Tavon Young selected by Ravens

Former defensive back Tavon Young was selected in the fourth round of the 2016 NFL Draft by the Baltimore Ravens on Saturday.

Young was the sixth pick of the fourth round and No.104 overall.

Last season, Young totaled seven pass defensed and 41 total tackles in 11 games after setting career-highs in interceptions and passes defended as a junior with nine and four, respectively.

The Oxon Hill, Maryland native was an American Athletic Conference honorable mention selection as a junior.

Young, who is the 64th football player to be drafted into the NFL in the program’s history, is the first Owl to be drafted since 2012.

Report: Satterfield to become head coach at Tennessee Tech

Marcus Satterfield will be the the new head coach at Tennessee Tech University, according to a report from FootballScoop.com.

Tennessee Tech, who competes in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision, is a member of the Ohio Valley Conference.

Former coach Watson Brown retired Nov. 2 after coaching the Golden Eagles for the last nine years. Under Brown, Tennessee Tech compiled a 42-60 overall record and won the Ohio Valley Conference title in 2006, its first in 36 years.

Satterfield joined Temple’s staff in 2013 as the team’s offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. With Satterfield at the helm, the Owls averaged 399 yards of total offense per game in 2013, the highest total during his three years as Temple’s offensive coordinator.

In 2015, the Owls won 10 games for the second time in school history and averaged 366.7 yards per game.

Before joining coach Matt Rhule’s staff at Temple, Satterfield served as the offensive coordinator at the University of Tennessee Chattanooga from 2009-12.

Satterfield began coaching in 2006 at the University of Tennessee-Martin as the offensive coordinator.  In 2008, he was named the team’s associate head coach and passing game coordinator.

Matakevich, Owls honored by conference

Senior linebacker Tyler Matakevich and six of his teammates were named to the first team Alll-American Athletic Conference.

Matakevich, who was the only first-team all-conference unanimous selection, received The American’s Defensive Player of the Year Award. The senior has 118 tackles this season, including 141/2 tackles for loss, and five interceptions.

“It’s quite an honor,” Matakevich said in a press release. “I said it before and it’s no different now. I’m able to make plays because my coaches put me in the right position and my teammates take on blockers to free me up. I’m prouder that Temple had more all-conference selections than any single award I have received.”

Other first team all-conference defensive selections included redshirt-senior defensive lineman Nate D. Smith, senior defensive lineman Matt Ioannidis and senior defensive back Alex Wells.

On the other side of the ball senior offensive lineman Kyle Friend and Eric Lofton and junior running back Jahad Thomas were named to The American’s first team.

In his first season as the team’s primary running back, Thomas is The American’s No. 3 leading rusher with 1,188 yards and 17 touchdowns.

“It means a lot, knowing the work that the team and I put in during the offseason, to have the success we’re having over the year, and having the chance to play for a championship this week,” Thomas said in a press release. “It’s been great. We’re having so much fun this season, and I love everybody here, and how hard they push me and how we’ve pushed each other to get to this point in the season.”

Other honorees included sophomore defensive back Sean Chandler and junior offensive lineman Dion Dawkins, who received second team honors, and redshirt-junior defensive lineman Haason Reddick, who was an honorable mention.

Jennings cleared to play

Wide receiver Adonis Jennings has been cleared to play for Temple this season, a university spokesperson confirmed this afternoon.

The news was first reported by Owlscoop.com earlier today.

Jennings, who was a four-star recruit and the 38th best wide receiver in the 2014 class according to Rivals.com, transferred to Temple in March from the University of Pittsburgh.

He was trying to receive a hardship waiver from the NCAA in order to play this season.

Last season with the Panthers, Jennings saw action in six games, catching six passes for 55 yards.

In his senior year at Timber Creek High School in 2014, the Sicklerville, New Jersey native caught 64 passes for 1,153 yards and 12 touchdowns.

Jennings is the second wideout added for the Owls this offseason. Last month, Robby Anderson rejoined the team after being dismissed from the university due to academic reasons.

Anderson tallied 791 yards and nine touchdowns for Temple in 2013.

