Every year at the end of camp, the Temple Owls‘ players and coaching staff vote on who they think are the toughest players on the team. The top nine players receiving votes get the honor of wearing a single digit jersey for the season. For the most part, anybody who follows Temple football can pretty much predict who will be within the lucky nine.
Announced last week, the nine toughest players include last year’s NCAA solo tackles leader Tyler Matakevich; returning team sack leader Matt Ioannidis; versatile John Christopher (who doesn’t do much for Temple other than play wide receiver, long snapper, special teams gunner, and mascot (rumored)); workhorse running back Kenny Harper; offensive line anchor and possible NFL talent Kyle Friend; and, most interestingly, freshman cornerback Sean Chandler.
Chandler wasn’t a part of Temple’s defense last year, which wasn’t very good. They were decent against the run, led by a relatively strong linebacking core, but struggled mightily versus the pass. The Owls’ secondary intercepted only three passes all year and gave up 24 touchdowns. During one stretch, Louisville, SMU, and UCF combined to complete 69 percent of their passes and threw 10 total touchdowns (versus no interceptions) against the Chandler-less secondary.
Head coach Matt Rhule and defensive coordinator Phil Snow knew they had to improve the secondary during the offseason—three of the Owls’ top five newcomers are defensive backs.
Chandler earned a starting cornerback spot during training camp and now belongs to a completely revamped defensive backfield. He’ll be playing alongside JUCO transfer Khiry Lucas.
Two intriguing safeties, Alex Wells and Boye Aromire, were also both transfers and expected to start. An injury to consensus starting corner Anthony Robey likely gave Chandler more looks during camp. And the coaches liked what they saw.
“He was voted by his peers. As a coach, I wouldn’t have voted for a true freshman, I wouldn’t pick them. But I agree with their decision. On the field he’s still a freshman but this is just about toughness and work ethic. He comes to work every day. Toughness isn’t just about physical toughness. It’s competitive toughness and most importantly, it’s mental toughness; when you do what you are supposed to do when you are tired. When you study, pay attention, when you prepare…Sean Chandler is all of those things. There’s no guy on our team that listens to the coaches more than him.”
Chandler will get a chance to showcase his talents in just a few days against Vanderbilt, as the Commodores’ sophomore quarterback Patton Robinette defeated a good Houston defense in the 2013 BBVA Compass Bowl.
We don’t know much about Chandler, being a freshman. But the single digit jersey does tell us one thing: Matt Rhule can’t keep a secret.
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