What Temple can take from Navy’s win

If Temple can keep a lot of players like Khalil Poteat, it should be OK next season.

About a year and a month ago, Temple got a terrific game from a quarterback and a linebacker and earned a 32-18 win over Navy.

A couple of days ago Navy completed a 10-win season with a win over an Oklahoma team that opened this season by beating Temple, 51-3.

The AAC’s image improved this bowl season. Now it’s time for Temple to contribute to that profile.

If anything, the juxtaposition shows how much fortunes can change in one year.

That’s because the transfer portal system both giveth and taketh away. The schools who decide to build their rosters with high school players will be left behind by the other schools who judiciously scour the portal to upgrade their rosters with 20 or so new players who can compete for starting spots.

So far, Temple head coach K.C. Keeler has talked about building a team through high school players and, as the lady on the video said, “ain’t nobody got time for that.”

Me when I heard K.C. wants to build his roster with high school players.

For now, let’s hope that is all that it is–talk.

However, if Keeler adds a couple of key players from, say, Sam Houston, a few all-star type players from FCS ranks and as many disaffected really good players from P4 schools who can’t get on the field there that’s the formula to do what Navy did–go from three wins (and dominated by a three-win team)–to, if not 10, then eight or nine wins.

Ironically, Navy got better not from an influx of new players but from being able to retain its roster. Temple can do the same but still needs to keep the good players like quarterback Evan Simon and a few others.

On the flip side, the Owls need to upgrade their offensive line with solid players from the portal (be it FCS, Sam Houston or P4) so Simon doesn’t spend next year running for his life.

That’s one of the reasons why the old staff got fired. They relied too much on JUCOs on the offensive line. The one player who fit the profile of the kind of guy they should target, a South Carolina transfer starter, was their most valuable offensive lineman. Really, the only good one.

So Keeler knows what he has to do. Keep a solid chunk of the current roster and upgrade with the top end of the 6,000 or so players who won’t find a home. He already has shown the chops for being able to coach them up.

First, he has to get them to coach them and we’ll be keeping an eye on those developments over the next four or so weeks.

5 thoughts on “What Temple can take from Navy’s win

  1. Nice analysis Mike, keep it up.

    Dunno why people who get paid to make Temple Athletics great dislike your site sooo much? They dislike it so much they can’t stop reading it…,

    Your insight makes a difference, Happy New Year!

    • Thanks, KJ. The long-term Philly forecast (gobs of snow and colder than usual temps from the entire month of Jan.) make me wish I moved to Hawaii. 🙂 When the prediction that you are going to be colder than usual on the coldest month on the year, you know tough times are ahead.

  2. Now coaches are fundraisers? I can remember in my profession (non-profit museums) when directors were forced to fund raise when board of trustee members decided to step aside from that role. Running an institution (including coaching a team) and fund raising are two entirely different activities. Football has become all about money and greediness – not at all about fairness or the sport itself. It has become based on the American oligarch money system and the big boys taking over everything – just like we’ve been seeing in our country more and more. College football has lost its intent to be part of the college fabric for students, alums and fans. Human greediness is running the show.

    • The AAC wins the College Football Bowl Cup Challenge!

      ASU will lose today.

      The AAC wins even with a No Texas loss. Congrats to Pernetti in his first year as Commissioner. A G5 recruiting feather.

Leave a reply to kj101941 Cancel reply