Thoughts on the Depth Chart

Temple wide receiver John Christopher (7) stiff-arms first-round NFL draft choice Byron Jones (16)

Temple wide receiver John Christopher (7) stiff-arms first-round NFL draft choice Byron Jones (16), whose world record in the broad jump could not stop this completion. Christopher earned one of the three starting WR spots.

Not very many surprises on the depth chart except for maybe the emergence of Ryquell Armstead at the running back position.

If there’s one thing the Owls have lacked since Montel Harris’ brief but meteoric appearance is straight-line speed and Armstead, who runs a 10.8 100-meter dash, certainly has that. A 10.8 would tie him as the fastest running back in Temple history. (Back when Paul Palmer played, the dashes were 100 yards.)

Armstead will not get caught from behind, let’s put it that way. He’s still behind Jahad Thomas on the depth chart. Maybe we’ll see Thomas, who got a No. 5 for toughness, lead blocking for Armstead. As they say about chicken soup and the cold, it couldn’t hurt.

Here’s the offensive depth chart:

LT 66 Dion Dawkins ……………………….(6-5, 318, Jr)
74 James McHale………………………(6-6, 300, r-Fr)
LG 75 Shahbaz Ahmed …………………..(6-3, 305, Sr)
70 Jovahn Fair…………………………..(6-3, 300, Fr)
C 79 Kyle Friend ………………………….(6-2, 305, Sr)
68 Brendan McGowan ………………(6-4, 300, r-Jr)
RG 55 Brian Carter …………………………(6-3, 309, r-So)
52 Eric Lofton …………………………..(6-5, 302, r-Sr)
67 Semaj Reed ………………………….(6-6, 305, r-So)
RT 53 Leon Johnson……………………….(6-6, 320, r-So)
77 Jaelin Robinson …………………….(6-6, 319, r-Fr)
TE 86 Colin Thompson……………………(6-4, 250, r-Jr)
80 Kip Patton ……………………………(6-4, 241, r-Fr)
WR 19 Robby Anderson …………………..(6-3, 190, r-Sr)
10 Samuel Benjamin …………………(6-0, 200, r-Jr)
17 Brandon Shippen ………………….(5-11, 191, Sr)
WR 84 Romond Deloatch …………………(6-4, 214, r-Jr)
88 Adonis Jennings ……………………6-3, 190, So)
87 Ventell Bryant ………………………(6-3, 181, r-Fr)
WR 7 John Christopher ………………….(5-11, 189, r-Sr)
15 Brodrick Yancy ……………………..(5-11, 187, So)
QB 11 P.J. Walker …………………………..(6-1, 200, Jr)
18 Frank Nutile …………………………(6-4, 219, r-Fr)
RB 5 Jahad Thomas ………………………(5-10, 180, Jr)
25 Ryquell Armstead………………….(5-11, 205, Fr)

You did not have to have the intelligence of Stephen Hawking to know it was going to be tough to break into the starting lineup on the defense, but I think Nate D. Smith is probably going to be the best pure pass rusher we’ve seen at Temple since Adrian Robinson. Speaking of Arob, great to see No. 43, Averee Robinson, break into the starting lineup.  Temple would is now doing what I thought it should do all along with him, go 5-2 and play him at nose to fully utilize the gap leverage of a three-time large school heavyweight state wrestling champion. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Tavon Young returning punts. (Even though he’s the backup, I hope he works his way into the lineup as the starting punt returner.) He could be the best punt returner at Temple since another Young, Anthony.

Here’s the Defensive Depth Chart: 

DE 35 Nate D. Smith……………………….(6-0, 236, r-Sr)
56 Sharif Finch ………………………….(6-4, 257, Jr)
DT 9 Matt Ioannidis ……………………..(6-4, 292, Sr)
99 Freddie Booth-Lloyd ……………..(6-1, 315, r-Fr)
NT 43 Averee Robinson ………………….(6-1, 285, Jr
72 Hershey Walton ……………………(6-4, 314, r-Sr))
DE 58 Haason Reddick ……………………(6-1, 225, r-Jr)
91 Jacob Martin ………………………..(6-3, 231, So)
WLB 8 Tyler Matakevich ………………….(6-1, 232, Sr)
22 Chapelle Russell……………………(6-1, 214, Fr)
MLB 41 Jarred Alwan ………………………..(6-1, 237, Jr)
90 Nick Sharga …………………………(6-2, 240, r-So)
SLB 2 Avery Williams ……………………..(5-10, 200, r-Jr)
OR 6 Stephaun Marshall ……………….(5-11, 203, r-Jr)
CB 3 Sean Chandler ……………………..(5-11, 185, So)
16 Artrel Foster ………………………..(6-0, 186, r-So)
CB 1 Tavon Young ………………………..(5-10, 180, Sr)
15 Nate Hairston……………………….(6-0, 193, r-Jr)
FS 21 Alex Wells ……………………………(6-0, 203, Sr)
13 Nate L. Smith ……………………….(6-1, 188, r-Jr)
SS 32 Will Hayes ……………………………(5-9, 192, r-Sr)
37 Boye Aromire……………………….(6-0, 206, r-Sr)

PK 29 Austin Jones ……………………….(5-10, 196, So)
95 Tyler Mayes ………………………..(6-2, 204, r-Sr)
P 43 Alex Starzyk…………………………(6-3, 213, So)
95 Tyler Mayes…………………………(6-2, 204, r-Sr)
KO 29 Austin Jones ……………………….(5-10, 196, So)
95 Tyler Mayes…………………………(6-2, 204, r-Sr)
H 20 Tom Bradway ………………………(5-10, 190, r-So)
7 John Christopher …………………(5-11, 189, r-Sr)
LS 59 Corey Lerch …………………………(5-10, 200, So)
57 Josh Lang…………………………….(6-2, 210, r-So)
PR 19 Robby Anderson…………………..(6-3, 190, r-Sr)
1 Tavon Young ………………………..(5-10, 180, Sr)
KOR 5 Jahad Thomas …………………….(5-10, 180, Jr)
88 Adonis Jennings ……………………6-3, 190, So)