Temple Football

HEIGHT: 6'1"

WEIGHT: 228

HAND: 8¾"

ARM: 32"

WINGSPAN: 76"

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40-YARD DASH: 4.55

3-CONE: 6.9

SHUTTLE: 4.16

VERTICAL: 35.5"

BROAD: 10'4"

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POSITIVES

— Great RAS of 9.60 out of 10.

— Has plenty of speed when coming downhill to be an effective blitzer and get unblocked tackles for loss. Can blitz from depth to avoid tipping it and tests offensive linemen's ability to adjust on the fly.

— Speed for decent range when he does read plays quickly.

— Closes quickly in zone coverage.

— Good pass-rush production for an off-ball linebacker with eight sacks in the last two years. Had decent ball production with 10 passes defended in the last three years.

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NEGATIVES

— Slow to key and diagnose run plays and recognize blocking schemes. Will get beat to the spot after taking too long to read keys.

— Isn't a knockback tackler and likes to catch running backs, leading to yards after contact.

— Struggles to recognize passing concepts and will lose receivers in coverage because of it.

— Takes on blocks square, lacks strength to hold his ground and will get stuck on blocks as a run defender.

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2023 STATISTICS

— 11 G, 80 TOT, 14 TFL, 3.5 SK, 4 PD, 1 FF

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NOTES

— 3-star recruit in the 2019 class, per 247Sports' composite rankings

— Injuries: 2023 (Torn Right Bicep, missed 1 game, offseason surgery)

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OVERALL

Jordan Magee's game is rooted in speed and athleticism. He also has a decent frame that has room for growth, which helps make him an interesting project at linebacker.

However, Magee is more of an athlete than a football player right now, as his instincts and situational awareness are subpar. He could also afford to add some size and strength to play the run.

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GRADE: 5.7 (Backup/Draftable — 6th-7th Round)

OVERALL RANK: 208

POSITION RANK: LB17

PRO COMPARISON: D'Marco Jackson

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Written by B/R NFL Scout Matt Holder

Visit B/R's NFL Scouting Department hub for scouting reports on all of the top prospects.

Temple quarterback E.J. Warner, the son of Pro Football Hall of Fame QB Kurt Warner, will reportedly make his first college start Saturday against Rutgers.

ESPN's Pete Thamel reported Warner will replace D'Wan Mathis, who was benched after losing two fumbles during last week's 30-14 win over Lafayette.

Warner, a true freshman, excelled in relief of Mathis against the Leopards. He completed 14 of his 19 throws for 173 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions.

"The way he handled the pressure ... he didn't flinch," Owls head coach Stan Drayton told reporters Monday. "He went out there and executed the offense, didn't try to step outside himself, went out there and put the ball where it needed to be."

Brenda Warner, the quarterback's mom, said the change atop the depth chart was made Monday, though it wasn't publicly announced at the time:

https://twitter.com/WarnerBrenda/status/1569363956766240768

The 6'0", 190-pound signal-caller didn't generate a ton of interest coming out of Brophy College Preparatory in Arizona. He was a 3-star prospect and the No. 117-rated QB in the 2022 recruiting class, according to 247Sports' composite rankings.

He chose Temple over Colorado State, Connecticut, Hawaii and Marshall, among others.

"We loved the city and we thought it was the place I could go with high-level football in a good conference, with a good offense, that I could fit into," Warner told Ryan Wallen of OwlsDaily after his commitment in January.

His first starting test will be a tricky one as he leads Temple against Rutgers, which is 2-0 after wins over Boston College and Wagner.

The Scarlet Knights have allowed just 28 points and 457 total yards while forcing five turnovers through their first two contests.

Temple is 1-1 after dropping its opener against Duke, 30-0.

Quarterback Elijah "EJ" Warner announced Wednesday he's committed to play college football at Temple as part of the Owls' 2022 recruiting class.

100% committed to Temple University!!! @StanDraytonTU pic.twitter.com/cP4IqSwP1N

— Elijah "EJ" Warner (@elijah13warner) January 26, 2022

Warner, the son of Hall of Fame quarterback Kurt Warner, is rated as a 3-star prospect by 247Sports coming out of Brophy College Preparatory in Phoenix.

