OwlScoop.com - The Scoop

K.C. Keeler continued to shoulder the blame this week for Temple’s 2-5 start, refuting a report that the Owls lack the resources they need to compete. Will his defensive staff changes be enough to turn things around at ECU this weekend? We talked about that on this week’s podcast, and we’re ushering in a new season for the Temple men’s and women’s basketball programs, too, with their openers just five days away.

Intro: 0:00 – 2:11

Why Temple can beat ECU Saturday: 2:11 – 27:34

A look at the Temple hoops openers: 27:34 – 36:31

Mailbag: 36:31 – end

Timestamps are approximate due to advertisements.

Villanova coach Kevin Willard didn’t mince words when discussing the end of the Big 5 Classic, and his harsh remarks toward The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff Neiburg added another layer to the controversy.

On this special episode of The Scoop, we’re joined by Neiburg to discuss his exchange with Willard, the coach’s criticism of the Big 5 Classic, and what the comments reveal about the future of Philadelphia’s annual college basketball series.

After a disastrous loss to Charlotte dropped Temple to 2-5 before a listless crowd at Lincoln Financial Field, K.C. Keeler stripped Brian L. Smith of his defensive coordinator title, promoted cornerbacks coach Henry Baker to interim defensive coordinator and fired defensive line coach Cedric Calhoun. Will it be enough to save the Owls’ season? We talked about that and discussed the news of Temple’s newest verbal commitment, JUCO offensive lineman Card’a Thompson.

With the men’s basketball opener less than two weeks away, we talked to South Carolina transfer Cam Scott about what he’s seen from his new teammates during the preseason and how he fits into what appears to be a very deep guard rotation.

And in answering a mailbag question this week, we dropped the news of a new project from OwlScoop.com Editor John DiCarlo and Michael Einbinder-Schatz called The Chaney Pod, an oral history about the life and legacy of the late former Hall of Fame coach John Chaney.

Intro: 0:00 – 2:24

Will the football staff changes work?: 2:24 – 16:20

Card’a Thompson commits to Temple: 16:20 – 20:11

Cam Scott joins The Scoop: 20:11 – 34:19

Mailbag: 34:19 – end

* Timestamsps are approximate due to advertisements. 

Changes are coming for a 2-4 Temple football team ahead of Saturday’s game at winless Charlotte. We’ll tell you whyK.C. Keeler was sending midnight texts to his coordinators and why Jaxon Smolik’s days as the Owls’ quarterback are far from over.

Intro: 0:00 – 2:12

Questions remain after the UConn loss: 2:12 – 12:02

Changes are coming ahead of Charlotte: 12:02 – 25:34

JMU is joining The American: 25:34 – 32:46

All-conference hoops honors and scrimmage news: 32:46 – 33:55

Mailbag: 33:55 – end

With a chance to turn around its season, Temple went down to Tampa and knocked off previously undefeated USF 17-13 Saturday night to improve to 2-3 ahead of this weekend’s  Homecoming game against UConn. Speaking of the Huskies, we were joined on this week’s show by former OwlScoop reporter Javon Edmonds, who now covers Syracuse football for the Syracuse Post-Standard. The Orange beat UConn 42-41 in overtime last weekend in East Hartford, and Javon got a good look at the Huskies at Rentschler Field and passed along what fans can expect from UConn when they take on Temple Saturday at 3:45 p.m. at Lincoln Financial Field.

We also talked about Neumann-Goretti guard Reginna Baker, Diane Richardson’s newest class of 2027 verbal commitment, and answered several mailbag questions about quarterback Ajani Sheppard and the Owls.

Intro: 0:00 – 6:12

Did Temple turn around its season at USF?: 6:12 – 17:09

Scouting Saturday’s opponent – UConn: 17:09 – 24:48

Neumann-Goretti star Reginna Baker commits to Diane Richardson: 24:48 – 25:46

A look at how former Temple assistant Fran Brown is coaching Syracuse: 25:46 – 30:36

Mailbag: 30:36 – end

Timestamps are approximate due to advertisements. 

