Stan Drayton takes time for ‘soul-searching’ and self-evaluation during critical Temple bye week

First-year coach Stan Drayton used Temple’s bye week to evaluate the team’s performance through the first five games.

Drayton used the term “soul-searching” to describe Temple’s approach to self-evaluation, making clear that the Owls are a work in progress.

“We’ve been pretty beat up on offense within spots, and it’s time for guys to step up,” Drayton told reporters at Monday’s press conference at Edberg-Olson Hall. “It’s time for guys to elevate their level of play. Our quarterback [E.J. Warner] had to get settled into protection checks and manage the offense a little bit better that way.”

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Temple (2-3) suffered a 24-3 loss to American Athletic Conference foe Memphis almost two weeks ago. The offense struggled to maneuver down the field, combining for 297 yards and seven first downs.

Inconsistent offensive line and running back play has contributed to Temple’s lackluster offense. The Owls have a three-man rotation at running back with Edward Saydee, Darvon Hubbard, and Jakari Norwood. Through five games, this group has averaged 2.7 yards per rush attempt, which ranks last in the AAC.

Temple’s offensive line unit has struggled to protect Warner and open lanes for its rushing attack.

Offensive linemen Adam Klein and Richard Rodriguez have both missed games because of injuries. Offensive tackle James Faminu also has missed time. Two depth pieces on the line, Victor Stoffel and Peace Addo, have been sidelined because of injuries since the beginning of the season.

Those factors have led to Temple’s average of 15 points per game, which also ranks last in the AAC.

“We’ve got to make sure that our offensive linemen [are] doing a much better job of communicating what they see up front, so that we are targeting the proper people at the right time,” Drayton said. “I think we have a lot of that going on. Again, shuffling that offensive line has provided some inconsistencies that way.”

After three weeks of mixed results, Warner played poorly against Memphis. He completed 18 of 37 passes for 245 yards and threw three pivotal interceptions, taking his total to six interceptions through three starts.

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Warner’s recent struggles have not surprised Drayton.

“A lot goes into that; we’ve got to protect him,” Drayton said. “... Wide receivers have to do a great job of running routes at depth, running routes [at] full speed with good timing. He’s got to trust it.

“He is a true freshman who is making some mistakes. We still feel very confident about the ceiling he has as a quarterback moving forward.”

Temple’s next matchup at Central Florida on Thursday at 7 p.m. will be a challenge. The Knights’ defense ranks second in the AAC, allowing only 13.5 points per game.

Temple must find an identity on offense to compete against UCF, a powerhouse conference opponent.

“I see length and speed, athleticism,” Drayton said about Central Florida’s defense. “That secondary does not let too many balls get behind them. They play with confidence, and they’re multiple [playing multiple styles]. That defensive coordinator has done a great job of putting those players in a position to make plays.”