Temple University Athletics
Drayton to Miss Navy Game; Withers to Handle Head Coaching Duties
10.28.22 | Football
PHILADELPHIA – Temple University announced today that head football coach Stan Drayton will not be on the sidelines with the team when they take on Navy this Saturday. Drayton has been suffering from a viral infection and has not been with the team at practice all week. His gameday responsibilities will be handled by Everett Withers, Temple Football's chief of staff.
"First and foremost, we want Coach Drayton to take care of his health," said Arthur Johnson, Vice President and Director of Athletics for Temple University. "The football team is in good hands due to his ability to put together a tremendous coaching staff. His leadership has been instilled in the players so they can have success with or without his presence. I know that Coach Drayton has been in contact with the staff from home. I have no doubt that the coordinators and Coach Withers will be able to lead our team in his absence."
"I've been fighting this infection all week," said Drayton, "but it was a stronger gut punch to find out that I cannot fight with my team on Saturday. I've spoken all week with [offensive coordinator] Danny [Langsdorf], [defensive coordinator] D.J. [Eliot], and [special teams coordinator] Adam [Scheier], and am very confident that they will execute the game plan that has been installed. There are few people I trust as much as Coach Withers, and I'm certain that he will have the team fired up and ready to battle."
Everett Withers joined the Temple Football program in January as Drayton's chief of staff, supporting him in all aspects of the program. He previously worked with Drayton at Ohio State (2012-13) and Texas (2020). Withers is no stranger to the sidelines having coached in both college and the NFL over 34 seasons including holding the role of head coach at North Carolina (2011), James Madison (2014-15), and Texas State (2016-18).
"First and foremost, we want Coach Drayton to take care of his health," said Arthur Johnson, Vice President and Director of Athletics for Temple University. "The football team is in good hands due to his ability to put together a tremendous coaching staff. His leadership has been instilled in the players so they can have success with or without his presence. I know that Coach Drayton has been in contact with the staff from home. I have no doubt that the coordinators and Coach Withers will be able to lead our team in his absence."
"I've been fighting this infection all week," said Drayton, "but it was a stronger gut punch to find out that I cannot fight with my team on Saturday. I've spoken all week with [offensive coordinator] Danny [Langsdorf], [defensive coordinator] D.J. [Eliot], and [special teams coordinator] Adam [Scheier], and am very confident that they will execute the game plan that has been installed. There are few people I trust as much as Coach Withers, and I'm certain that he will have the team fired up and ready to battle."
Everett Withers joined the Temple Football program in January as Drayton's chief of staff, supporting him in all aspects of the program. He previously worked with Drayton at Ohio State (2012-13) and Texas (2020). Withers is no stranger to the sidelines having coached in both college and the NFL over 34 seasons including holding the role of head coach at North Carolina (2011), James Madison (2014-15), and Texas State (2016-18).
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