Temple football will need to remain ‘tuff’ against Big Ten opponent Rutgers

Temple football coach Stan Drayton may have felt a tad of weight lifted from his shoulders after his team’s commanding victory over of Lafayette last weekend.

The Owls’ performance against the Leopards was much better than that displayed in the season-opening loss to Duke: An established run game, a confident outing from freshman quarterback E.J. Warner, and various sacks by the Owls defense showed progress had been made ... against an FCS opponent.

A true test of how much the Owls have learned will arrive Saturday, when Temple takes on Rutgers at Lincoln Financial Field (2 p.m., ESPN+) and be eager to break a losing streak against the Big Ten foe.

“We have to go and take a look at what Rutgers is presenting to us,” Drayton said earlier this week. “[We’re] trying to find the best way to put the best players on the field and in the best position to give us some success on Saturday. So whatever it takes, we’ll be prepared to do.”

The Scarlet Knights’ offense has an interesting setup. Their quarterback Noah Vedral was said to be the starter heading into the season. On the day of their opener against Boston College, Vedral was out with an undisclosed injury and has since been considered week-to-week.

Instead of turning to a backup, coach Greg Schiano decided to use three different players — Johnny Langan, who’s listed as a tight end, along with backups Gavin Wimsatt and Evan Simon. A quarterback by committee seems to be working for Rutgers, currently undefeated at 2-0.

Drayton noted that the three Rutgers quarterbacks have different talents and they’ll have to prepare differently for each one.

Furthermore, Temple’s defense has been consistent off the block, compiling nine sacks thus far.

“It’s really going to force us to lock in,” Drayton said, referring to Rutgers’ QB shuffle. “Get lined up, stay true to ourselves, be very disciplined … [But] still, be able to cut it loose and tackle in space and tackle their athletes in the run game. We have to be very physical from this position, so we got a nice challenge.”

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Warner, who played three quarters against Lafayette, is likely to be a starter on Saturday. Drayton said the 6-foot freshman will see more first-team reps this week, after being pleasantly surprised by his college debut. He threw for 173 yards, completing 14 of 19 passes.

“He has a very high ceiling as a player,” Drayton said. “Still has a lot to learn, but to be able to get on the stage when this number was called and be prepared was something that we’re excited about.”

Rutgers’ defense, which compiled four turnovers in the last two games, could present some challenges. Also, with Warner announced as the starter, it’ll be another opportunity to evaluate his abilities and what that means for the future.

Last season, Temple fell 61-14 to Rutgers in what was the opener for both teams — not a great start for the Owls, who went on to finish the season 3-9.

During the game, quarterback D’Wan Mathis, who was named the starter under former coach Rod Carey, injured his left ankle on a quarterback sneak for a 3-yard touchdown early in the second half. His prolonged injury complicated his 2021 season and allowed him to play in just seven games.

However, Drayton noted this game it’s a clean slate. The reflection is less on film showcasing last year’s errors or efficiency, but a focus on his game plan.

After Rutgers, Temple will return to the Linc for the third consecutive week to face Massachusetts on Sept. 24 (2 p.m., ESPN+). The Minutemen, who are 0-2 after getting blown out by Tulane and Toledo, will face Stony Brook this Saturday.

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