're just making plays. It's really fun to watch how those guys have developed, because they really just had to grow up. It's fun playing with them, because whoever we put in there, they're effective."

In terms of leadership, Martin-Oguike's experience with the team certainly sets him apart; however, the senior discussed how the defensive line has no set "leader," but rather relies on the group to hold everyone accountable.

Robinson backed up that sentiment, indicating how important it was for all his players to evolve those leadership traits. In terms of Martin-Oguike, though, his veteran feel adds a different edge on the field and in the meeting room.

"I think all these guys have to learn how to lead, because at some point they're going to become fathers, they're going to be businessmen," Robinson preached. "The idea is that when they leave Temple, they have those leadership qualities. With Praise, though, he's an older guy so when he speaks to [the younger guys], they listen. When one guy speaks, the other guys listen. We try to hold each other accountable."

Temple University Athletics

A Temple State of Mind

Related News

Players Mentioned

Michael Dogbe

Praise Martin-Oguike

Haason Reddick

Related Videos