The Play Within the Play

(via Youtube)

After an eventful night that almost resembled a roller coaster, Temple can now take a sigh of relief that they are now 1-0, and remain on track for a double-digit win season. But let's not forget the one play that gave them their first victory of the season, and no, I am not talking about the actual kick by sophomore Brandon McManus. Right before McManus was able to get his foot on the ball, quarterback-turned-tight end Vaughn Charleton made a spectacular individual play.

Looking at the video, beginning at :35 seconds and ending at :37 seconds, you will notice just how spectacular the play really was. In that two second frame, Charleton was able to use all of his 6-foot-4 body to reach up and somehow snag the ball in the air with ease, AND without even hesitating, he perfectly (and I mean perfectly placed with the laces out) spotted the ball right where it needed to go.

The play as a whole has been seen by every Temple fan, but that two second moment involving Vaughn Charleton was overlooked by many. Sure, you can argue that a place holder is supposed to be able to catch the ball off a bad snap and place it down, but this is still college football, and with just :08 seconds on the clock in the Mayor's Cup in the season opener, the play by Charleton could go down as one of the best "forgotten in time" plays of the season.

If that play didn't impress you, how about you just ask Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo about place holding.

(Starting at :52 seconds)

Revenge at it's Finest: Owls Top 'Nova

Ahh, sweet revenge. The ring of it just sounds good by itself, but when you finally come out on top and shatter your rival's hopes of reigning victorious over you once again, the feeling is beyond satisfying. When Temple took the field against Villanova, they had one thing on their minds, and that was to avenge their 27-24 defeat in 2009 by the hands of the Wildcats, and to every Temple fan's delight, the victory in the 2nd annual Mayor's Cup will give Temple bragging rights over 'Nova for another season.

Don't get me wrong, coming out with the victory at the end is a perfect ending, but it appeared that Villanova was the better team for almost the whole game. Temple's defense didn't match up well early on against 'Nova's option-style offense, but at the same time, the Owls didn't allow them to break off a big play. As mentioned before, junior Matt Szczur was held in check for the most part, only compiling 15 yards on five attempts, and 16 receiving yards on five catches.

The one big play for 'Nova came in the fourth quarter when Chris Witney found Norman White in the corner of the endzone on a fade route 21 yards out. The touchdown gave the Wildcats a 21-13 lead, and took the breath out of every Temple fan at Lincoln Financial Field.

But as we all know from the college football atmosphere, the swing of emotions, going from an eruption of cheers from the Villanova student sections to the bickering of every single Temple fan in attendance, the momentum for each side seemed to bounce back-and-forth throughout the fourth quarter.

Going into the game, all eyes were on sophomore running back Bernard Pierce. Unfortunately, he didn't live up to his expectations, running for 75 yards on 20 attempts. But Temple did score on the ground despite Pierce's inability to find the endzone. Matt Brown scored on a 17 yard run in the first quarter to give Temple it's first points of the new season.

But let's not kid ourselves, the biggest star of the game wasn't a member of the offense, or even the defense, it was kicker Brandon McManus. Sure, he nailed a 53 yard field to close out the first half with ease, and he did convert on a 44 yard field goal in the third quarter and a 40 yard field goal to close the gap to five points int the fourth quarter, but that's not what earned him player of the game. With :08 seconds on the clock, McManus did the improbable, and capped off a late Temple drive on a 43 yard field goal to give Temple the W.

To make things even better, Temple followed that field goal up with a 26 yard fumble recovery for a touchdown following Villanova's last ditch effort to score on the final play of the game. The 31-24 victory, though not a perfect win, is a great way to start the season off for the Cherry & White.

