Friday practice report: The coordinators speak
Temple’s preseason camp came to a close earlier this week, and now the Owls are completely shifting their focus toward Army’s triple threat offense, a look they’ll see in next Friday’s season opener at Lincoln Financial Field.
Temple offensive coordinator Glenn Thomas and defensive coordinator Phil Snow were both available to reporters, along with sophomore running back Ryquell Armstead and fifth-year senior linebacker Stephaun Marshall.
You can listen to those interviews here:
Marshall nearing full strength
As it stood last week, head coach Matt Rhule had been saying Marshall could be out longer than they originally expected.
Marshall, who’s transitioning from SAM (strongside) linebacker to the WILL (weakside) spot, was back on the practice field Friday and seemed to move around without any limitations.
“With hamstrings, it’s kind of weird,” Marshall told reporters following Friday’s practice at Edberg-Olson Hall. “I’m going full speed, but (with) hamstrings, you really have to be careful and get treatment. (I’m) about 90 percent.”
“Now, I’m ready for the season,” Marshall added.
The move from SAM to WILL is one that doesn’t seem to concern Marshall much at all.
“For the most part, it’s the same,” he said.
Snow also didn’t seem to think it would be a difficult transition for Marshall, who has played both the SAM and WILL in spots.
“Our SAM and WILL are basically the same position,” Snow said. “So our WILL plays inside the box a little bit more, but really it’s the same position. It hasn’t been that big of an adjustment.”
Snow, Marshall on Army triple option
The triple option hasn’t always been quite friendly to Temple.
Although Rhule beat Army for his first win as the head coach at Temple in 2013, the other Academy school that runs the triple option beat Phil Snow’s defense down for 487 yards on the ground in a 31-24 Navy win at Lincoln Financial Field.
Marshall, who was on both the 2013 and 2014 squads that went up against Army and Navy, acknowledged the Black Knights are not an easy to defend.
“It’s really tough,” he said. “Practice every day is taking game reps. There’s so many keys you have to pay attention to and if you don’t, it’s a big touchdown.”
Snow pointed out that the triple option can take advantage of just one defender that is slightly out of position.
“The big thing with the triple is that if one guy doesn’t do what he’s supposed to do, the ball can come out,” he stated. “That’s not unlike the spread offense. They kind of do the same thing to you, but we’ve got to be disciplined. The other part of it is you’ve got to be real tough to play this offense. They’re physical and they pride themselves on being able to run the football, so we better be physical in this game.”
Extra points
When asked about the new influx of speed in the linebacking corps - namely grayshirt freshman Shaun Bradley (eligible to redshirt this season) and redshirt freshmen Chapelle Russell, Jeremiah Atoki and Daishaun Grimes - Marshall seemed impressed with the quartet of younger guys.
“They’re fast, hard and physical, and they’re going to be a heck of a core,” Marshall said.
Snow wasn’t willing to commit to any of the true freshman defensive backs receiving immediate playing time, but he did say Benny Walls, a Saint Joseph’s Prep product who chose Temple over offers from Syracuse and Rutgers, and Linwood Crump “might be able to help.”
Crump has been battling a sprained ankle for the past two weeks. Snow said Crump is “starting to get healthy.”
While avoiding any specifics, Thomas, who’s in his first season as the offensive play-caller, said there will be a “different flare” in the year’s unit.
Thomas also had some high praise for freshman Isaiah Wright, who’s seeing time at wide receiver and running back.
“Impressive,” Thomas said when asked about his first impressions of Wright. “Impressive in a lot of ways, physically and mentally. He’s physically mature, so we feel like he can hold up to some of the banging a little bit, maybe more so than most freshmen. And his mental make-up. He has been able to play a couple different positions and is learning it fast and that gives us confidence he can get in there and get reps and show what he can do.”
Although a depth chart - one that will be announced Monday - has already been handed out to the players, Thomas wasn’t willing to name Temple’s backup quarterback. That battle is mainly between redshirt freshman Logan Marchi and redshirt sophomore Frank Nutile.
“It has been very fluid,” Thomas said of the No. 2 quarterback spot behind Phillip Walker. “They’ve been able to get reps with the 1s and 2s. We’ve been able to get P.J. some rest here and there, so it’s still a fluid situation there.”
Redshirt sophomore running back David Hood and redshirt freshman wide receiver Cortrelle Simpson have both been working as the scout team quarterback as Temple prepares for Army.