Former football player Adrian Robinson dies Saturday

Update No. 2:

Statement from coach Matt Rhule:

“The Temple football program lost a friend, a brother, and a wonderful young man today. Adrian Robinson was one of the greatest competitors I ever had the pleasure of coaching and I know he was an even better teammate. I first met Adrian as an 18 year old high school senior. I was so proud to see him back at Temple this spring finishing his degree and being a loving father to his new daughter.  He will always be a part of me and will always be a part of this program. Our hearts and thoughts go out to the Robinson family – his parents Terry and Adrian Sr., brother Averee and sister Aija, and his daughter Avery Marie.”
Statement from Vice President and Director of Athletics Kevin Clark:
”The entire Temple University community is mourning the tragic passing of one of our former all-time great football players, Adrian Robinson. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family at this incredibly tough time.”

UPDATE: Robinson’s agency, Symmetry, confirmed the news on Sunday morning on Facebook

“It deeply saddens all of us to share with you that Adrian Robinson Jr. passed away last night at the age of 25. Adrian was a beloved father, son, brother, friend and teammate. We ask that you please respect his family’s privacy during this difficult time, and especially keep his daughter Avery Marie in your prayers. Thank you for all of your support and consideration.”


According to a report from Owlscoop.com, former football player Adrian Robinson died Saturday night at the age of 25.

The former defensive end was a 2011 team captain who appeared in every game during his collegiate career.

During his final year as an Owl in 2011, Robinson accumulated 52 total tackles and a team-high 13.5 tackles for loss as the Owls went 9-4, including a 37-15 win over the University of Wyoming in the Gildan New Mexico Bowl.

Robinson’s brother, Averee Robinson, is a junior defensive lineman with 20 career tackles and 2.5 sacks. He also has 2.5 tackles for loss and three fumble recoveries.

Robinson, who started 38 career games and was a 2011 and 2009 first-team All-MAC honoree, totaled 156 career tackles, 24 sacks and 33.5 tackles for loss. He was also named 2009 MAC Defensive MVP by Sporting News.

Robinson was a graduate of Harrisburg High School and was one of five Owls to appear in the 2008 Big 33 game, an all-star football game that featured the top high-school football players from Pennsylvania and Ohio.

The Harrisburg, Pennsylvania native had five stints in the NFL with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Philadelphia Eagles, Denver Broncos, Washington Redskins, San Diego Chargers and most recently the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2014.

Michael Guise can be reached at michael.guise@temple.edu or on Twitter @Michael_Guise

Former running back arrested on trafficking charges

Former Temple running back Matt Brown was one of two men arrested on numerous human trafficking and prostitution charges Thursday.

According to a report from Baltimore’s WBAL-TV 11, Brown and 30-year-old Anthony Leon Eley Jr., Brown and Eley Jr. brought three girls – ages 14, 16 and 17 – to a Baltimore hotel room. Police said one of the girls asked for money.

Vice detectives had responded to an advertisement known to be used by prostitutes and arranged a meeting at the hotel, leading to the arrests. According to the report, both men told police they knew the girls were underage and taking part in prostitution.

Brown, a 25-year-old Baltimore resident, was a special-teams standout for the football team from 2009-2012, and is the school’s fourth-best all-time leading rusher. He signed for the NFL’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers in May 2013, but was released prior to the start of the season. He also had a brief stint with the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League from 2013-14, but failed to appear in a game before his release in June 2014.

Brown was released on bail Thursday night and will await a May 19 trial in Baltimore. His father, Warren Brown, is a Baltimore attorney.

Brown marks the second former Temple running back arrested in three days, and the fourth Temple-affiliated player arrested this week.

The school’s second-highest all-time leading rusher, former running back Bernard Pierce, was arrested on DUI charges early Wednesday morning. He was released by the Baltimore Ravens later that day, the team with which he had spent the entirety of his three-year NFL career.

Pierce rushed for 532 yards and averaged 4.9 yards per carry as a rookie in 2012, but his numbers progressively dipped through his next two seasons as Baltimore’s backup running back.

On Monday night, current Temple players Dion Dawkins and Haason Reddick were arrested on aggravated assault and related charges stemming from an incident at an off-campus party in Philadelphia’s Northern Liberties section in January. Both players were released on bail Monday night and will appear in court for a preliminary hearing March 31.

They have been suspended from the team, but still remain on the roster.

Two football players charged with assault

Two members of the football team surrendered to police Monday night on assault charges following a January altercation with another Temple student. 6ABC initially reported the arrests late Monday night.