While I was in attendance at the game, I did happen to notice a few things regarding Temple:

• Quarterback Chester Stewart, who went 16-for-27 with 200 yards, including a 62 yard touchdown pass in the fourth quarter, seemed to favor his right side when throwing the ball. Villanova appeared to have noticed this, and began to press on Temple's receivers to the right. The odd tendency, however, was overcome when Stewart connected with Michael Campbell on his left side for the late touchdown. I will continue to watch Stewart's vision, and see if he continues to favor his right side.
• Heisman hopeful Bernard Pierce definitely didn't seem up to speed in the opener. He wasn't hitting the holes (though, he didn't have much run blocking), and seemed to lack any break away speed. He did have a couple nice runs, including a late fourth quarter run in which he barreled over a 'Nova defender. Luckily, Matt Brown was able to help out Pierce in the run game, and continued to prove himself as a legitimate runner in the college game. Consider Pierce option 1A and Brown 1B.
• Reigning MAC Defensive Player of the Year, Adrian Robinson, had a great game. He made some key stops late in the game, and forced Chris Witney outside of the pocket on a handful of occasions. Temple's defensive line did a great job of not allowing Whitney to sit in the pocket and find the open man, and the one time they allowed him to do so, he connected with his wideout for a 21 yard touchdown.

Temple (1-0) will now get ready to take on Central Michigan (1-0) at the Linc next Saturday.

Knowing the Enemy: Villanova

Sorry about this delay, but it's never to late to take a look at what a fellow blogger for Villanova thinks about the upcoming game.

1. Temple is heading into Friday's game with vengence following Villanova's 27-24 victory over the Owls in 2009. What kind of emotions will the Wildcats have entering Friday's game?

I can really only speak for the fans and their emotions and I know that most of 'Nova Nation is fired up to get this football season underway. There's been a ton of action on the social networking mediums about tickets and tailgate plans and I'd expect a strong turnout for the game.

As for the team, I think they're coming into this season full of confidence, but they're completely aware that Temple will be gunning for them on Friday night. While it wouldn't be bad at all to go down to an FCS team, this is a local rivalry and everyone wants the feeling of lifting that trophy again and knowing you were good enough to be an FBS team.

2. Last time these two teams met, senior Brendyn Harvey played a major role in defeating the Owls. Who do you think will step up for Nova on Friday, and how do you see Nova utilizing junior Matt Szcuzur against Temple this time around?

Chris Whitney and Matt Szczur are going to have to step up for the 'Cats if their offense is going to get to the level they are capable of. Szczur is going to touch the ball in a multitude of ways, whether it be splitting out, taking handoffs, or taking a direct snap. Temple will undoubtedly game-plan around him so Whitney is going to need other targets to step up (Mikey Reynolds, Dorian Wells & Norman White, and the other cogs of the vaunted rushing attack (Aaron Ball & Angelo Babbaro) will need to raise their game as well

3. Villanova will be without their two starting defensive ends last season, Tim Kukucka and Phil Matusz. Should Temple expect to see a lot of pressure from the Cats' defense, specificallly from the outside?

Pre-season FCS Defensive Player of the Year Terence Thomas is still patrolling the field and he'll have an impact on this game in some way. The defensive line is a bit green and we know Temple likes to run the ball, so I think you'll see a lot of run blitzes lead by the aforementioned Thomas to try and clog the gaps and force Temple's inexperienced QB to make some plays. Bringing pressure is the way we're going to turn this game on it's head.

4. Temple was able to hold Villanova's ground game in check last meeting, and held Matt Szcuzur to five yards on just three attempts. What will Villanova look to do differently this time around, and do you think they will be able to estabilish the run on Friday?

Szczur is going to have more than 3 touches, so that's the main thing that is going to be different. I think he'll have at least 1-2 big plays, but if Temple can hold him to less, things are probably going to go well for them. If Villanova can't get Szczur going early, it probably means a long day and without Harvey here this season, it becomes a question of whether to pound the ball with our stable of backs or try to air it out to talented, but unproven wideouts.

If things get desperate I'd bank on the latter because of the experience of Whitney.

5. Give us a couple of players from Villanova that Temple fans should keep an eye on, and explain how they could have an impact on this game.

