Temple University Athletics
Warner Voted AAC Rookie of the Year; Varner and Jordan Earn All-AAC Honors
11.30.22 | Football
PHILADELPHIA – The American Athletic Conference announced its postseason awards and three Temple Owls earned recognition. Quarterback E.J. Warner was voted Rookie of the Year, while defensive lineman Darian Varner and outside linebacker Layton Jordan earned all-conference recognition.
Warner becomes the first Temple player to win AAC Rookie of the Year since its inception in 2013 (Tyler Matakevich won the Big East Rookie of the Year in 2012). The talented true freshman had a record-breaking season, setting the single-game passing record for yards (527) and completions (45), while throwing for a career-high five touchdowns against East Carolina to close out the season. He became the first quarterback in school history to throw for over 500 yards in a game, the first to post two 400-yard games in a season, and the first to post three 300-yard games in one season. The ECU performance came just two weeks after Warner set the record for passing yards (486) and completions (42) in a shootout at Houston. At the end of his first season, Warner owns many single-season records. His 3,028 passing yards are the most by a freshman in Temple history, and it ranks second to P.J. Walker's 2016 total of 3,295 for most by any quarterback. Warner is in sole possession of first place on the all-time single season completions record with 278. He also was the only quarterback in the FBS to throw for over 450 yards in a game multiple times this season.
Varner was named to the All-AAC First Team. He is the first Temple player to garner first-team all-conference honors since Shaun Bradley, Matt Hennessy, Ifeanyi Maijeh, and Quincy Roche in 2019. The single-digit sophomore was one of the leaders of the Owls' defense this season. He finished second on the team in sacks with 7.5 and TFLs with 12.5. His career-high 3.5 sacks vs. Tulsa fell just shy of the single-game Temple record of 4.0 set by Dan Klecko in 2002. His 0.75 sacks per game were tied for second in the conference with fellow teammate Layton Jordan, while his 1.25 TFLs per game ranked fourth in the AAC at seasons end.
Jordan was named to the All-AAC Second Team. The redshirt junior was a handful for opposing offensive lines to deal with this season, leading the Owls with nine sacks and 18.5 TFLs. His 0.75 sacks per game were tied for second in the conference along with Varner, while his 1.54 TFLs per game ranked third in the AAC at seasons end. Jordan's nine sacks were tied for 15th in the country this season, while his 18.5 TFLs ranked eighth in college football. Jordan now ranks ninth on Temple's single-season sack total, and sixth in TFLs. Varner and Jordan helped the Owls defense collect 38 sacks this season, five shy of Temple's all-time single season record of 43.
Warner becomes the first Temple player to win AAC Rookie of the Year since its inception in 2013 (Tyler Matakevich won the Big East Rookie of the Year in 2012). The talented true freshman had a record-breaking season, setting the single-game passing record for yards (527) and completions (45), while throwing for a career-high five touchdowns against East Carolina to close out the season. He became the first quarterback in school history to throw for over 500 yards in a game, the first to post two 400-yard games in a season, and the first to post three 300-yard games in one season. The ECU performance came just two weeks after Warner set the record for passing yards (486) and completions (42) in a shootout at Houston. At the end of his first season, Warner owns many single-season records. His 3,028 passing yards are the most by a freshman in Temple history, and it ranks second to P.J. Walker's 2016 total of 3,295 for most by any quarterback. Warner is in sole possession of first place on the all-time single season completions record with 278. He also was the only quarterback in the FBS to throw for over 450 yards in a game multiple times this season.
Varner was named to the All-AAC First Team. He is the first Temple player to garner first-team all-conference honors since Shaun Bradley, Matt Hennessy, Ifeanyi Maijeh, and Quincy Roche in 2019. The single-digit sophomore was one of the leaders of the Owls' defense this season. He finished second on the team in sacks with 7.5 and TFLs with 12.5. His career-high 3.5 sacks vs. Tulsa fell just shy of the single-game Temple record of 4.0 set by Dan Klecko in 2002. His 0.75 sacks per game were tied for second in the conference with fellow teammate Layton Jordan, while his 1.25 TFLs per game ranked fourth in the AAC at seasons end.
Jordan was named to the All-AAC Second Team. The redshirt junior was a handful for opposing offensive lines to deal with this season, leading the Owls with nine sacks and 18.5 TFLs. His 0.75 sacks per game were tied for second in the conference along with Varner, while his 1.54 TFLs per game ranked third in the AAC at seasons end. Jordan's nine sacks were tied for 15th in the country this season, while his 18.5 TFLs ranked eighth in college football. Jordan now ranks ninth on Temple's single-season sack total, and sixth in TFLs. Varner and Jordan helped the Owls defense collect 38 sacks this season, five shy of Temple's all-time single season record of 43.
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