After 3-9 finish, Temple football coach Stan Drayton ‘cannot wait’ for offseason of building

Temple coach Stan Drayton was hired from the University of Texas coaching staff to rebuild the Owls, who were 4-15 over the previous two football seasons.

In the final game of the season on Saturday, Temple could not make enough plays en route to a 49-46 loss to East Carolina at Lincoln Financial Field. The defeat capped a three-game losing streak for the Owls (3-9, 1-7 American Athletic Conference), but the direction of the program is encouraging, Drayton says.

“Everything was supposed to happen the way it did,” Drayton said at the postgame press conference. “The lessons were hard at times, but [they] probably needed to be from where we were, where we’re coming from. So I just cannot wait to get this thing to the offseason.”

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Before the season, Temple had several impact players transfer to Power 5 programs, leading to various holes at important positions. In addition to an inexperienced roster, athletic director Arthur Johnson hired Drayton, an assistant coach for 28 years who lacked head coaching experience.

Now, a little more is known about Drayton and his roster. Finishing 3-9 for a second straight season is not a desired outcome, but the results are not comparable to 2021.

Temple lost four games by a touchdown or less this season. So those competitive performances are a sign of a new culture.

“Honestly, Coach Drayton was really bringing back that ‘Temple Tuff’ mindset,” center Adam Klein said. “I think he embodies it himself as a person. He brings that to the rest of the team. Coach Drayton has done an awesome job, and I’ve had so much respect for that man.”

The development of a few players could change the direction of the Owls.

Freshman quarterback E.J. Warner, who set an Owls record by passing for 527 yards and five touchdowns against the Pirates on Saturday, passed for 3,028 yards and 18 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. If Warner continues to build off his recent success, he could be an All-AAC selection as a sophomore.

“I am excited about the growth that still needs to take place in E.J.,” Drayton said. “He needs to lift and train like a real quarterback, physically change his body so that the ball will pop off his arm a little differently, a little bit more effectively for next year. And really grow in a lot of different areas.”

A few defensive playmakers also emerged for the Owls, including linebacker Jordan Magee, outside linebacker Layton Jordan, defensive lineman Darian Varner, and cornerback Jalen McMurray.

Jordan, who racked up nine sacks and 18½ tackles for losses, ranks third in the AAC in both categories. Those numbers could prompt him to declare for the NFL draft.

Although Temple found a few cornerstones, adding more standout players will be pivotal to the long-term success of the program. To compete in the AAC, the running backs and offensive linemen will need to step up. Temple gained 3.1 yards per rush, which led to an unbalanced attack.

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Temple started 10 different combinations on the offensive line, causing protection problems. Klein and offensive tackle Isaac Moore were among 13 players honored on Senior Day against ECU, and their losses will be felt.

The Owls have 18 players committed to the class of 2023, including two running backs and four offensive linemen. The program has not made a bowl game since 2019, but Drayton aims to turn Temple around over the next few years.

The return to prominence might be a long process. It all starts this offseason.

“We had a lot of games where we’re one play away here, one play away here,” Warner said. “And [we’re] just basically building the culture until we can avoid those mistakes that we’ve made that hurt us in those games.”