Brophy head football coach Jason Jewell told Richard Obert of the Arizona Republic the signal-caller is ready to conquer the challenges of college football.

"EJ is one of the sharpest and smartest football players I have ever been around," Jewell said. "He absolutely loves football and is a student of the game."

Warner held scholarship offers from several other programs, including Colorado State, Hawai'i, Marshall and UConn, before choosing Temple, per 247Sports.

Jewell explained to Obert the Broncos "asked him to do a ton" in their offense and he rose to the occasion.

"He was our point guard. Got us in the right plays and protections," Jewell said. "So happy that he landed at Temple. No doubt in my mind that he has the intelligence, quick release and arm strength to be a good football player for them."

Warner is a bit undersized (5'11'', 185 pounds) but has otherwise displayed impressive arm talent and a high football IQ. He could immediately compete for the Owls' backup quarterback role behind D'Wan Mathis after the transfer of Justin Lynch to Northern Illinois.

The elder Warner took a unique path to NFL stardom, famously spending time working at a grocery store and playing in the Arena Football League before finally getting a chance to shine leading the St. Louis Rams' "Greatest Show on Turf" offense to the Super Bowl XXXIV title at the end of the 1999 season and winning the game's MVP.

The 50-year-old was inducted in the Hall of Fame in 2017 and a movie about his journey, American Underdog, was released in December.

Now his son will continue writing his own football story at Temple beginning next season.

Thursday night's scheduled college football game between Rutgers and Temple in Piscataway, New Jersey, has been moved to Saturday because of flooding caused by Hurricane Ida, according to the Associated Press (h/t ESPN.com).

ESPN's Adam Rittenberg reported the game will kick off at 12 p.m. ET.

NJ.com's Keith Sargeant first reported the game was in jeopardy because of "growing concern" about whether roads will be passable enough for fans to attend the game should it happen.

In a statement, Piscataway Township officials recommended the game be played without fans if it occurs:

"While Piscataway is a strong supporter of Rutgers University and fervent fans of Rutgers Football, if the Rutgers-Temple football game is still going to take place this evening, the Township is calling on the University to do so without fans. Township infrastructure is overwhelmed by the damage of Hurricane Ida and evacuations are still taking place this morning. Most importantly, search and rescue operations are ongoing. Piscataway Public Works and our first responders worked through the night to help residents and significant work continues today. Roadways in the Township cannot handle an influx of tens of thousands of people coming to the football game especially with the closure of Landing Lane Bridge."

Per Sargeant, Rutgers was expecting a sell-out crowd of over 50,000 fans for Thursday's game, and it's unclear if fans will be able to attend the rescheduled game Saturday. 

According to Sargeant, figures from the National Weather Service and Rutgers NJ Weather Network show that 6.53 inches of rain fell Wednesday in New Brunswick, New Jersey.

It was also noted by Sargeant that flooding of the Raritan River has led to the closure of some major roadways.

Additionally, CNN's Jennifer Gray, Brandon Miller and Taylor Ward reported that Gov. Phil Murphy declared a state of emergency in New Jersey.

Led by head coach Greg Schiano, Rutgers is looking to finish with a winning record in football for the first time since 2014.

With Schiano back last season for the first time since leaving after the 2011 campaign, the Scarlet Knights went 3-6, which was a step in the right direction after winning a total of three games in the previous two seasons combined.

Meanwhile, Temple is coming off a 1-6 season after finishing .500 or better in each of the previous six seasons, including 10-win campaigns in 2015 and 2016.

Per Action Network, the Scarlet Knights are 14.5-point favorites over the Owls should the game go ahead as scheduled.  

Temple is setting its sights high in its search for a new head football coach, reportedly contacting former Texas coach Charlie Strong for its vacancy.

Continue for updates.

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Latest on Temple HC Search

Thursday, Dec. 8

Marc Narducci of Philly.com cited a source close to the situation who said it's unclear what level of interest Strong has in the American Athletic Conference champions.

"They had a conversation with Strong; that is a fact," the source said.

Strong, 56, was fired in November after posting a 16-21 record in three seasons at Texas. The Longhorns made a bowl game in 2014 but had a losing record in each of his three seasons. He was replaced by former Houston head coach Tom Herman, an offensive guru who went 22-4 in a two-year stint with the Cougars.

