Matt Rhule: Another game of poor time out management. I understand that it’s great to use them early to avoid a mistake so that the time out isn't needed at the end of a half, but it’s better to have one in your back pocket. U Mass ended up getting seven points when we’d burned all our time outs on that “Swinging Gate” fake FG at the end of the first half. Our guys were in chaos with no way to regroup. That being said, dropping 8 into the end zone when a QB was scrambling around with only one defender pursuing him is just bad instincts.
Of course, I’d be remiss if I didn’t say that he’s built the best Temple Football team in at LEAST the past quarter century, so if he wants to burn them all on the first three plays and kick to open both halves, I’m along for the ride, God Bless Him!
U Mass did a simply phenomenal job at setting the edge vs. our run. J.T. not only had 8 or 9 men in the box on every conceivable running down, but the DEs and OLBs shut the outside lanes out. We didn’t run a lot, but there wasn’t much an opportunity to do so.
Sat called way too many passes that had the first or second read being an underneath pattern. With so many defenders in the zone near the line of scrimmage, this was a terrible strategy.
Making things worse, P.J. throwing deep was so successful. In the first half, Walker connected on 6 of 8 long passes. Granted, one was an ugly overthrow of a wide open Addonis Jennings and the other was a poorly thought out throw that resulted in a pick. Even during the final drive, most of those throws were beyond intermediate.
John Christopher, who has done as much as anyone in recent history to sacrifice and better the team, had a career game. Whenever a crucial pass was needed, J.C. was there, blocking his man out, grabbing that pass. This is a TRUE Owl. The kid doesn’t have size, he doesn’t have speed, but he blocks his man down field, he runs the right pattern, he’s as sure handed as anyone you’ll ever find, and he does whatever is asked of him. This young man exemplifies what it means to be an Owl just as much as Ryan Alderman, Sadek Konte, or Jairo Amonte – Men not limited by their physical stature who stepped up and answered the call. Perseverantia Vincit, John Christopher, Perseverantia Vincit.
Kip Patton, is flat out going to be a SUPER STAR. I haven’t seen that combination of size, power, speed, and hands since… well, since I’ve been watching Temple Football for 20 years. I know he was rumored to be something of a “flake” last year, Matt Rhule has sung his praises this summer and the kid has exceeded any of the bombast Matty heaped upon him. This kid is something special!!!
Aside from two plays where an assignment was missed, the OL did a fine job in pass blocking and considering the fact that U Mass was running 3-4s, 4-3s, stunts and delays, this was one heck of a job. The run blocking was about as good as could be expected when the Minute Men were generally stacked up, loaded for bear against our run.
I was also disappointed in our lack of a blitz. We began running it towards the end of the second Quarter. I counted five blitzes during this period. We had a sack by Jared Alwan that forced a fumble which PMO ran back for a TD (nullified by an Avery Williams holding call), 3 incompletions, and a false start (as well as an offsides). I’d hoped that shelving the blitz against Cincy was just a concession against a good passing attack, and, granted, UMass has a very good combo with Frohnapfel and Sharpe, they suffered under a blitz and we should have kept it up.
I believe the reason, for the second week in a row, that we were battered by the pass, was our near 100% reliance on the 4-3 package. Why not use a nickel or dime when it’s an obvious passing situation? Why are T. Matt, Avery Williams, or Jared Alwan tasked with covering that 4th WR?
Champ Chandler had a rough day against Tajae Sharpe, but Sharpe is the real deal. This kid is currently an NFL level receiver. While I wish I could say Champ hung with him, he was burned a little too often, but let’s remember, Champ is a true Sophomore. It was about what you’d expect from a VERY talented youngster against an NFL ready WR.
On a related note, while Tayvon Young was beaten by Sharpe on a couple of occasions, Frohnapfel tended to look towards Mills and Michel when #1 was manned up against Sharpe. Another check on the list for Young when NFL scouts are assessing him.
Sooner or later, Shariff Finch is going to block a punt. He gets tantalizingly close several times a game, and if we’d set up for the block rather than the return, he’d get one. Two men actively going after the punter isn’t likely going to get it done.
On that note, we don’t really seem to have a punt returner on the roster, and that’s fine. But stop trying to wedge Robbie or Nate L. or J.C. into a role into which they’re not going to succeed. Go full bore after the punter, make them worry about it and shank a few we can’t get to.
Also, Alex Starzyk might very well be the MVP at this point. Take out the ill-advised rugby kick that went for 17 yards, and he was rock solid, pinning U Mass deep towards their own goal line. This fella is responsible for more change in field position than anyone, just as a punter should.
I’m not one to blame the refs for a game, but this crew (MAC) was terrible. Not just missed calls, but the overall confusion in calling the plays (“U Mass retains the ball… Uh…. [conference with the video review official] Uh… Temple retains the ball”).
Not blaming this person at all, but the official who stands where the Referee traditionally does, kind of to the side behind the QB, was a woman who wore a “C” on the back of her jersey. It seemed like she was an extra official and her role confused me. I couldn’t find her in the listings of officials in the game book. Anyone have any insight to this?
