Behind Enemy Lines: Temple Owls

In our latest attempt to go behind enemy lines and scouting the upcoming opponent for Penn State we take a look at the Temple Owls. I could give you my own scouting reports on the Owls after watching the last two games (one in person), but for now we reach out to Josh Verlin of Buzz on Broad, one of the up and coming Philadelphia sports blogs. Josh is the lead columnist and college sports editor for Buzz on Broad and was kind enough to share his thought son Temple with us.

1. Temple is off to a 2-0 start and have done so by blowing away their opponents. Even though Penn State has some issues though and is coming off a loss, what challenges will Temple have against Penn State that they have not yet seen?

Well, they certainly haven’t faced a team anywhere near Penn State’s caliber–even if we’re not exactly sure what that means at this point. Akron and Villanova are basically the same talent level, and that might be an insult to Villanova. Temple has to gameplan now for a team that they can’t just impose their will on. The Owls are going to be forced to throw the ball on third down, so junior quarterback Mike Gerardi’s abilities against a real college defense will be tested. On the defensive side of the ball, Temple’s defensive line is no longer going to be able to get into the offensive backfield anywhere near as easily. The Owls have talent on that line, especially junior end Adrian Robinson, but it’s going to take a more complex defensive attack to get to the Nittany Lions quarterbacks.

2. Steve Addazio was a bit of an interesting hire for the Owls. What has the coaching transition been like after losing Penn State’s own Al Golden?

Well, when you win your first two games by a combined score of 83-10, it’s hard to say the transition has been anything but off to a fantastic start. Addazio did a good job in keeping together most of Golden’s 2011 recruiting class, and already has 22 commitments for 2012. When you bring along half the coaching staff of the University of Florida, you’re talking about a very talented group of coaches in North Philadelphia, and they’re running the Owls just like any SEC program, without the recruiting scandals. It certainly helps that Addazio inherited a fairly veteran team on both sides of the ball, but the pieces are in place for Addazio to continue the success that Golden started.

3. Bernard Pierce is a stud. I have been fortunate enough to see him in person a number of times, but Penn State fans may still be a little unfamiliar with him. Fill us in on what makes Pierce so special.

Well, you’re talking about a kid who’s 6’1″, 218 pounds–that’s NFL size, and he’s got the speed and moves to match. Pierce reminds me a lot of a Ray Rice runner, someone who’s not going to break 90-yard touchdown runs but instead will give you 5-7 yards on nearly every carry. Still, he’s not purely a power back. If you watch his three touchdown runs against Akron, you’ll see a back with great vision who’s not afraid to bounce it to the outside when the middle is clogged up. The Owls also have an experienced offensive line, and they do a great job of sealing off the running lanes for both Pierce and fellow junior running back Matt Brown. Brown’s a 5’6″ speedster, but also averages over five yards a rush with 1500 career yards for Temple.

4. Penn State’s running game has had some pretty big performances against Temple the last few years and many Penn State fans are expecting the running game to get back on track after last weekend’s loss to Alabama. Will Silas Redd have a big day against the Owls, like Evan Royster has the past couple of years, or will the Owls find a way to plug the running lanes?

The Owls lost Muhammad Wilkerson (1st round, NYJ) to the NFL Draft this year, but the defense has been fierce in the first two games. The 12 total sacks rank third in the country, led by junior defensive end Adrian Robinson. He’s lined up on both sides of the field, so watch for #43 to be in the Penn State backfield often, with a variety of rushes. Linebacker Tahir Whitehead has also found himself behind the line of scrimmage often in the first two games, while Ahkeem Smith is a converted running back with good cover skills and decent size (6’1″) at outside linebacker. If Temple gets anywhere near the level of penetration they got in their first two games, they could wreak havoc on the PSU running game.

5. Give us your assessment of this game, what you’re looking for from any angle you wish, and share your prediction for the final outcome if you care to do so.

There’s so much to watch for in this game, with so many variables that could swing in either direction for either team. Both Temple and Penn State are rushing teams with struggling quarterbacks, solid defenses who haven’t really played against a team of the other’s skill level yet. Penn State has to take Temple seriously, and Temple has to not get overexcited about State College to the point where they fail to play their game. I’m expecting a game that’s played mostly on the ground, with enough defensive miscues to lead to some big runs, the occasional pass play, and some scoring. Temple has a legitimate shot in this game, but I think Penn State’s talent and the fact that Addazio is still just two games into his Temple career could prove too much for the Owls.

Penn State, 23-20.