Temple is ‘trying to restart’ in Week 9 with new defensive voice and potential reinforcement
K.C. Keeler said it’s time to move on from Temple’s loss to Charlotte. Also, Jojo Bermudez, Sam Brown V, and Giakoby Hills could return from injury against East Carolina on Saturday.
Temple made its most significant change of the football season during the bye week.
After the 2-5 Owls gave Charlotte its first win since September 2025, coach K.C. Keeler fired defensive line coach Cedric Calhoun, demoted defensive coordinator Brian L. Smith, and promoted assistant head coach Henry Baker to call defensive plays.
Temple used its bye week to reset. Now, the Owls are traveling to East Carolina on Saturday (3 p.m., ESPN+) in hopes of recovering from a tumultuous Week 7.
“My teams usually play clean, they play with discipline, and they finish,” Keeler said. “This team did not do that last week. And that’s something that I have to get figured out. … So, again, we’re trying to restart this thing.”
Adapting to changes on the sideline
The Owls practiced for more than two and a half hours on Monday, and the defense focused on the details. Defending the run game and simplifying their game plan are still the focus after Keeler said they need to be cleaned up.
The coaching moves have prompted adjustments for Temple’s players. Linebacker Eric Stuart cited a lack of energy during Week 7. For him, the coaching shift is a minor adjustment.
» READ MORE: Temple parts ways with defensive line coach and appoints new defensive play-caller
“When [Baker] first got the [defensive coordinator] job, he pulled me and a couple guys into the room and kind of just broke down what his plan was,” Stuart said. “As a defense, we just need to get behind him and trust that he’s trying to put us in the best position possible.”
Players returning and leaving
Temple has the injury bug. Wide receiver Jojo Bermudez didn’t play against Charlotte and running back Sam Brown V hasn’t played since the Owls’ loss to Army on Sept. 25. Offensive linemen John Watkins and Kevin Terry each suffered injuries against Charlotte, while Eric King hasn’t suited up since Oct 10.
Bermudez practiced Monday after sustaining a shoulder injury against UConn on Oct. 10. Brown participated as well as he rehabs a high-ankle injury.
Offensive lineman Giakoby Hills has made progress in his own recovery from a leg injury suffered in the season opener.
Keeler is hopeful Hills, Brown, and Bermudez will return to action.
The Temple coach also announced on Monday that defensive lineman Quante Gillians was cut from the team.
“I always work with my leadership council on those things,” Keeler said. “I met with Quante yesterday … and I told him, ‘We’ll help you find a home,’ but there was a dismissal.”
Preparing for the Pirates
Keeler harped on “the process” at practice. He needs his team to take this season one week at a time, and he said it’s time to move on from its loss to Charlotte.
Temple lost to East Carolina, 45-14, last season — a game in which Keeler admitted the Pirates dictated the tempo. He was impressed with their offensive line and hard defensive blitzing.
» READ MORE: Temple will use bye week to reset after shaking up its defensive staff: ‘I wanted a strong voice’
“What we need to do is worry about being process-oriented,” Keeler said. “That process is, ‘What can we do today, and then what can we do the next day?’ … Just worry about playing the next snap, and I’ll take responsibility.”
