Temple University Athletics
From the Field to the Mic
9.26.24 | Football
Student athletes in college live a completely different life than your typical college student. The pressure, tight schedules, and lack of free time can be extremely overwhelming, but safeties Louis Frye and Andreas Keaton, and cornerback Ben Oseuke have found a creative outlet to share their experiences on and off the field.
The three are all key members of the Temple defense, and they've come together to launch a podcast that gives fans and supporters the inside scoop to not only their lives as college athletes, but who they are when they're off the field. The group would like to be seen as mentors to younger children who may be viewing, to let them know that "There's more to football than just working out, and playing games. There's a whole different side that comes with it," said Keaton.
Louis Frye, a junior safety majoring in sports management, transferred to Temple this year from Northern Illinois University. "I didn't think my initial school was the right fit for me," he explained. The safety from Englewood, N.J., played at Nothern Illinois for three seasons, where he recorded 10 tackles during his freshman year and achieved a career-high six tackles in the Cure Bowl against Coastal Carolina. As he's adjusting to Temple, he says he likes the culture. He noted that it's closer to home and he enjoys being able to see his family more often.
Ben Osueke, a senior defensive back majoring in advertising, transferred to Temple last year, after playing two successful seasons at Blinn Junior College. During his sophomore year at Blinn, he turned up the heat, earning all-conference recognition with 33 tackles, and one interception. Within his first season as an Owl in 2023, Osueke made a huge impact by playing in all 12 games, and recorded his first career forced fumble in Temple's match-up with Rutgers. "Temple felt like the right fit at the time, it felt like the right choice," Oseuke noted on his decision to transfer. Since transferring to Temple, he has become more confident and is emerging as a key player for the Owls' defense.
Andreas Keaton, also known as DK, is a senior safety, majoring in adult organization and development. Keaton transferred to Temple after three impressive seasons at Western Carolina, where he led the team in tackles in his final two years at the university. He recorded 67 tackles, and was selected for the first-team preseason All-Southern conference. This season, Keaton has made a name for himself at Temple, earning a single-digit jersey, which is a long time tradition here in the nest. A single-digit jersey is awarded to players who exemplify leadership both on and off the field. He has served as a game captain for three of the four games so far, and is currently ranked among the top safeties in the nation, with a 90.5 rating. Keaton is focused, and ready to make an impact. He has come in with a mindset different than we've seen in the past, showcased his capabilities, and established a reputation for himself—truly embodying what it means to be Temple TUFF.
The trio connected through football, as they play in the same position group, but intensified when they realized that they live on the same floor as each other. Keaton and Frye were roommates, with Osueke living just down the hall. "Football brought us together, and we discovered that we shared the same position group and that we live in the same apartment building," Fyre recalled. And thus was the foundation of their podcast, which is infamously known as "Talking with DK, and the Owls." The idea of creating a podcast stemmed during late spring, when football was in the off season, and the trio needed something to keep themselves occupied. What started as something so casual has transformed into something so intricate that has given Temple supporters a chance to get to know these athletes. The first episode of the podcast aired on April 15, 2024, and discussed college sports, professional sports, fashion, and much more. Since the air date, they've welcomed over 10 guests onto their show to talk about various different topics.
The podcast primarily focuses on highlighting different parts of their personalities that we don't get to see. "We were bored and just decided to make it happen," Frye explained. "We really wanted to show the community that there's more to us than just what they see on the field," Osueke added. They aim to inspire the younger kids who look up to them, and who eventually want to play football for Temple. As college-athletes, there is always a battle of balancing all of your responsibilities. The trio shed light on how chaotic it is to balance their studies, football, and a new podcast. "Prioritizing our responsibilities for the day and finding times where we're free can be a struggle," Osueke admitted. But Frye on the other hand, remains cool, calm, and collected. "I just show up when I'm needed! Andreas handles everything for the most part," he joked. Keaton primarily handles all of the execution, he uploads, plans, and edits to ensure that everything runs smoothly.
No group project is complete without a member forgetting to do something. One moment that the group laughs about til this day is when Frye booked the wrong recording room, AND forgot to turn on the mics. "We had a full episode taped, with an amazing guest, and it was just…gone," he laughed, as Keaton rebutted back, "This is why we don't let him do anything. I got it." Getting to know them outside of college-athletes, the trio finds similarities in their liking of video games, specifically 2K and NCAA College Football. They are also big foodies, liking restaurants such as Maggiano's and the Capital Grille.
The three share different goals within their friendship. All Louis wants is to win a championship, while Ben lives with the mindset of taking it one day at a time and focusing on living in the moment. On the other hand, Andreas wants to focus on his growth as both an athlete and friend to the group. As we approach the halfway mark of the 2024-2025 season, the group of upperclassmen thinks about how they want to be remembered. "We want to be seen as the team that changed the culture and who flipped the script," Osueke noted. Their podcast coincides with this mission, as they try to create a bridge between Temple football and its supporters. When it's all said and done, Frye, Osueke, and Keaton aren't just hopping on a mic and talking about whatever comes to mind. They're trying to create a new reality of what it really means to be a college-athlete. They hope to inspire the younger audience by showing them the depth and determination that comes with this role.
