Temple trying to focus on football ahead of Saturday’s finale
Senior Day is approaching for Temple as it gears up to play Navy Saturday at Lincoln Financial Field.
Both teams are desperate for a win, with Temple being 3-8 overall and 1-6 in The American, while Navy has also struggled, at 2-8 overall and 2-5 in conference play.
For the past two weeks, Temple head coach Rod Carey has been emphasizing Senior Day. Not just to the seniors, but the underclassmen also.
Tuesday, senior defensive end Manny Walker and senior offensive lineman C.J. Perez were made available to the media. Both of them are focused on the game plan, but they also understand the emotional aspect of the Navy game.
“I’m just doing my best to stay present,” Perez said. “I have a lot of family that’s coming to Philly for the game.
Temple’s last two home games have each tallied less than 20,000 fans in attendance. Reportedly, with the Naval Academy being so close and Saturday’s game being both Senior Day and Military Appreciation Day at Lincoln Financial Field, more than 20,000 tickets have already been sold.
Walker, who describes himself as someone that’s overly emotional, said the Senior Day aspect of Saturday’s game won’t “hit me until Saturday.”
On the football side of things, Temple’s run defense is going to be tested yet again this week by Navy’s triple-option offense. The Midshipmen are gaining 229.8 rushing yards per game. Temple’s defense, however, is allowing 220.7 rushing yards per game.
Walker said the Owls will have to be very disciplined in the gaps this week to avoid any massive bleeding.
“One missed assignment is like a 20-yard run,” Walker said.
Offensively, Temple will be facing a Navy defense that runs a lot of exotic blitzes. Under center will be 18-year old true freshman, Justin Lynch. With D’Wan Mathis planning to enter the transfer portal, Lynch will be making his third consecutive start.
When asked about Lynch’s progression, Perez said, “I think the best thing that he’s been doing is getting more comfortable. He really is just a kid.”
Navy head coach Ken Niumatalolo is aware of that.
“It’s always nice, if you’re an opponent, to play an inexperienced quarterback,” he said Monday.
Because of this, Perez said Temple is planning on making Saturday’s game its best in what has otherwise been a very difficult season.
Aside from Senior Day, focusing on the game itself can’t possibly be an easy thing for the Temple locker room these days.
Last week, Mathis informed the coaching staff of his plans to enter the transfer portal. If he follows through on that, Mathis will be the 35th player to do so in Carey’s tenure. That announcement came days after former Temple running back Iverson Clement accused Carey and his staff of lying to the media and promoting a toxic culture in the locker room.
When asked how Carey has been handling the past few weeks, Perez had nothing but good things to say about his coach.
“I think he’s done a good job of limiting outside distractions,” Perez said. “… He’s been doing exactly what he needs to be doing, and that doesn’t need to change at all.”
Front page photo by Don Otto.