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Collins could play three quarterbacks, two kickers against Notre Dame

Temple coach Geoff Collins once again told reporters that he plans to play three quarterbacks in the Owls’ Sept. 2 season opener at Notre Dame.

Collins said that two quarterbacks will likely receive most of the snaps, while there are also planned specialized packages for another quarterback.

While Collins did not name any of the quarterbacks specifically, redshirt sophomore Logan Marchi and redshirt junior Frank Nutile are presumably the two that have separated themselves. Temple likes the speed of true freshman Todd Centeio, who will likely see action in specialized packages.

“There are two quarterbacks that are getting most of the reps (in practice),” Collins told reporters on Monday’s American Athletic Conference coaches teleconference. “We are also working specialized packages with some other guys.”

Collins said he would “love to” narrow things down to one quarterback at some point this season.

“We will move towards that [going with one quarterback] if the situation presents itself,” the Owls’ first-year coach said.

Collins did not commit to a starting kicker and punter. Instead, he said Temple plans to use either freshman walk-on Connor Bowler or Alex Starzyk, a three-year starter who returned from an indefinite suspension last week, at punter.

“It’ll be Starzyk or Bowler,” Collins said.

The kicking duties, meanwhile, will be split between sophomore Aaron Boumerhi and senior Austin Jones, depending on the distance of each kick.

Collins said he texted Houston head coach Major Applewhite, who worked with Collins while the two were at Alabama, Sunday to check in with his former colleague as the Cougars deal with Hurricane Harvey. The Owls have one player on the roster from Texas -- freshman offensive lineman Leon Pinto, a recent transfer from LSU who played high school football for Lamar High School in Houston.

Collins will address reporters again Tuesday at Edberg-Olson Hall during his weekly press conference, which is scheduled to start at 12:03 p.m.

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