Spring notebook: Secondary, D-line and RBs believe they've improved
Taking advantage of a scoring system that rewarded points for sacks and big plays in addition to touchdowns, the White defense got the better of the Cherry offense, 56-41, in Temple’s annual Cherry and White game Saturday at Chodoff Field.
Transfer safety Andreas Keaton, a former all-Southern Conference player at the FCS level at Western Carolina, contributed a pair of tackles Saturday and was part of an effort that held the Owls’ offense to just 211 passing yards and one passing touchdown to go with an interception by fellow safety Jaylen Lewis, an Arkansas transfer.
The 6-foot-2, 200-pound senior, one of three players made available to reporters after Saturday’s scrimmage, said his transition to Temple to the FBS level has been easy, and that the attention to detail from the coaching staff has helped.
So much of it, he said, comes down to confidence.
“To be in the secondary, you have to play with a different kind of confidence,” Keaton said. “Fast, physical, speed. Coach Bow [defensive backs coach Dominique Bowman] and coach Withers [defensive coordinator Everett Withers] always prep that for us. That's how we’re trained to play, and I think you have to be trained to play that position, and throughout this spring, they've really emphasized that. Just the small, little details to be able to play with that type of excitement and confidence.”
That energy was evident Saturday with the entire defense celebrating after every stop. Keaton said the players have to keep the game fun because football can be so mentally and physically draining.
He said the secondary “did our due diligence,” admitting there’s still room for improvement before the team convenes again this summer for preseason camp.
“We’re never going to be perfect, but that's what we want to strive to be,” Keaton, who collected 141 tackles, five interceptions and eight pass breakups in his three seasons at Western Carolina, said. “Not a perfect day from all of us, but we took steps in the right direction, and that’s all we’re looking for. We’re not looking to be 100%. We’re going to make mistakes, but I do feel like we took big tremendous strides this spring and especially today."
When asked where he felt the secondary had made its biggest improvement this spring, Keaton touched on something that was clearly an issue for Temple’s defense in a 3-9 2023 season - communication. Players in the Owls’ secondary talked frequently about communication - or a lack thereof - being a hindrance last fall that led to coverage breakdowns and a defense that gave up its share of explosive plays.
“Communication has been a big factor here in this process,” Keaton said, “and I feel like we as a secondary have come together and really started talking and communicating and being able to talk mid-play, after the play, before the play. I feel like that’s played a big part.”
Scheme switch suits Thomas
The quarterbacks weren’t permitted to be tackled Saturday, and the “sacks” often came via some quick whistles once a defender beat his offensive counterpart off the line.
Still, it was obviously worth noting that the defense was credited with 13 sacks Saturday, and defensive ends Tra Thomas and Diwun Black, who was credited with six of those sacks, set a goal ahead of the Cherry and White scrimmage.
“We basically reached that goal,” said Thomas, who had one of the sacks.
With a full offseason to plan for it and recruit to it, Withers switched to a 4-3 defensive scheme for the 2024 season, hoping, among other things, that it will be better suited to stop the run. The Owls ranked 124th of 130 FBS teams in rushing defense in 2023, allowing 198.3 rushing yards per game.
Thomas is a fan of the new defensive setup.
“I like this scheme a lot,” said Thomas, who has a lot of experience with it. “I've been playing this scheme since high school and I played it in JUCO too, the 4-3. I love it a lot because I feel like it stops the run easier than a 3-5 (with three down linemen and five linebackers.)”
Despite the change in scheme, Thomas said his mindset of playing aggressively has stayed the same. If defensive tackles like Allan Haye and Demerick Morris can stay healthy and additions like Georgia Tech transfer Jason Moore and JUCO transfer Sekou Kromah can help bolster the interior, Thomas can focus more on being an edge rusher and lead by example in the process.
“Coming to practice every day 100% and playing hard,” Thomas said. “No days off, even when we’re in indy (individual drills) and doing all those drills as a unit, we’re going full speed showing the guys that this is how we work. We take no plays off, no slowing down and no breaks. So that's the main thing, just leading by example.”
A better backfield?
E.J. Wilson, who transferred to Temple from FIU ahead of last season, collected just 58 rushing yards on 13 carries last season, with more of his snaps coming on special teams.
But running backs coach Tyree Foreman called Wilson “different” when speaking with reporters after Temple’s first open spring practice last month and said he has benefited from increased competition at that position with the additions of Maryland transfer Antwain Littleton and JUCO transfer Tyrei Washington, in addition to a more experienced Joquez Smith.
However it happens, Temple has to be a heck lot better in the running game in 2024. The Owls finished the 2023 season as one of 10 FBS teams to average less than 100 rushing yards per game.
Wilson believes the added talent in the room has legitimately brought about more competition at the position.
“It makes me better because I have to work every day,” Wilson said. “I've got guys behind me that can take someone else’s spot, take my spot, so I have to come to work every day. Everything is earned here, so you have to come with a chip on your shoulder every day.”
The running backs were credited with 132 yards Saturday, and Wilson found the end zone on a four-yard run in a second-half goal line drill. Wilson admitted that the offensive line got off to a slow start in the beginning of the game, but picked it up later on.
And just as the defensive backfield has talked about rectifying its communication issues, Wilson said the running backs and offensive line must do the same.
“The elephant in the room was that we had some communication issues with the O-line and stuff like that,” Wilson said. “We took a big jump this year. The players are more comfortable with other guys and they know that as he goes, we go. So I think the O-line is buying in. Coach Wies [offensive line coach Chris Wiesehan] has them on a tight rope, so they're believing in Coach Wies. … I think they're more trusting in Coach Wies and even in the running back room, we’re all jelling together.”