Temple quarterback E.J. Warner is conference rookie of the year
In other local college football news, Penn defensive end Jake Heimlicher is transferring to UCLA.
From players transitioning to Football Bowl Subdivision programs to others winning year-end conference awards, here’s the latest on the local college football scene.
Owls’ Warner honored
Temple quarterback E.J. Warner was named rookie of the year in the American Athletic Conference, becoming the first Owls player to receive the distinction.
It was hard for the freshman to not earn the award after his record-setting 527-yard, five-touchdown performance in the Owls’ season finale against East Carolina. Warner also set a school record for passing yardage in a season by a freshman (3,028) following that performance.
Warner also finished fourth in conference passing yards, with 275.3 per game. Additionally, Temple defensive lineman Darian Varner earned first-team All-AAC honors, and linebacker Layton Jordan was named to the conference’s second team.
» READ MORE: E.J. Warner fighting for Temple’s starting QB job after impressive showing: ‘He has a very high ceiling’
Penn’s Heimlicher transfers to UCLA
Quakers defensive end Jake Heimlicher is making the jump to an FBS program after announcing his transfer to UCLA. Heimlicher, who has one year of eligibility remaining, entered the transfer portal on Nov. 21. A finalist for FCS national defensive player of the year, the 6-foot-4, 245-pound star from Aurora, Colo., is a two-time All-Ivy League selection. He earned first-team honors this season after leading the league in sacks with nine.
Heimlicher also received offers from Fresno State, Ohio, and Charlotte, according to Sports Illustrated’s FanSided.
Northeast High’s Jeudy enters portal
After a disappointing 5-7 season for Texas A&M, redshirt sophomore Elijah Jeudy became one of four Aggies who decided to enter the transfer portal. Jeudy, a four-star defensive end prospect from Northeast High School, appeared in four career games for A&M after joining in 2021.
On Nov. 26, Jeudy took to Twitter to announce his intent to enter the portal, following up with a tweet on Tuesday that read: “Whatever school I go to gonna get a dawg cause I’m starving and I’m ready to take food off the table.”