We took a break from our regularly-scheduled football programming to talk to Temple men’s basketball coach Adam Fisher on this week’s podcast. With the start of his fourth season on North Broad Street about a month away, Fisher joined the show to talk about the return of Derrian Ford, the details behind this year’s schedule, and the addition of assistant coach Courtney Eldridge.

And we got into plenty of football conversation, too – the Army loss, Saturday’s upcoming road game at USF, and a closer look at why we feel Jaxon Smolik could be getting another shot to reclaim the starting quarterback job.

 Intro: 0:00 – 4:29

A review of the Army loss and why we could see Jaxon Smolik return: 4:29 – 14:13

Can Temple get out of its own way against a beatable USF team?: 14:13 – 29:35

Adam Fisher joins the show: 29:35 – 47:57

Mailbag: 47:57 – end

There have been 14 one-point losses in Temple’s history. K.C. Keeler has three of them in his first 15 games as the program’s head coach.

Last Saturday’s setback, a shocking 49-48 overtime loss at Toledo in which the Owls blew a 14-point lead in the last two minutes of regulation, has Temple in a must-win situation this Friday when Army comes to Lincoln Financial Field for a nationally-televised 4 p.m. game on ESPN.

Why, exactly, is Temple playing a 4 p.m. game this Friday, and what does AC/DC have to do with it? Can the Owls slow down an Army team that ran them into the ground last season? Does defensive coordinator Brian L. Smith’s group have it in them to shake off a forgettable game at Toledo?

We answered all those questions on this week’s podcast.

Intro: 0:00 – 2:11

Where does Saturday’s Toledo loss rank in the history of bad Temple losses?: 2:11 – 16:41

Updates from Monday’s practice and media availability: 16:41 – 23:25

Can Temple rebound against Army Friday … at 4 p.m.?: 23:25 – 40:38

Mailbag: 40:38 - end 

Is Saturday’s road game at Toledo (3 p.m, CBS Sports Network) the most important game to date of the K.C. Keeler era at Temple?

We think so.

We’ll tell you why on this week’s podcast and bring you the latest injury updates, our perspective on the Penn State loss, and what the Owls can expect from the Rockets this weekend.

Intro: 0:00 – 3:58

Can Temple grow from its 27-9 loss to Penn State?: 3:58 – 20:03

A mostly promising injury report: 20:03 – 25:02

Previewing Saturday’s road game at Toledo: 25:02 – 39:24

It looks like Derrian Ford is back: 39:24 – 42:43

Mailbag: 42:43– end

The last time Temple played Penn State at Lincoln Financial Field, the Owls sacked Christian Hackenberg 10 times and turned in the program’s first win over the Nittany Lions in 74 years on a memorable day in South Philadelphia. But 11 years later, K.C. Keeler’s Temple team is facing some significant injury challenges along the offensive line and still trying to find its starting quarterback as a 16th-ranked Penn State team under new head coach Matt Campbell comes to the Linc. We broke down some of Saturday’s key matchups, answered more mailbag questions, and talked to Blue White Illustrated Senior Editor Nate Bauer to give you an inside look at what Temple is facing Saturday. And beyond football, Bauer talked about why he thinks Temple has the right coach leading its men’s basketball program in Adam Fisher.

Intro: 0:00 – 2:26

Recapping Temple’s 38-14 win over Rhode Island: 2:26 – 14:51

No. 16 Penn State awaits Saturday: 14:51 -22:10

Blue White Illustrated’s Nate Bauer talks about the Nittany Lions - and Adam Fisher: 22:10 – 55:19

Mailbag: 55:19 – end

Temple’s season opener is quickly approaching Saturday, with the Owls set to host a top-10 FCS program in Rhode Island at 2 p.m. at Lincoln Financial Field. We broke down some of Saturday’s key matchups, talked about who we expect to start at quarterback, and answered close to a dozen mailbag questions. Oh, and there’s the possibility of a familiar face rejoining Temple’s men’s basketball roster, too.

0:00 – 5:53: Intro

5:53 – 9:48: The QB question and injury updates

9:49 – 15:41: A closer look at Rhode Island and key matchups

15:41 – 38:06: Mailbag