The key takeaways from Temple football’s spring game

For two hours, Temple football scrimmaged and practiced in-game situations, including red zone and two-minute drills in front of fans and alumni at Edberg-Olson on Saturday afternoon.

What did the Owls’ annual Cherry and White game convey to those in attendance? There’s still a fairly decent amount of work to be done.

Six offensive linemen did not participate, including offensive guard Wisdom Quarshie and offensive tackle Victor Stoffel. With Temple using different combinations upfront, naturally, it led to some struggles.

Tight end Jordan Smith and wide receiver Ian Stewart were also not available.

Despite all these circumstances, the spring practice was important to Temple’s development.

“It’s just another opportunity to get better as a football team,” head coach Stan Drayton said. “We can’t take [it] for granted. We didn’t show a whole lot schematically, but we still came out and we hit and we tackled. That’s something that had to show up today in a positive light.

Temple’s QB1 EJ Warner struggled to make certain passes and looked out of sync at different points.

However, it was not all bad.

As the game went on, Warner developed a rapport with wide receiver Amad Anderson Jr. and tight end David Martin-Robinson. He improved on each possession and displayed some of his best traits, including accuracy and being able to process the play and what the defense was showing.

“EJ’s had a phenomenal spring,” Drayton said. “He continues to grow as a person. He’s becoming a leader. He’s got a lot of people following him right now. I think he manages all that very well.”

D’Wan Mathis, who switched from quarterback to wide receiver, was targeted a few times. Mathis might carve out a role on offense because Jose Barbon and Adonicas Sanders both departed for the NFL Draft.

“It was a good transition,” Mathis said. “Today didn’t show that probably as well as it has gone. I can honestly say this has been a blessing in disguise just moving to wide receiver. I’m still thankful for everything that comes along with this journey. I know it wasn’t going to be easy.”

Mathis offers unique traits. His 6-foot-6 frame might present matchup problems once he develops. Due to his experience as the Owls’ former quarterback, Mathis picks apart zone coverage and can get open.

Additionally, Anderson Jr.’s performance was noticeable. He finished with 4 receptions for 58 yards and one touchdown.

Wide receiver Zae Baines and tight end Reese Clark both were reliable.

Drayton mentioned Smith as a standout player from spring practices. Although he was out with an injury, his role could be important to Warner’s development.

“He had a huge improvement for sure,” Warner said. “Last season, I think you saw pure talent, athletic ability. Just going out there and making plays, especially later in the year. But now this offseason, you can truly see it come together.”

Temple underwent changes in a number of different position groups this offseason, including at running back. Kyle Williams, who was a standout at Harrisburg High School, showed positive signs on a number of carries. Williams finished with 47 rushing yards, averaging 9.4 yards per touch.

This past season, Temple averaged 82.4 yards per game, ranking last in the American Athletic Conference. Edward Saydee rushed for 639 yards and six touchdowns, but the Owls still need playmakers to emerge at that position.

Williams brings different skills to the room, including speed and toughness. His first few months at Temple have been an adjustment — which is to be expected, suggests Drayton.

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“That young man has been coached hard,” Drayton said of Williams. “It has not been easy for him. He’s got some of the things that freshmen still do. Every now and again, you may have to wake him up and get him in the building. There’s still some maturing to do, but with all the consequences that came with that, he stayed the course and never lost faith in himself.”

Temple added defensive reinforcements to improve its backend.

Tywan Francis, who transferred from Colorado State, lined up at nickel and safety. It was evident that his experience and talent were a valuable addition to the defensive back corps. Additionally, outside linebacker Jacob Porter beat some offensive tackles one-on-one and held his own against the run.