Temple has yet to name a starting QB, but new additions are starting to fill holes at training camp

Temple began its training camp last week and there are plenty of question marks heading into this football season — including the fact that the Owls have not named a starting quarterback.

Coach Stan Drayton said Monday that three players have emerged at the position so far in camp. He mentioned redshirt freshman Tyler Douglas, who did not see any game action last season, as one of them.

» READ MORE: Temple football coach Stan Drayton eager to ‘change the narrative’ of the Owls this season

“He’s getting better as a passer,” Drayton said. “He absolutely has the ability to extend the play with his feet — that’s a strength of his. We’ll use that if he’s the guy. But he’s getting better in the throw game. ... There’s a couple of really good balls he threw, he threw a couple of shots today for some explosive plays. He’s making it interesting for sure.”

Kevon Beckwith isn’t going to shy away from the fact that Temple was projected to finish last in the American Athletic Conference’s preseason poll. So the first-year defensive tackles coach took it upon himself to address it with his group.

“I’m going to pay attention to the polls,” Beckwith said. “I know people say ignore the crowd noise, but we’re out to take respect at this point. ... You have to be trusting of the process that it’s going to work, and the guys have been buying into it — You can see it at practice.”

Beckwith came to North Broad in February from Southeast Missouri in the Ohio Valley Conference. This is his first coaching stint with an FBS program. He and defensive line coach Larry Knight hope to bring the D-line, which has produced NFL players like Haason Reddick, back to being known for its dominance.

The defensive line took a hit from the transfer portal and players graduating. Temple picked up 17 players in the portal, while 31 former Owls entered it.

Production also has been down. Last year, Temple totaled 22 sacks compared to 38 during the 2022 season, so the Owls brought in some transfers to help address the problem. Two notable names with experience are Latrell Jean from Florida Atlantic and Cam’Ron Stewart from Rutgers.

Jean, a 6-foot-3, 280-pound redshirt senior who plays defensive end, compiled 24 tackles, one sack, and an interception last season. He also played for national powerhouse Lakeland High School in Florida, and was ranked as a three-star recruit.

“Latrell is a veteran and he’s acting as such,” Drayton said. “He has a very mature approach to his business every single day. The thing I love about Latrell is that he’s showing some signs of leadership. He got into a brand new group and got acclimated, and they act like they’ve been together forever.”

Stewart has a bit of familiarity with the area and the program. The 6-5 redshirt junior grew up Shillington, Pa., near Reading, and attended Governor Mifflin High School. During his three seasons with the Scarlet Knights, Stewart recorded three solo and four total tackles in 12 games. He played in just one game last season.

“Every day we’re having a conversation about how can [Stewart] improve this and how he can improve that,” Knight said. “He is trying to get as much information as possible, all the way down to ‘Coach, what should I eat before this?’ That’s what we like to see out of guy like him.”

Temple had 27 signees in the 2024 recruiting class, and a few have already caught the coaching staff’s attention.

Knight said that freshman defensive end Russell Sykes is “coachable” and could be someone who has position flexibility on the line. The 6-4 Skyes recorded three sacks and 63 tackles (28 solo) during his senior season at Rolesville High School in North Carolina. His only Division I scholarship offer came from Temple.

“He’s showing a lot of promise,” Beckwith said.

» READ MORE: Meet Camren Boykin, a top quarterback in Virginia who recently pledged to play at Temple

Drayton said that freshman wide receivers Bryson Goodwin and Jamar Taylor Jr. have shown maturity beyond their years. Goodwin, who’s from Tampa, Fla., is the son of Harold Goodwin, an assistant head coach and run game coordinator for the Carolina Panthers. Harold Goodwin has spent almost 20 seasons coaching in the NFL.

“You can tell his approach to the game is very mature that way,” Drayton said. “He’s been around football his whole life — NFL football. ... Jamar, another receiver coming from Lakewood, Florida, has a real why about his approach to everything that he does. ... He handles his business, he’s always on time. He’s very compliant in everything we ask him to do.”