Matchup: FAU (2-7, 0-5 AAC) vs Temple (2-4, 1-5 AAC)
When: Friday, November 16th, 7:00 PM
Where:Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia PA
TV: ESPN+
Radio: FoxSports 640
Opening Line: Temple-2
Weather Forecast: Here
The Series: First matchup
Owl Notes
FAU squares off with Temple this week in a battle of 2 programs amidst down seasons and for FAU, they come in off a week which saw multiple coaching changes. Also for FAU, Kasen Weisman will be making his first start for the Owls following Cam Fancher’s shoulder injury and with bowl eligibility now out the window, the focus moves to evaluating the talent on this roster.
Offensively, Weisman brings in a diverse skill set to the table and although his speed may not be that of Fancher’s, he has plus level speed and has shown he is capable of handling the passing side of the offense fairly solid for a redshirt-freshman. On the year, Weisman has thrown for 293 yards, 2 touchdowns and 3 interceptions, while completing 56% of his passes in 4 games this year.
Against ECU, Zuberi Mobley was out with an injury suffered during practice that week, it is unknown whether he will return for this week, however CJ Campbell, Gemari Sands and Xavier Terrel all saw time against the Pirates and the same could be expected if Mobley remains out. In 5 out of the 7 losses this year for Temple, they have given up 200+ yards on the ground and with the Owls dealing with a change at the Qb position this could be a valuable opportunity for the FAU backs to shine.
Through the air however, Weisman has shown a solid connection with multiple receivers, including both Omari Hayes and Jabari Smith Jr, the top 2 leading receivers on this squad. Weisman’s ability to utilize all of his weapons is one of his biggest strengths alongside his versatility on the ground and in this one if Weisman can form connections with multiple targets early, that could potentially cause problems for a temple defense which also at times has struggled in pass defense.
In terms of protection, this game marks the debut of interim OL coach Kyle Chung following the firing of former coach Ed Warriner. This game is an opportunity for the unit to dominate the trenches against a Temple squad which has only recorded 10 sacks this season.
Defensively, Interim DC Brandon Harris takes the reigns of a defense which is coming off their worst performance of the season, a game in which they gave up 343 yards and 5 TDs through the air and another 238 and 2 TDs on the ground. However this week provides a bounce back opportunity, as Temple has failed to score 21 points or more in 7 out of their 9 games this season and has struggled to find consistency on the ground or through the air.
Temple has struggled with pass protection this season, allowing 29 sacks and that has resulted in an offense which a lot of times is behind the chains. The Owls defense has struggled this season in generating pressure, however there will not be a better opportunity to dominate the trenches than in this one and the Owls will have to capitalize. Chisom Ifeanyi returns to Pennsylvania after starting his career at Shippensburg and a big game from him would go a long way for the Owls defense in this one.
FAU’s defense still sits top 40 in the country in takeaways forced and Temple has thrown 11 interceptions this season, which could also be another point of emphasis in this one for the defense.
Ultimately in this one, there may be a lot of rotations at certain positions as the Owls look to evaluate the Talent on their roster. With that in mind, it’s possible we see a lot of younger players which could give FAU a new sense of mojo, or potentially harm them if they are not ready for action. Rotations aside, this game presents a valuable opportunity for FAU to show what they have in the tank against a team in Temple which has had major struggles on both sides of the ball.
FAU Player to Watch
Kasen Weisman becomes the Owls player to watch in this one as the Colorado transfer makes his first start of the season and he’ll look to make the most out of the opportunity.
So far in limited opportunities this season, Weisman has flashed potential of being a really solid quarterback, having the ability to throw accurate passes on the run, while also having a solid mental clock of knowing when to run with it. It hasn’t been perfect, as he has thrown 3 interceptions on the year, however he brings an edge of competitiveness that could potentially spark a fire underneath this offense.
In relief of Fancher last week, Weisman completed 20 of 35 passes for 188 yards, 2 TDs and 1 int, while adding another 41 yards on the ground on only 6 touches. It was a gutsy performance against a solid ECU defense and a full game of that level of play against Temple should be enough to lead the offensive side of the ball to success.
