Temple University Athletics
2026 Spring Practice Blog
3.10.26 | Football
PHILADELPHIA – Head coach K.C. Keeler enters his second year at the helm on 10th & Diamond, as Temple Football kicks off its first spring practice period on Tuesday, March 10. Keeler and the revamped roster will practice three times a week over the next month on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. This all culminates with the annual Cherry & White Spring Game on Saturday, April 11 at Edberg-Olson Hall.
This blog will serve as an up-to-date tracker of each spring practice that includes top plays and highlights from the day along with access to media availability video links with coaches and student-athletes.
Tuesday, March 10
The opening day of spring practice was met with perfect weather in the mid 70s with not a cloud in sight. The weather brightened up in Philadelphia, and so did everyone's mood now that Temple football is officially back. The first of the Owls' 15 practices featured 21 periods of fundamentals, details, and high energy. Keeler and his staff have been together for a full year at this point and are firing on all cylinders; ensuring technique and detail is at the forefront of everything the team does. 108 guys are at 10th & Diamond for these spring practice sessions with 43 of them being new to the team.
Offensive Highlights
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The offense headed by a room of new faces for the quarterbacks came out and drilled the basics, but sometimes those plays turn into head-turners.
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Penn State transfer Jaxon Smolik hit the field for the first time as an Owl and delivered precise and decisive balls to his receivers. Early in seven-on-seven drills, the redshirt-sophomore hit fellow newcomer Jayce Freeman on a perfectly timed out-route. Freeman got great separation and Smolik hit the Stony Brook transfer right out of his break.
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Returning wide receiver Jojo Bermudez did not lose a step from last season and he proved that in today's opening practice. The redshirt senior hauled in a five yard pass from quarterback Ajani Sheppard and then turned on the jets. Bermudez took a five-yard grab and turned it into a 45-yard catch and run.
Defensive Highlights
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The play of the day happened rather early in the day by the defense. Returning linebacker Eric Stuart collected the first turnover of the spring and turned it into six points. The graduate student read the quarterback's eyes and jumped the crossing route and eventually found pay dirt.
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Redshirt-sophomore Denzel Chavis almost secured the second turnover of the day, but came up just short. The cornerback had lockdown coverage over the middle of the field and forced a pass breakup that was nearly an interception.
Thursday's media availability will include offensive coordinator Tyler Walker. The video recording of his availability will be posted to owlsports.com by the end of the day.
| Date | Media Availability |
| 3/10/26 | K.C. Keeler - Presser |
| 3/12/26 | Tyler Walker |
| 3/14/26 | Brian L. Smith |
| 3/17/26 | |
| 3/19/26 | |
| 3/21/26 | |
| 3/24/26 | |
| 2/26/26 | |
| 3/28/26 | |
| 3/31/26 | |
| 4/2/26 | |
| 4/4/26 | |
| 4/7/26 | |
| 4/9/26 | |
| 4/1/26 |