Temple is searching for a replacement for Matt Rhule, who was named the head coach at Baylor on Tuesday. Rhule, 41, went 28-23 in four seasons at Temple. He won consecutive division championships and took home the Owls' first American Athletic Conference title in 2016 with an upset win over Navy on Saturday.

Temple has become something of a stepping-stone job for rising coaches. Al Golden, Steve Addazio and Rhule have each parlayed successful stints in Philadelphia into Power Five-conference jobs. In that sense, Strong may be overqualified—unless Temple is ready to make an unprecedented financial offer.

Strong is due an $11.2 million buyout from Texas, which will carry into 2019. That allows him to be picky with what interviews he takes, especially given that Texas' financial obligation to him would be somewhat offset by what he earns at another job.

It's unclear whether Strong has any interest in a non-Power Five job. He spent four seasons at Louisville before going to Texas, splitting time between the Big East and AAC. Louisville, which has since moved to the ACC, was essentially run with the financial backing of a Power Five school when Strong was in charge.

Having spent nearly his entire assistant coaching career at college football's highest levels, save for a short stint at Southern Illinois, it seems unlikely that Strong would pounce on a job offer from a Temple program that's outside the national zeitgeist.

       

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Two Temple University football players have been charged with assault in relation to an incident in Philadelphia two months ago.

According to 6ABC.com, starting left tackle Dion Dawkins and defensive lineman Haason Reddick are accused of attacking a fellow Temple student on Jan. 17 and leaving him with a broken orbital bone and a concussion.

Per Jennifer Joyce of Fox 29, both Dawkins and Reddick have been suspended by the football team:

@TempleFootball players Dion Dawkins & Haason Reddick charged w/aggravated assault, suspended from team @FOX29philly pic.twitter.com/grZizqD1FV

— jennifer joyce (@JenniJoyceTV) March 17, 2015

6ABC.com also passed along a statement from Temple University regarding the situation and the status of the players:

Temple University is aware of allegations of improper conduct by two of its student-athletes at an off-campus location in January. The university has, and will continue, to fully cooperate with the Philadelphia Police Department in its investigation and will take appropriate actions outlined in the Student Conduct Code. The two students have been suspended from football team activities pending further investigation.

Dawkins and Reddick are set to enter their junior seasons with the Owls, but their status for 2015 and beyond is now in question.

Hopes are high for Temple during the upcoming campaign after improving from 2-10 to 6-6 last season, but expectations may be tempered if the program decides to move forward without a pair of key players in Dawkins and Reddick.

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The Notre Dame Fighting Irish are ranked 14th and 11th in the AP and USA Today polls respectively, and the program will look to send a message to college football by beating the Temple Owls in Week 1.

While the Owls are clearly the inferior team—Notre Dame played in the BCS National Championship last season—the Fighting Irish are a shell of the team they were a year ago.

This matchup on paper is one-sided, but it could end up being much more interesting than anticipated.

When: Saturday, August 31 at 3:30 p.m. ET

Where: Notre Dame Stadium, Notre Dame, Ind.

Watch: NBC

Live Stream: NBC Sports Live Extra

Radio: Free Football Radio

Betting Line (via Covers)

Over/Under: 53, Spread: Notre Dame (-29.5)

This matchup is the ultimate trap game for gamblers. While on paper this looks like a horribly one-sided mismatch, Notre Dame has lost several key players this offseason and will not pose the same threat.

Add in former NFL offensive line coach Matt Rhule as the team's new head coach, and Temple should be much better. Take the under as defense should reign supreme and take Temple with an outlandish 30 point spread.

Injury Report (via USA Today)

Temple

Scott Roorda, OL , Out for Season  (back)

Notre Dame

Will Mahone, RB, Questionable (ankle)

Tony Springmann, DL, Out for season (knee)

Nicky Baratti, S, Out for season (shoulder)

Doug Randolph, LB, Out for season (shoulder)

BCS/Top-25 Implications

While the Temple Owls really don’t have a chance to contend for a spot in the top 25—more focused on trying to contend in the AAC—Notre Dame is trying to prove everyone wrong by earning another BCS National Championship appearance. This matchup is all about where the Fighting Irish are as a team after an offseason filled with turnover.