Temple may look to find ways to frustrate the young quarterback, however they have been unsuccessful in generating pressure for a lot of this year, which leaves them with limited portions on how to speed him up. If Weisman is able to have time in the pocket, while also using his legs at the appropriate time, this is a game where we could potentially see him shine.
Final Thoughts
Overall, this is a game where FAU should be able pull out a win, as Temple has struggled in areas where FAU has excelled this year, including turning the ball over and struggling in run defense. The Owls can gain an advantage by getting a solid run game and turning Temple over, however as we have seen there are still multiple areas in which FAU will have to shore up in order to pull out a victory.
Getting pressure in this one should be top of the list for the FAU defense in this one, as Temple has also struggled in pass protection and what will help FAU potentially turn them over is a strong pass rush. Outside of that, FAU has to remain generally sound defensively, limiting coverage lapses to as minimal as possible and executing each play as called.
Execution in general will be key in this one for FAU, as they have been on the precipice of victory many times this year, however they have fallen short and lacked consistency and execution on both sides of the ball. Against Temple, there is an opportunity for them to both execute and find consistency, but they have to find a way to go out and take this ball game, because if they don’t Temple could easily find a way to win this game at home.
Temple Notes
Temple has struggled so far this season, checking in at 2-7 and they have dropped 4 out of their last 5 games. Inconsistencies have been there on both sides of the ball so far for the Philly Owls, as they’ve thrown 11 interceptions, only have averaged 3 yards per carry as a team and defensively they have struggled to generate pressure, stop the run and at times have been hurt through the air.
Evan Simon has been the main QB for Temple this year, completing 61% of his passes for 1,327 yards 13TDs to 6 INTs, however in his last game against Tulane he failed to throw for over 100 yards or a TD and in the previous matchup against ECU he tossed 3 INTs. It has been an up and down year for him, however he has a very talented go-to target in Dante Wright who can hurt FAU with his speed and the 5’9 slot receiver has hauled in 42 catches for 517 yards and 4TDs so far this year.
On the ground, although Temple at times has struggled in the yards per carry department, the heavy dose of running in this offense has resulted in only 2 games where this squad has failed to eclipse 100 yards. As of recently, Terrez Worthy has burst on the scene as the Junior has rushed for 304 of his 360 yards on the year in the last 4 games and has given Temple another formidable back alongside Antwain Littleton.
The struggles for Temple have been rooted in the defense, as they’ve given up 35 or more in 5 of their 9 games this year and although the offense has found success at times, the defense has been unable to have their backs. In their last matchup against Tulane, Temple lost 52-6 to Tulane, allowing Freshman Darian Mensah to complete 14 of 21 passes for 262 yards and 2 TDs, while on the ground Tulane finished with 327 yards and 5 TDs on the ground.
Temple hasn’t been able to generate a lot of pressure this year and that combined with only 10 forced turnovers on the year has left this unit without an edge at times. FAU has struggled offensively, however this game will bring a different style of offense without Fancher, so it’s unknown whether this game favors Temple, or is potentially be a game where they get surprised by what a Weisman led offense brings to the table.
A battle between 2 2-7 squads means there are a lot of unknowns as to what will ultimately happen, however Temple has a ground game that has worked for them and that is something that has hurt FAU in recent matchups and makes it something to keep an eye on in this one.
Temple player to watch
With FAU’s struggles in run defense this year and the recent emergence of Terrez Worthy on the ground, this could potentially be a game where he is in for a big performance. Worthy transferred in from Lackawanna college this past offseason and his emergence over the past few games has given Temple a significant boost on the ground.
FAU was gashed on the ground in their most recent matchup against ECU, as the Pirates used multiple backs to hurt FAU in a variety of ways. Temple has a chance to do exactly that in this one as between Littleton and Worthy, they can bring in fresh feet when needed and if their O-Line can create space, FAU could be in for a long day.
Final thought
As we mentioned, it’s unknown what to expect out of Temple in this game other than a solid game on the ground, as outside of that there hasn’t been much consistency for the Philly Owls this season. Facing off against an equal squad in FAU, this is a chance for both squads to start a path to finishing strong, the question then becomes who wants it more and who is willing to fight when there is nothing left to fight for besides pride.