Saturday was a big step forward for D'Wan Mathis, Owls
With about five minutes left in the second quarter of Temple’s homecoming game against Memphis Saturday, quarterback D’Wan Mathis threw a one-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Jadan Blue, who made a one-handed leaping grab to secure a slightly-overthrown ball.
It came on fourth down, and it helped change the course of the game and set things in the right direction. The Owls went on to reel off 17 unanswered points and ultimately claimed an important 34-31 win over the Tigers in their American Athletic Conference opener.
It wasn’t Mathis’ best throw compared to several other impressive ones he made later in the day, but it was an important play for Temple and for Mathis, the Georgia transfer who completed 35 of his 49 passes for 322 yards and three touchdowns - all career-best totals.
The Owls still have seven games left on their schedule and certainly a formidable challenge ahead in a short week next Friday at No. 7 Cincinnati, which won at No. 9 Notre Dame Saturday.
But Saturday was another step in the right direction for Temple and Mathis, who went just 8 of 24 passing for 148 yards and an interception before leaving the game with an injury in the Owls’ unsightly 61-14 loss at Rutgers in the season opener.
Mathis missed the next two games - at Akron and at home against Boston College - before returning last Saturday to throw for 292 yards and two touchdowns against a winless FCS Wagner team. Mathis’ performance Saturday against a much-better Memphis team that came into the game with a 3-1 record offered a glimpse of why Rivals rated Mathis as the No. 3 player at his position and 125th overall in the 2019 class and why the Michigan native wound up as an SEC recruit in the first place.
But keep in mind that once Mathis ended up at an SEC program like Georgia as an early enrollee, things didn’t go as planned. Far from it, actually. He underwent emergency surgery to remove a brain cyst back in late May of 2019 and eventually redshirted that fall. He started Georgia’s season opener last fall against Arkansas, went just 8 of 17 for 55 yards and an interception and was replaced by Stetson Bennett and never got his starting job back before entering the transfer portal after last season.
Mathis downplayed the notion that Saturday’s win and his performance might be a little more meaningful considering what he’s been through.
“Honestly, it doesn’t really mean much to me,” Mathis said. “It probably means more to the guys in the locker room. I always talk about them, because without them, I wouldn’t be here. The (offensive) line, I have to start with them first. Then carry it down to the receivers and knowing where they were supposed to be and doing their job.
“I never try to make things about me. It’s more so about the guys in the locker room. I mean, I’ve been through a lot. People go through everything. I’m pretty sure everybody in here has been through something that changed their life, something traumatic. You’ve just got to keep on, keep pushing.”
Mathis never seemed rattled against Memphis. His success did not surprise his head coach Rod Carey.
“It’s what we have seen in practice since spring ball,” Carey said. “Composure. He is an emotional guy and he used the emotion to his benefits today. Obviously he has the talent. More of what I saw in practice.”
Mathis capitalized on Keyshawn Paul’s forced fumble and recovery on the ensuing Memphis series following his touchdown toss to Blue. Three plays after Paul’s big defensive play, Mathis found wide receiver Jose Barbon for a 15-yard touchdown pass on a back-shoulder throw past Memphis cornerback Julian Barnett.
Mathis spread the ball around and connected with 11 different receivers Saturday. The chemistry between Mathis and his targets has improved at practice, Carey said.
“That’s how you play quarterback and that’s what you do with it,” Carey said. “Him playing quarterback, and those 11 guys you’re talking about have been catching balls in practice all the time, and so we feel real good about our depth.”
In addition to being effective through the air, Mathis’ athleticism helped break down the Tigers’ defense. On the first play of Temple’s first third quarter series, Mathis ran for 39 yards on a zone read, which nearly led to more points for the Owls. But on the same drive, kicker Rory Bell missed a 48-yard field goal attempt.
Temple’s next 13 points came on a 35-yard field goal from Bell, a 1-yard touchdown run by Tayvon Ruley, and a 32-yard field goal from Bell. Then with the game inside three minutes to go, Mathis offered the ball up to Amad Anderson on a jet sweep push pass that Andreson took 53 yards for a touchdown that gave the Owls a 34-23 lead and the cushion they later needed.
Another positive storyline to come out of the day involved Temple’s offensive line keeping Mathis clean and not allowing a single sack.
How Temple can avoid slow starts is another question. Again, the Owls fell behind by 17 before turing things around.
But Saturday was a day for Temple and Mathis to enjoy a step in the right direction.
“Honestly (the win) means a lot to us,” Mathis said. “It’s exactly what we needed. We started slow, a lot. We are still trying to figure out how to start fast. Once we figure that out, we’ll be a good team. I know we are going to celebrate this win today and tomorrow is right back to work.”
Front page photo by Don Otto