Owls Players to Watch: Connor Reilly and P.J. Walker, QB

The Temple Owls are going back to the drawing board this season in terms of which player is under center, and the final battle has come down to junior Connor Reilly and freshman P.J. Walker, according to John N. Mitchell of the Philadelphia Inquirer.

Reilly and Walker have both taken snaps with the first team and each has impressed the coaching staff at times during training camp. Just as many other coaches are doing nowadays, don’t expect Temple to name the starter before the game on Saturday.

While Walker has the brighter future for the Owls, Reilly will likely get the start to open the season. The coaching staff will keep him on a short leash, though, and if the junior slips up, expect Walker to get his chance to shine in game action.

Fighting Irish Player to Watch: Tommy Rees, QB

Notre Dame will lean on senior quarterback Tommy Rees heavily this year after 2012 starter Everett Golson was removed from the team this offseason. Rees must prove his inconsistency is a thing of the past if he wants to lead the team to a stellar season.

The task won’t be easy, as Rees will be forced to deal with a whole new batch of offensive stars.

With the departures of running backs Theo Riddick and Cierre Wood and tight end Tyler Eifert on offense—added to the loss of team leader Manti Te’o on defense—there is little doubt that Rees and the Irish will struggle to make an impact this season.

Notre Dame is in trouble.

Prediction: Notre Dame 31, Temple 10

There is no question that the Notre Dame roster has more talent with more big game experience, but with this being viewed as an easy Week 1 matchup, fans shouldn’t expect the Irish to be sharp. Temple will lose the game, but the team will give Notre Dame a fight it didn’t expect.

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Lost in the hubbub of Zaire Williams flipping from West Virginia to Temple is the fact that head coach Matt Rhule landed another verbal commitment in the form of linebacker/safety Paul Davis out of Cairo High School in Cairo, Ga.

The Owls were his first and only FBS offer as he previously only had interest from the likes of Coastal Carolina and UT-Chattanooga.

Two weeks ago Michael Carvell of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution wrote that Davis, who measures in at 6'0, 200 pounds, is one of the most under-the-radar recruits in the state of Georgia.

Davis is 5-foot-10, 210 pounds and the complete definition of a football player. I had him at Rising Seniors last year and MVP Camp, he held his own against the best. Just picked up a recent offer from Temple, but I think there is a ton of schools in the South missing on him. He is a watch the tape no brainer offer for some schools not too far from him. He runs a 4.5 flat and also  had over 100 tackles and ran for over a 1,000 yard this year.

247Sports.com has Davis listed as a 3-star athlete while Scout.com lists him as a 2-star. Again, Rhule has proven that he doesn’t care about how the scouting services grade a prospect; he reviews the tape and trusts his instincts.

His recruiting tape has a lot of offensive highlights as well, but I must say that his speed and his ability to get into the backfield is very impressive. Davis is a very intriguing prospect going forward.

Matt Rhule is reportedly returning to the Temple University football program. This time, it will be as head coach.

The news comes from College Football Talk via Twitter:

Temple to hold a 2 p.m. ET press conference Monday, will introduce Matt Rhule as its new HC.

— CollegeFootballTalk (@CFTalk) December 16, 2012

Rhule is no stranger to Philadelphia. He's currently working in New York as the Giants' assistant offensive line coach, but Rhule, who played for Penn State and was born in State College, worked as a Temple assistant from 2006 to 2011. 

He held several positions for the Owls, starting off as the defensive line coach, and then moving to the quarterbacks coach and recruiting coordinator before being promoted to offensive coordinator in 2008. 

Rhule is just 37 years of age and has no head coaching experience, but he clearly brings a lot to the table for a Temple squad that won just four games in its first season in the Big East.

He's a terrific recruiter. According to Temple's website, the Owls' recruiting class was ranked first in the MAC three years in a row with Rhule in town. 

While he's worked on both sides of the ball, he's a superior offensive mind. From 2009 through 2011, the Owls, fueled by explosive offenses, won nine, eight and nine games, respectively. 

Temple fans will be hoping Rhule can lock down his new position, as he marks the third head coach for the Owls since 2010. After Al Golden was hired away by Miami, Steve Addazio put together one good and one bad season before leaving for Boston College earlier this month. 

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