Aaron Ball is a severely underrated running back and the workhorse of the team. If he gets some space I think Temple fans will be impressed. OL Ben Ijalana is being touted as an early-round draft choice. And yes, he is that good. I mentioned Terence Thomas before and I would watch him captain the defense. He's a phenomenal play-making LB.

And of course, keep an eye on Matt Szczur, he truly is a remarkable athlete.

--
Q&A conducted with Christopher Lane of The Nova Blog.

12 Positions 12 Days: Secondary

The last line of defense lies in the hands of the secondary . The corners are young and inexperienced, but have a lot of potential. James Nixon is another one of those "position switch" players, moving from wide receiver to corner. Behind him is senior Marquise Liverpool, who just like Nixon (and a handful of other Temple players) switched positions. He's been a member of a few different areas on the field, moving from receiver to halfback to long snapper, and now corner. The two "ironmen", if you so choose to call them, are both very talented athletes who will most likely share the position, unless one of these two outperforms the other.

Behind Nixon and Liverpool is Kwame Johnson. The senior defensive back played in nine games last season, and did well against Villanova, recording three tackles. He will continue to be utilized on the special teams unit, just as he did in 2009.

On the other side is Maurice Jones, or possibly Key-ayre Griffen. Jones played very well in his freshman year, starting four games and appearing in 12. He finished the year with 24 tackles, but is competing for a starting spot with Griffen. He finished the year with three rushing touchdowns before switching to defensive back. He took back an interception against Ohio, which further displays his ability to makes play once the ball is in his hands. These two guys will split time, so no true starter will be named...yet.

The third corner is Zamel Johnson, a red shirt freshman. With Jones and Griffen dueling it out for the starting gig, and playing time, Johnson won't see the field much from a defensive stand point. But he will see time on the special teams unit.

Jarrett is arguably the best defensive back on the team with the experience he possesses. He has been named to the 2010 Jim Thorpe award watch list, which is handed to the top defensive back at the end of the season. He has played in every single game of his career, something very impressive in today's game. He had a terrific game against UCLA in Temple's bowl game, recording six tackles and a pass break-up. Once again, Jarrett will prove to be one of Temple's top defensive players along with defensive end Adrian Robinson.

Behind Jarrett is sophomore Justin Gildea. The possible starting free safety next season once Jarrett graduates, Gildea played in 12 games last season, and will continue to make appearances behind Jarrett to prepare him for the future.

Starting at strong safety is Keven Kroboth. He was a 2009 fourth team All-MAC honoree following his 45 tackles and one interception season. His game will continue to develop this season, and by the time he's a senior, he will be one of the better safeties in the MAC. He will be backed up by sophomore Vaughn Carraway. He moved from receiver to safety this offseason, and was mainly seen on the punt return unit in 2009. He could see some action in relieving Kroboth occasionally, or if an injury hits the secondary.

Next up in 12 Positions in 12 Days: Special Teams!

JT Noone plays 2nd half against Chivas Guadalajara

Former Temple soccer star, J.T Noone, played the entire 2nd half in a friendly vs. Chivas Guadalajara. The Union won the game 1-0 and Noone earned some much needed experience. This was only Noone's fourth appearance with the Union this season.

Although Noone didn't do anything to set himself apart from the rest, he did an extremely good job of finding space and creating passing options for his teammates. His ball skills were not up to par, however, that only comes with more experience. The more Noone plays the more he will be able to adapt to the speed at the pro level and will learn to pass the ball quicker.

Along with his ability to create and exploit open space he also showed his versatility. He was brought in as a right midfielder but with about 10 minutes left, he was moved back to right fullback. He played both positions well and worked hard.

We here at Cherry and White believe that Noone will become a great player once he gets time regularly. Noone has a lot of potential and versatility. If he works on passing quicker and continues to work hard the minutes will come for him in the future.

12 Positions 12 Days: Linebackers

Moving to the second-line of defense, the linebacking corps, overall, is inexperienced. Starting at middle linebacker is Stephen Johnson, who was a member of the scout team for most of last season. Do I expect him to be the biggest contributor out of the three middle linebackers? No, but he will see some time.

