Temple’s football season is just around the corner — even if the pads haven’t come on yet.
On Wednesday, Temple hosted its first open practice for media, allowing second-year coach K.C. Keeler to give some insight into the team’s offseason. Last year, the Owls finished 5-7, one win short of making a bowl appearance.
Temple opens its season against Rhode Island on Sept. 5 at Lincoln Financial Field (2 p.m., ESPN+).
Here are three takeaways from Temple’s first fall camp practice.
Waiting for a QB to ‘step up’
There’s a quarterback battle on North Broad — one that does not have a timetable, said Keeler.
Jaxon Smolik, who transferred from Penn State, and Ajani Sheppard, who made stops at Rutgers and Washington State, are competing for the Owls’ starting role. Neither have started a game in college. Notably, though, Smolik outplayed Sheppard in the Cherry and White spring game.
“I thought it was a pretty good back and forth all spring,” Keeler said. “And then just the spring game that Jaxon had, obviously that’s what you’re hoping our quarterback can play like this season. … If we get that Jaxon, you know, let’s go. But again, I think we all feel Ajani has a special skill set, too.”
Both quarterbacks took repetitions with the first-team offense. Fifth-year wideout Colin Chase, who finished with 40 receptions, 414 yards, and four touchdowns last season, will be among the top pass catching options for either quarterback.
“Ajani and Jaxon are two great guys,” Chase said. “They’re very mature about their business. … They work very well together. So for myself, it’s whatever they need. If Jaxon needs a couple more throws after practice, if Ajani wants to go watch film after practice, I’m there to assist whoever because as of right now, they’re both the starters in my eyes.”
In 2006, Keeler, who was then Delaware’s coach, presided over a quarterback battle between Joe Flacco and Ryan Carty. Flacco, a future Super Bowl champion with the Baltimore Ravens, did not win out until the “last scrimmage.” Keeler likened this year’s battle to the one two decades ago. Carty is now Delaware’s head football coach.
“You didn’t think it was going to be back and forth,” Keeler said. “I mean, I love Ryan. Ryan was a pretty good little football player too. Joe ended up being the 18th overall pick. So obviously, Joe had this unique skill set, but it took us a while because Ryan just kept on fighting and kept on putting himself in a position where you couldn’t legitimately say Joe was the better one.”
In time, Keeler hopes that one quarterback will “step up” like Flacco did, but he does see a world where their unique skill sets allow both quarterbacks to see action this season. Evan Simon and Gevani McCoy also battled for the starting role during Temple’s fall camp last season before Simon was later named the starter.
“I never love to say we’re playing two quarterbacks, but I’ve been in package situations before where I’ve had guys who like [come in for] red zone packages, short yardage packages,” Keeler said. “Whatever it may be, one guy fits better than the other guy does.”
Retaining key players
Beyond the quarterback position, Temple boasts a slew of returners.
Two weeks ago, during the American Conference’s media day, Keeler noted that the Owls had multiple players who were contacted by Power Four schools. Some were even offered “hundreds of thousands of dollars” to transfer.” However, every eligible starter returned.
One key returner, who could have transferred to a bigger program, is senior tight end Peter Clarke. Last season, he logged 483 yards and six touchdowns. Clarke, a product of the NFL Academy in England, was named to preseason watchlist for the John Mackey Award, given annually to the best tight end in college football.
On Wednesday, Keeler recounted his pitch to Clarke.
“Peter, you had six catches in two years, now you’re one of the top five tight ends in the country coming back,” Keeler said. “How does that happen? Probably in the right system, you probably got a great strength coach, you know you got a great position coach. Your ‘O’ coordinator is brilliant. You obviously have bought into everything we have to offer.”
“This is home to him, and so he wanted to stay in the worst way,” Keeler added. “And we had to find a way to make it financially reasonable. We can’t match, but we’re going to do our best. And I think he appreciated that.”
Along with Clarke, Keeler added that punter Dante Atton and offensive linemen Giakoby Hills and Eric King also turned down bigger programs to stay at Temple.
“Once we got those guys, it made the locker room so much easier to keep [together],” Keller said. “Because it’s like, ‘you guys are turning down what you think is significant money. We turned down a lot more and here are the reasons why we turned down that money, because we believe in where this place is going.’”
Cornerback room takes a hit
On Wednesday, Keeler revealed that sophomore cornerback Devontae Ward-Grant suffered a torn ACL in his right knee during the spring game and will miss the entire 2026 season.
“Every obstacle is an opportunity,” Keeler said. “And even though [Ward-Grant] would have competed to be a starter for us this year, he really needs a year in the weight room. … We’re looking at it like ‘it’s a great year for you to just get your body bigger, stronger, faster,’ and we’ll get him back next year.”
The loss of Ward-Grant hurts an uncertain cornerback room. Notably, the Owls returned juniors Denzel Chavis and Adrian Laing. The duo combined for just 15 solo tackles last season.
“I think that cornerback spot is the one position you go, ‘I like the guys out there. I just need to see more of them,’” Keeler said. “I like their skill set. I just need to see more of them. So I think that’s where we’re at.”
“There’s one or two guys in that cornerback group that you feel really good about,” he added. “They’re getting in the right position, you know. But now, when the ball’s in the air, you got to make that play.”
