During Temple head coach Stan Drayton’s weekly Monday press conference, reporters bombarded him with the typical questions one might expect following a weeklong break right after a heartbreaking loss.
The Owls dropped to 1-5 on the year after a last-second blunder at UConn turned what could have been the game-winning touchdown into the game-clinching defensive play for the Huskies.
When the conversation turned to a midseason self-scouting assessment of the team, Drayton had something good to discuss in linebacker Tyquan King as one of his standouts on defense.
“I was a little concerned about that position early on. [It was] a huge learning curve,” Drayton said. “We got hurt at that position and his number was called and he's been a steady climb in the right direction that way.”
King, who played two seasons at North Carolina A&T before transferring to East Carolina ahead of the 2023 season, has been as important as any transfer portal addition for Temple, especially given the injury to previous starter Eric Stuart ahead of Temple’s game against Utah State back on Sept. 21.
In that game, King racked up 13 tackles against the Aggies and helped stuff them on a crucial goal-line stand. He followed that performance with 14 tackles against Army and then 15 at UConn. His 53 total tackles place him third in the American Athletic Conference in that statistical category, two stops behind teammate D.J. Woodbury, and 29th in the nation despite starting just three games for the Owls as the season moves to the second half.
It’s the impact King expected to have this season.
“Since I've been in college football, [tackling] has always been one of my strong suits,” King said this week. “My first college start (in 2022 against Duke), I had [13] tackles … This isn't anything new.”
King grew up in West Haven, Connecticut, about 45 minutes south of UConn’s Rentschler Field, until his sophomore year of high school and prepared for the game by buying 30 tickets for his family and friends to attend.
“I always knew they were coming, so it's like I have no choice but to get ready,” King said. “The expectations that my younger family have for me is very high. They look up to me. A lot of younger dudes trying to play football and do what I do, so I have to set the bar.”
King said the nerves subsided quickly en route to his 15-tackle game. His efforts helped Temple’s defense hold what had been the FBS’ 11th-best rushing offense to just 99 yards, a season low for Temple.
King was able to help Temple break its takeaway drought when he drilled UConn quarterback Joe Fagano to force a fumble, one defensive end Tra Thomas hopped on for the Owls’ third turnover of the game.
King’s mentality and approach this season has been simple.
“Stay ready so you don't ever have to get ready. Just prepare always,” King said. “So when that time does come, it's no drop-off. It's not a miss or anything like that.”
Now Temple enters its game against Tulsa Saturday fresh off of its bye week. The 1-5 Owls can’t look past anyone, but it’s been only natural for King to look ahead just a bit to next week’s road game at ECU, where he played last season.
“I always try to focus where my feet are present,” King said. “I don't always try to think ahead, but that has been lingering in my mind ever since I found out they were on the schedule.”
