Temple University Athletics
The Making of Freddie Love
9.28.18 | Football
As Temple football's Saturday afternoon showdown against Boston College quickly approaches, the Owls are flying high into Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, off of back-to-back victories. Following an impressive road win versus Maryland and a dominating performance against conference foe Tulsa, head coach Geoff Collins and Temple's defense are beginning to garner some national attention - and for good reason.
Temple's defense - famously nicknamed the #DARKside - sits atop numerous national rankings, leading the nation in red-zone defense (53.8), defensive touchdowns (4), and blocked kicks (3).
In addition, defensive coordinator Andrew Thacker's unit ranks second in the nation interceptions (7) and fifth in sacks (3.75 per game), and seventh in takeaways (9).
A major portion of Temple's defensive success begins up front, where a seasoned veteran in the program - redshirt senior defensive lineman Freddie Booth-Lloyd - is piecing together an impeccable senior campaign. Fresh off of back-to-back milestone games that saw the 6-foot-1, 330-pound physical specimen force his first career fumble (vs. Tulsa) and rush for an emphatic touchdown (vs. Maryland), Booth-Lloyd enters this week's contest against the Golden Eagles on a remarkable hot streak.
Like a few of his teammates, Booth-Lloyd has already earned a nickname from his head coach who refers to the big man as "Freddie Love."
A native of Cocoa, Florida - a city ranked the 11th most dangerous in the country by the National Council for Home Safety and Security - Booth-Lloyd understood toughness from a young age. So in a program that preaches being #TempleTUFF, he provides the Owls defensive front with a level of toughness that is unmatched.
"Being #TempleTuff is being the most physical and relentless guy that you can be," he explained.
However, the grit that Booth-Lloyd displays on a weekly basis is rooted in something much deeper than that.
"Growing up, all I had was sports, so I just went from one sport to another just to stay out of trouble… Cocoa really is a bad place." said Booth-Lloyd. "In my 9th grade year, I figured that if I ever wanted to get out of this place, I would have to play football. I knew I had to dedicate myself to football and make it out of there."
Aside from his dedication to making it out of Cocoa, inside the team's facility at Edberg-Olson Hall, Booth-Lloyd had also been dedicating himself to a much different cause since arriving on campus in 2014: getting the opportunity to score a touchdown at the goal line.
As unorthodox as handing the ball off to an interior defensive lineman seems, coach Collins preaches versatility across the board, and as the "Minister of Mayhem", he has never been bashful about taking chances.
Lo and behold, in the second quarter of the Owls' 35-14 rout over Maryland two weeks back, offensive coordinator Dave Patenaude pulled the trigger from the 1-yard line and dialed up a play that featured Booth-Lloyd as the ball carrier.
Seconds later, big #99 received the handoff from quarterback Anthony Russo and plunged into the end-zone for the go-ahead touchdown, as all of Temple's sideline rejoiced.
"I had been petitioning [to get the ball] since I got here, and it felt great," he explained, chuckling. "I've scored in that stadium before in high school, so scoring in that stadium again brought back memories."
In the same season that has seen starting running back Ryquell Armstead line up along the defensive line and record a sack, it only made sense for Booth-Lloyd to line up in Armstead's spot and rush for a touchdown.
"He [Booth-Lloyd] is a wonderful kid to be around every day. We were working him in that package for the last six to eight months," said coach Collins following the win over Maryland. "I still remember when I first got here, watching Freddie's highlight tape and seeing him score a touchdown on that field. All week I just wanted to get in that situation so Freddie could score a touchdown and get on that field. The situation was right."
With highly touted Boston College up next for the Owls, Booth-Lloyd is feeling good, and seems to be more than ready to take the field to do what he does every Saturday: put on for where he's from.
"It feels good to do all that I can to represent," he said. "It's an honor to represent my county."
Temple's defense - famously nicknamed the #DARKside - sits atop numerous national rankings, leading the nation in red-zone defense (53.8), defensive touchdowns (4), and blocked kicks (3).
In addition, defensive coordinator Andrew Thacker's unit ranks second in the nation interceptions (7) and fifth in sacks (3.75 per game), and seventh in takeaways (9).
A major portion of Temple's defensive success begins up front, where a seasoned veteran in the program - redshirt senior defensive lineman Freddie Booth-Lloyd - is piecing together an impeccable senior campaign. Fresh off of back-to-back milestone games that saw the 6-foot-1, 330-pound physical specimen force his first career fumble (vs. Tulsa) and rush for an emphatic touchdown (vs. Maryland), Booth-Lloyd enters this week's contest against the Golden Eagles on a remarkable hot streak.
Like a few of his teammates, Booth-Lloyd has already earned a nickname from his head coach who refers to the big man as "Freddie Love."
A native of Cocoa, Florida - a city ranked the 11th most dangerous in the country by the National Council for Home Safety and Security - Booth-Lloyd understood toughness from a young age. So in a program that preaches being #TempleTUFF, he provides the Owls defensive front with a level of toughness that is unmatched.
"Being #TempleTuff is being the most physical and relentless guy that you can be," he explained.
However, the grit that Booth-Lloyd displays on a weekly basis is rooted in something much deeper than that.
"Growing up, all I had was sports, so I just went from one sport to another just to stay out of trouble… Cocoa really is a bad place." said Booth-Lloyd. "In my 9th grade year, I figured that if I ever wanted to get out of this place, I would have to play football. I knew I had to dedicate myself to football and make it out of there."
Aside from his dedication to making it out of Cocoa, inside the team's facility at Edberg-Olson Hall, Booth-Lloyd had also been dedicating himself to a much different cause since arriving on campus in 2014: getting the opportunity to score a touchdown at the goal line.
As unorthodox as handing the ball off to an interior defensive lineman seems, coach Collins preaches versatility across the board, and as the "Minister of Mayhem", he has never been bashful about taking chances.
Lo and behold, in the second quarter of the Owls' 35-14 rout over Maryland two weeks back, offensive coordinator Dave Patenaude pulled the trigger from the 1-yard line and dialed up a play that featured Booth-Lloyd as the ball carrier.
Seconds later, big #99 received the handoff from quarterback Anthony Russo and plunged into the end-zone for the go-ahead touchdown, as all of Temple's sideline rejoiced.
"I had been petitioning [to get the ball] since I got here, and it felt great," he explained, chuckling. "I've scored in that stadium before in high school, so scoring in that stadium again brought back memories."
In the same season that has seen starting running back Ryquell Armstead line up along the defensive line and record a sack, it only made sense for Booth-Lloyd to line up in Armstead's spot and rush for a touchdown.
"He [Booth-Lloyd] is a wonderful kid to be around every day. We were working him in that package for the last six to eight months," said coach Collins following the win over Maryland. "I still remember when I first got here, watching Freddie's highlight tape and seeing him score a touchdown on that field. All week I just wanted to get in that situation so Freddie could score a touchdown and get on that field. The situation was right."
With highly touted Boston College up next for the Owls, Booth-Lloyd is feeling good, and seems to be more than ready to take the field to do what he does every Saturday: put on for where he's from.
"It feels good to do all that I can to represent," he said. "It's an honor to represent my county."
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