Tag Archives: nfl-offseason

06.29.25
by

Immediate help is on the way for Temple football

Jay Ducker was the leading rusher at NIU, Memphis and Sam Houston and hopes to do the same at TU.

Lost in the Big Beautiful Month for Temple football 2026 recruiting that ends Monday is the fact that new head coach K.C. Keeler placed immediate needs ahead of future ones.

Keeler loaded up on the transfer portal to bulk up this roster before concentrating on future rosters and that’s the way it should be.

Any Temple fans having concerns about the roster need not.

That’s because the roster has been UPGRADED with newcomers and not downgraded by any loss of Stan Drayton’s guys.

Colin Chase could make Temple fans forget Dante Wright.

Look just at the key spots:

If Gevani McCoy beats out Evan Simon, he’s a pretty good quarterback.

QUARTERBACK__Temple was pretty much screwed at the backup quarterback position before Keeler addressed that with the addition of Oregon State starter Gevani McCoy in late April. Right now, we don’t know who is going to start at QB, McCoy or Evan Simon but going into this season not a single person can say Temple was better off at this time last year with Forrest Brock as the starter and Simon as a backup. Consider that position upgraded simply because backup quarterbacks have been a disaster at Temple for most of the last six years.

RUNNING BACK__Temple went into last season with high hopes for an FIU transfer (E.J. Wilson) and a true sophomore, Joquez Smith, not realizing that the 2023 leading JUCO rusher in the nation was on the roster in Terrez Worthy. Once Worthy got in the game, Temple realized it had something but he didn’t get highlighted until the middle of the season. Not satisfied with JUST Worthy, Keeler added Jay Ducker, who was the leading rusher in the MAC as a true freshman and the leading rusher at NIU, Memphis and Sam Houston State in the last three seasons. Think he’s not motivated to add Temple to that list? Hunter Smith, who was the leading rusher at Louisiana Monroe as a freshman, adds depth and joins a crowded room that includes Worthy, Smith and Ducker. Fortunately, Wilson is gone. Position definitely upgraded.

WIDE RECEIVERS__While Temple lost a couple of serviceable receivers in Dante Wright and John Adams, they added the leading receiver from Delaware (JoJo Bermudez). Grambling transfer Antonio Jones showed he had pretty good hands last year and returns, as does Xavier Irvin, who showed flashes of being pretty good. Colin Chase (St. Thomas) could surprise. EVEN.

OFFENSIVE LINE__Temple returns seven guys who started FBS games in South Carolina transfer Grayson Mains, Chris Smith, Jackson Pruitt, Luke Watson, Eric King, Diego Barajas and Kevin Terry. Keeler also brought in a letterwinner from Georgia who should provide depth. UPGRADE.

DEFENSIVE LINE__Keeler has called that the deepest position on the team with single-digit Demerick Morris coming back to Temple after a short stint at Oklahoma State. His teammates voted to allow him back, which shows he’s a leader. Other solid players include Miami (Fla.) transfer Allan Haye, Philadelphia city star Tyrese Whitaker, Rutgers’ transfer Cam’Ron Stewart (who has been good here) and Georgia Tech transfer K.J. Miles. UMass starter Aaron Beckwith transferred here over the winter but is not expected to start here. HUGE UPGRADE.

LINEBACKER__Eric Stuart is the lone returning starter but Keeler recognized that fact and brought in UMass starter Jalen Stewart and Delaware’s best linebacker, Ty Davis, who both should start here. Another potential starter is Kentucky backup Jayvant Brown, who turned down Alabama and Auburn offers to sign at Kentucky. UPGRADE

SPECIALS__Temple returns punter Dante Atton and former Temple kicker Maddux Trijillo called his backup, Carl Hardin, “the second best kicker in the AAC.” We’ll see if Maddux is as good a talent evaluator as he is a kicker but Hardin was consistent throughout the spring. Tylik Mitchell could be the best kickoff returner Temple has had since Isiah Wright. DOWNGRADE (because MT was so good). Hopefully, Temple will not be punting this year.

Anyone who has any concerns about Temple’s roster being thin is ignoring the players Keeler is bringing in and, in this day and age of the transfer portal, fans do that at their own peril.

Friday: Just Short of an A