Senior Elijah Joseph is the hands down top middle linebacker on the team. Why he's stuck behind Johnson is unknown, but similar to Bernard Pierce's case, it's most likely a motivational ploy and to reward Johnson for his hard work during the offseason. Joseph was named a first-team All-MAC honoree in 2009, and finished fourth on the team in tackles with 63. However, his 11 starts came from the outside linebacker position, but hopefully he can carry that success into the middle.

Backing up Johnson and Joseph is sophomore Marcus Green. He played in 10 games last season, averaging around one tackle per showing, including two tackles against Miami (OH). He won't see too much time in the middle (unless an injury strikes), but he will continue to be used on the special teams unit, just as he did last season as a member of the punt return unit.

The Owls will be without Alex Joseph and John Haley, both due to graduation, which will open up two spots for the taking. Junior Tahir Whitehead is the expected starter at one side, and deservingly so. He finished the 2009 season with 30 tackles in 13 games, and was just one of six freshman to start in every single game in 2008. The experience and talent is there for Whitehead, now he will just have to bring it all together in his new starting gig.

Behind Whitehead is Quinten White. The junior linebacker played in 10 games in 2009, with no starts, but had a good showing against Akron, finishing with three tackles. He will be competing for time with red-shirt freshman Blaze Caponegro. Now if an individuals name could earn them a starting spot, then Blaze would automatically be starting, but unfortunately it doesn't work that way. He was an All-State linebacker coming out of high school, and will most likely see most of his playing time from the special teams side.

Starting opposite Whitehead is Amara Kamara, who formerly was a defensive linemen. He was a third team All-MAC honoree in 2009, with nine starts on the season (two starts as a outside linebacker, and seven as a defensive end). He record 44 tackles and two sacks, and now that he is expected to be a starter as an outside linebacker, his numbers should improve with more opportunities.

Behind Kamara are two freshman, Alaniyi Adewole and Wyatt Benson. Both enjoyed success during their senior seasons, but playing time will come sparingly for them... or at least for one of them. Adewole has a bigger frame, which could give him an edge in Temple's defense, but I'm sure these two will find a spot on the special teams.

Next up in 12 Positions in 12 Days: Secondary!

Heisman Tracker: Ingram's Down, Who's #1?

The most respected individual trophy in all of college sports is the Heisman trophy. The award is handed out to the individual that outperformed every other player in the nation. With that said, the hype for the award lasts all season long, and the candidates are always under the spotlight. Let's take a look at Cherry & White Nation's Heisman Update.

Moving Down: RB Mark Ingram, Alabama

News broke today that the reigning Heisman trophy winner will miss the season opener against San Jose State following arthroscopic knee surgery. However, he might not be able to suit up against Penn State in the second game of the season. Knowing that he will miss one to two non-conference games in a tough SEC conference, Ingram's chances of winning the Heisman in back-to-back seasons is slim to none.

Moving Up: RB Dion Lewis, Pittsburgh

Stemming from the absence of Ingram, the sophomore back now is the leading candidate for the Heisman. As long as he can remain healthy for the entire season, I fully believe Lewis will be the one hoisting the Heisman come seasons end. Pitt gets a few easy contests in the beginning of the year, including New Hampshire and Florida International, which should bode well for Lewis statistically. Mix that in with the national spotlight he will receive by playing in the Big East, and Lewis is C&W Nation's preseason Heisman favorite.

Cherry & White Nation's Heisman Rankings

1. RB Dion Lewis, Pittsburgh
2. RB Ryan Williams, Virginia Tech
3. QB Terrelle Pryor, Ohio State
4. RB DeMarco Murray, Oklahoma
5. QB Kellen Moore, Boise State
6. RB John Clay, Wisconsin
7. QB Andrew Luck, Stanford
8. QB Ryan Mallet, Arkansas
9. QB Case Keenum, Houston
10. RB Evan Royster, Penn State