Temple University Athletics
Photo by: ZAMANIFEELINGS.NET
Temple Owls Football Set to Begin 2023 Season
7.25.23 | Football
The Temple Owls embark on the 2023 football season poised to improve on its record from a year ago.
Â
The improvement actually began last year when then first-year head coach Stan Drayton took the helm. Coming off a 2021 season where the Owls were defeated by an average of three touchdowns per game (450 points against versus 196 points for), the Owls were much more competitive in 2022 closing the gap to a one score difference (351-263).
Â
Now in his second season pacing the sideline, Drayton's has his team ready to not just compete for 60 minutes, but to find themselves on the winning side of the outcomes.
Â
In 2022, only five schools ranked in the Top 30 in both passing offense and passing defense: Alabama (23/17), Fresno State (24/24), Georgia (18/22), Ohio State (15/15), and Temple (28/28) [rankings are (offense/defense)] proving that the Owls have talent on each side of the ball.
Â
The offense will be led from the start by sophomore quarterback E.J. Warner. Although he began his true freshman season on the bench, perhaps no one in the country wanted the 2022 season to go on more than Warner. He threw for school records in attempts (63), completions (45), and yards (527) in the season finale vs. East Carolina becoming the first Temple quarterback to throw for 500 yards. He is also the first to have two 400-yard games in the same season and the first to have three 300-yard games in the same season. – AND HE DID IT ALL WITHIN 22 DAYS. He became just the second Owls' QB to top 3,000 passing yards with 3,028 (P.J. Walker had 3,295 in 2016). His completions (268) and attempts (443) set the school records for a single-season.
Â
If Warner can be complimented by any sense of consistency on the offensive line – last year the Owls were unable to start the same five offensive linemen in consecutive weeks – the offense will be able to continue to improve. An injection of speed through both the transfer portal and Drayton's first full recruiting class, will give Warner the weapons to be explosive.
Â
The defense is once again led by redshirt junior linebacker Jordan Magee. He is the unquestioned leader of the defense who led the team in tackles (86) a year ago. Coming off All-AAC recognition last season, Magee has already received preseason honors this year. He's easy to find in the middle of the Owls defense, wearing the number "6" since being awarded by his teammates with a single-digit – given to Temple's elite football players for their on- and off-field leadership.
Â
Magee is joined by a number of steady returners on defense including redshirt senior defensive lineman Jerquavion Mahone (24 tackles, 6.0 TFL, 1.5 sacks), redshirt junior linebacker Yvandy Rigby (82 tackles, 5.5 TFLs, 2.0 sacks), junior safety Alex Odom (75 tackles, 4.0 TFLs, two interceptions), and redshirt sophomore cornerback Jalen McMurray (49 tackles, one interception, one fumble recovery, two forced fumbles). Graduate outside linebacker Layton Jordan may be the strongest playmaker of the group. With 9.0 sacks, 18.5 TFLs, two interceptions, and three defensive touchdowns in 2022, Jordan joined Ndamukong Suh (2008) and Melvin Ingram (2011) as the only FBS players to record three TDs, two INTs, 5.0 sacks and 10.0 TFLs in one season.
Â
Special teams, which made impressive strides in 2022, should continue to improve this season. Kicker Camden Price was 13-14 on field goals last year (92.9%) but since he played in just eight games, did not qualify to be among those ranked in the NCAA. Among those who attempted 14-or-more field goals, however, he ranked 12th in the FBS and second in the American Athletic Conference. That includes a 49-yarder vs. UCF, the third longest in the AAC last season.Â
Â
Overall, the 2023 Temple Owls are expecting to continue improving and competing in the new-look American Athletic Conference this season.
Â
Â
Â
Â
The improvement actually began last year when then first-year head coach Stan Drayton took the helm. Coming off a 2021 season where the Owls were defeated by an average of three touchdowns per game (450 points against versus 196 points for), the Owls were much more competitive in 2022 closing the gap to a one score difference (351-263).
Â
Now in his second season pacing the sideline, Drayton's has his team ready to not just compete for 60 minutes, but to find themselves on the winning side of the outcomes.
Â
In 2022, only five schools ranked in the Top 30 in both passing offense and passing defense: Alabama (23/17), Fresno State (24/24), Georgia (18/22), Ohio State (15/15), and Temple (28/28) [rankings are (offense/defense)] proving that the Owls have talent on each side of the ball.
Â
The offense will be led from the start by sophomore quarterback E.J. Warner. Although he began his true freshman season on the bench, perhaps no one in the country wanted the 2022 season to go on more than Warner. He threw for school records in attempts (63), completions (45), and yards (527) in the season finale vs. East Carolina becoming the first Temple quarterback to throw for 500 yards. He is also the first to have two 400-yard games in the same season and the first to have three 300-yard games in the same season. – AND HE DID IT ALL WITHIN 22 DAYS. He became just the second Owls' QB to top 3,000 passing yards with 3,028 (P.J. Walker had 3,295 in 2016). His completions (268) and attempts (443) set the school records for a single-season.
Â
If Warner can be complimented by any sense of consistency on the offensive line – last year the Owls were unable to start the same five offensive linemen in consecutive weeks – the offense will be able to continue to improve. An injection of speed through both the transfer portal and Drayton's first full recruiting class, will give Warner the weapons to be explosive.
Â
The defense is once again led by redshirt junior linebacker Jordan Magee. He is the unquestioned leader of the defense who led the team in tackles (86) a year ago. Coming off All-AAC recognition last season, Magee has already received preseason honors this year. He's easy to find in the middle of the Owls defense, wearing the number "6" since being awarded by his teammates with a single-digit – given to Temple's elite football players for their on- and off-field leadership.
Â
Magee is joined by a number of steady returners on defense including redshirt senior defensive lineman Jerquavion Mahone (24 tackles, 6.0 TFL, 1.5 sacks), redshirt junior linebacker Yvandy Rigby (82 tackles, 5.5 TFLs, 2.0 sacks), junior safety Alex Odom (75 tackles, 4.0 TFLs, two interceptions), and redshirt sophomore cornerback Jalen McMurray (49 tackles, one interception, one fumble recovery, two forced fumbles). Graduate outside linebacker Layton Jordan may be the strongest playmaker of the group. With 9.0 sacks, 18.5 TFLs, two interceptions, and three defensive touchdowns in 2022, Jordan joined Ndamukong Suh (2008) and Melvin Ingram (2011) as the only FBS players to record three TDs, two INTs, 5.0 sacks and 10.0 TFLs in one season.
Â
Special teams, which made impressive strides in 2022, should continue to improve this season. Kicker Camden Price was 13-14 on field goals last year (92.9%) but since he played in just eight games, did not qualify to be among those ranked in the NCAA. Among those who attempted 14-or-more field goals, however, he ranked 12th in the FBS and second in the American Athletic Conference. That includes a 49-yarder vs. UCF, the third longest in the AAC last season.Â
Â
Overall, the 2023 Temple Owls are expecting to continue improving and competing in the new-look American Athletic Conference this season.
Â
Â
Â
Players Mentioned
OLB
/ Football
LB
/ Football
DL
/ Football
CB
/ Football
K
/ Football
LB
/ Football
QB
/ FootballEp. 18: Men's Basketball Student-Athlete Olin Chamberlain Jr.
Tuesday, November 04
Colin Chase, 11/3/25
Monday, November 03
Javier Morton, 11/3/25
Monday, November 03
K.C. Keeler, 11/3/25
Monday, November 03
