Here's an early look at Maryland's first road opponent in 2019, the Temple Owls:
Head Coach: Rod Carey (first year, 1-0)
Record: 1-0 in 2019, 8-5 in 2018
Series notes: Maryland leads the all-time series 7-2 with Temple having won the last meeting Sept. 15, 2018 by a score of 34-14 inside Maryland Stadium.
Early line: Maryland -7.5
Over/Under: 64
Russo lets 'er rip
Temple junior quarterback Anthony Russo put up huge numbers for the Owls in their season-opening 56-12 win over FCS opponent Bucknell two weeks ago. The 6-foot-4, 230-pounder let the ball fly, completing 32-of-41 attempts for 409 yards and four touchdowns. It marked the second time in his career that he has thrown for over 400 yards, the first time coming in a loss to UCF last season in which he threw for 444 yards and four touchdowns.
Russo's top target in Week 1 was Branden Mack, who had nine catches for 130 yards. Mack is the Owls' top returning wideout, having caught 44 balls for 601 yards and five touchdowns a season ago.
In Temple's win over Maryland last season, Russo was 15-of-25 for 228 yards, with a touchdown and an interception, however it was the run game and defense that carried the Owls to victory.
Owls efficient on offense
Maryland isn't the only team coming into Saturday's game having had an efficient outing their last time out. Both the Terps and Owls were an identical 11-of-15 on third down conversions in their last game played. But that isn't where the efficiency ended for either team on offense. While the Terps were a perfect 8-of-8 scoring from inside the red zone, Temple wasn't far behind, scoring touchdowns on all six of their chances from inside the red zone. Temple was also 1-for-1 converting on 4th down.
Do-it-all Wright
There isn't likely to be a player asked to do more Saturday than Temple senior receiver Isaiah Wright. In the Owls' opener, Wright finished third in receptions with eight, accounting for 61 yards and a touchdown. Wright also stayed busy in the return game, returning five punts for a total of 40 yards, as well as four kickoff returns for a total of another 80 yards. Wright even attempted a pass in last season's win over Maryland. If the Terps and Owls wind up in a shootout, Wright could stay very busy.
Restocking the secondary with transfers
Just like Maryland head coach Michael Locksley went out and grabbed a couple of talented grad transfers at outside linebacker to be major contributors this season on defense, first-year Temple head coach Rod Carey went out and did the same for his secondary.
Penn State grad transfers Ayron Monroe and Baylor transfer Harrison Hand both started in the secondary for Temple in their season opener. Hand, a former All-Big 12 performer, started at right cornerback, while returning junior corner Linwood Crump started on the left side, replacing Rock Ya-Sin, who is now playing for the Indianapolis Colts in the NFL. Monroe, meanwhile, started at safety after a hard fought battle to win the job during fall camp. The Washington (D.C.) St. John's grad and DMV native replaces Delvon Randall, who signed with the Philadelphia Eagles as an undrafted rookie free agent.
Monroe and Hand had two tackles each in the Owls' opener.
Locksley on Temple
"And the next stop is this week against a really good Temple program that has played really tough. They pride themselves on ‘Temple Tough’, and you see it in the way they play, and what we saw on tape. I've gotten to know Coach Carey from his days at Northern Illinois, I know that they will be well coached. They've got some great players on the offensive side of the ball. The strength being the quarterback, and two really big time wide receivers, along with some really big backs.
"Then on the defensive side of the ball, they do a really good job having an experienced defensive side, and they play really well. Again the thing we're trying to beat into the head of our players is that the success that we've had, is again, based off of us understanding the habits and behaviors it takes to go play and take advantage of the opportunity that we have. We also know that because of it, as we continue to create this identity as we continue on this journey, that we're going to get everybody's best, I mean, we're not gonna sneak up on anybody. Temple, I'm sure you know, because of how we've played the last two weeks, I'm sure we'll get the best version of Temple. And my job as the leader of the family is for them to get the best version of us, which we found that the recipe to us being able to play the way we've played the past two weeks, is the consistency of how we go about our work. The consistency precedes the intensity, everybody can get up to play a ranked opponent. But now for us to be a successful program and build on it and continue on our journey without the adversity, we've got to have the consistency of what we do each week, to have the results that we want to get on Saturday."