According to the report, junior offensive lineman Dion Dawkins and redshirt-junior Haason Reddick were charged following an altercation that transpired on Jan. 17 at an off-campus party in the Northern Liberties section of Philadelphia. The two allegedly left a victim – reportedly a Temple senior – with a broken orbital bone and a concussion following the incident.

The 20-year-old student-athletes will await a preliminary hearing on March 31 and, according to court documents released Tuesday morning, have been charged with aggravated assault, conspiracy and related charges. They were both released after posting 10 percent of $10,000 bail.

Dawkins and Reddick have been suspended by the university, according to a spokesperson, and are awaiting arraignment after acquiring lawyers, per the report. Court documents did not include attorneys for either student-athlete.

Dawkins, a 6-foot-5, 315-pound left tackle, played in 11 games for the Owls last fall as a starter. Reddick, a 6-foot-1, 225-pound defensive lineman, started twice and played in nine games, registering 25 tackles.

As of Tuesday morning, both players are still listed on the team’s roster.

The 6ABC report stated that the injured student has medically withdrawn from the university, but plans to resume classes in the fall semester.

In light of the incident, Temple issued the following statement on Monday night:

“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.”

Check back for updates.

Andrew Parent contributed reporting.

Rhule hires two assistants

Matt Rhule has added two new coaches to his staff for the 2015 football season.

The Owls head coach will be welcoming Glenn Thomas, a former assistant with the Atlanta Falcons, who will join as a quarterbacks coach, and Frisman Jackson as wide receivers coach.

Thomas spent four years as an offensive assistant coach, and three as a quarterbacks coach with the Falcons under head coach Mike Smith. The 37-year-old will take on the responsibility of reversing junior quarterback P.J. Walker’s sophomore slump.

Walker, a two-year starter, saw decreases in completion percentage, yards per average, touchdown passes and quarterback rating while throwing seven more interceptions than his previous season.

Jackson, a former wide receivers coach at North Carolina State, will slide into former Owls receivers coach Adam DiMechele’s spot, who will be reassigned to director of player development.

“I’m very excited to add such talent and diversity to our coaching staff,”  Rhule said in a press release announcing the coaching hires. “Frisman and Glenn have worked at the highest level and can lead our student-athletes to greater heights. I’m also excited about what each man brings to the table as a recruiter.”

The American releases schedule

The American Athletic Conference released its full schedule Monday, completing the football team’s slate of games for the 2015 season.

Week 4 will mark the Owls’ lone bye week of the season, after the team had three on last year’s schedule.

In The American’s first season operating on a 12-team, two-division format, Temple will play eight conference games – five within its own East division. It’ll also play Houston, Memphis and Tulane – three teams in the west – along with Penn State, Massachusetts, Charlotte and Notre Dame in non-conference action.

Game times have yet to be released, as does much of the television coverage. The Owls’ visit to East Carolina on Oct. 22 is set to be broadcast on either ESPN or ESPN2, while the Owls’ trip to Southern Methodist will be broadcast either on ESPN2 or ESPNU.

Temple will host Penn State in the season opener at Lincoln Financial Field, while Notre Dame, which finished outside of the Associated Press Top 25 poll for the first time since the 2011 season with an 8-5 record this past fall, will visit the Linc in a Halloween matchup on Oct. 31.

The American will also introduce a playoff game on Dec. 5 to decide the conference champion. The game will feature the team with the best record from each division, and will take place at the site of the school with the better record.

Highly touted recruit verbally commits to Owls

Per his Twitter, four-star cornerback Kareem Ali Jr. verbally committed to Temple Saturday, marking what is perhaps Temple’s biggest verbal commit of the summer.

Per reports, the Sicklerville, N.J. native has plans to graduate Timber Creek high school in December and enroll at Temple in January. Ali is also slated to participate in spring ball next year.

The announcement of his orally committing dropped after Ali participated in coach Matt Rhule’s football camp Saturday. Ali decommitted from Maryland, with which he verbally committed last month, in favor of Temple’s program.

Rivals.com lists Ali as a four-star recruit and the No. 28 ranked cornerback in the nation. He is the No. 7 ranked CB in New Jersey and received an invitation to play in the 2015 U.S. Army All-American bowl.

Ali amassed 31 tackles, broke up five passes and registered one interception for Timber Creek high school in 2013. He is the second prospect to verbally commit to the Owls this week alongside Haddonfield wide receiver/cornerback Jake Robinson.