A Deserving Champ

Temple football had a long history of being mediocre. They have an overall losing record since the program was started back in 1894. They have a losing record in bowl games. Temple football hasn't always been known for their success, but things are changing. They have Sean Chandler.

Chandler, or as his teammates and coaches call him "Champ," grew up in Camden, New Jersey. Being close to Temple gave him the opportunity in high school to see the team play and practice close to home. Champ, after committing to Temple his senior year of high school, would watch them practice in the spring at Camden High School. He knew it was only a matter of time before he would be on that field with them.

"I knew I was getting a step ahead of everybody," said Chandler. "I was gonna be feasting. I tried to get a step ahead of all the other incoming freshman and beat them out like that. I was gaining confidence by going out there too and showing myself that I could do this, that I could play at the next level."

Those practices he attended most likely helped him make that smooth transition to the next level his freshman year, since he started making plays right off the bat.

"He was only a freshman, but in camp he probably had the most interceptions," said Tyler Matakevich, Champ's former teammate. "You roll back the film and you just see the same guy flashing, making plays."

Single digit numbers are only given to the toughest players on the team, but after a couple of weeks, Champ was voted to be one of the select few.

"I didn't know it was a trend to start out with, but when Coach Rhule was giving me the jersey he was like 'I don't know about this one,'" Chandler recalled. "So I'm walking up there, gaining a chip on my shoulder as I'm walking up there. I was ready to show everybody I deserve this number. I already knew my teammates were behind me so I was like 'that's all I need.'"

To date, Champ is the youngest Temple player to receive a single digit, and he has worn that number 3 all four years of his career.

Overcoming adversity is nothing new to Champ, and carrying a chip on his shoulder has almost become the norm for him.

When Sean Chandler was growing up in Camden, he bounced around from house to house and spent one year in a homeless shelter with his family. Champ wouldn't be concerned about himself though, he was always looking out for his little sister and the rest of his family.

"If I went to a game with one of my coaches, we would get hot dogs and stuff like that," said Chandler in an interview with Kevin Negandhi. "I would just try to act like 'can I get two' and he would say 'alright we'll get you two' and I'd just save one of those hotdogs for my little sister."

That family first mentality helped Chandler switch from corner to safety his junior year after starting at corner all but one game his first two years and after being second in passes defended in the American Athletic Conference his freshman year and third his sophomore year. Chandler knew the switch wouldn't be easy, but his coaches knew he had more than enough talent to play the position.

"It was something different, since I never played the position in high school," said Champ. "It was a lot of new stuff to learn but I'm always open to learning new things. Having coach Snow out there helped me develop into a way better player and stuff like that so it was cool."

Chandler not only learned from Snow though, a 39-year coaching veteran who spent time in the NFL and in the Pac 12. He now learns from head coach Geoff Collins and defensive coordinator Taver Johnson who have developed some of the most talented deep defenders playing in the NFL. Champ's excited to play for his new coaches and work with them in helping the team get better.

"When a new coaching staff comes in," said Chandler, "I feel like you have to get the guys to buy in, to buy into the team. Now I'm the guy who feels like I have to make that connection from the coaches to the players and bring it all together."

Champ respects his new coaches, and the respect is mutual.

"He has some charisma to him when he speaks up and lets everyone know what he's thinking," said Johnson, who spent 2007-2010 as defensive backs coach at Ohio State, where he coached Eagles star safety Malcolm Jenkins. "He's got a good personality and, on top of that, he's a worker. He does a really good job of getting out there and doing a lot of behind-the-scenes things. When the place is shut down, he's usually here, day or night."

"I'm excited about [Chandler] and he epitomizes 'Temple Tuff' and single-digit tough," Collins said. "You just see him every day with a look in his eye and a desire to be great. I just think he epitomizes what this program is all about.

Tough defines Champ. He's a team player who doesn't let his past define him, and Temple adopted that mindset with his presence. Since Chandler has been at Temple, the team has a winning record of 29-17. He really has helped turn the program around.

So where is Temple now? Like we noted, they are 29-17 over Champ's career heading into this weekend's homecoming game against UConn and they are sitting 3-3 this season. He is also anchoring a strong temple secondary and playing with their respect.

"I've been around some great defensive backs," said defensive back Artrel Foster, a fellow single digit honoree. "But I'm not much of a leader I would give that to Champ. I look up to him, really."

This is Champ's last season with the Owls, and his body of work over his four years with the team speaks for itself. He will go down as one of the best to ever play in the Temple Owls defensive backfield and most likely join former teammates Tavon Young and Nate Hairston at the next level. Head coach Geoff Collins recognizes Champ's greatness as well.

"Over the last seven years, I've coached some really good defensive backs. Sean Chandler is in that conversation with any of those kids."