Oklahoma HC Brent Venables, Players Not Overlooking Revamped Temple Squad

Temple is 2-0 to begin the 2025 season after outscoring UMass and Howard 97-17 in the Owls' first two contests.

Temple quarterback Evan Simon | Danny Wild-Imagn Images

NORMAN — Two games into the 2025 season, Temple is already two thirds of the way to its 2024 win total.

The Owls are 2-0 entering Saturday’s game against Oklahoma after outscoring UMass and Howard 97-17 in their first two contests. Last year, Temple went 3-9 and lost 51-3 to Oklahoma in the Sooners’ season opener.

“How we prepared for Michigan we have to prepare for Temple,” Oklahoma offensive lineman Derek Simmons said. “We’re going to their place, they’re coming into this game as, ‘Let’s upset these guys.’ This will not be an easy game. These guys are talented, their coaching staff’s well known.

New leadership for the Owls

Temple head coach K.C. Keeler | Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images

Temple fired coach Stan Drayton last year after the team’s 3-6 start. In the offseason, the Owls hired K.C. Keeler to be their new head coach.

Keeler spent a decade as Delaware’s head coach before holding the same position at Sam Houston from 2014 to 2024. In Sam Houston’s second season as an NCAA Division I FBS member, Keeler led the Bearkats to a 9-3 finish and a bowl appearance.

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As a coach at the FBS and FCS levels, Keeler has compiled a record of 183-91. He is the only coach to win an FCS national championship at two different programs, as Delaware won in 2003 and Sam Houston won in 2021.

“They’ve done a remarkable job in a very short window of the last several months since he got to campus,” OU coach Brent Venables said. “He does a fantastic job, just really looking at his success the last several years, and certainly that’s carried over into (Temple’s) first couple of games.”

Owl offense thriving

Temple Owls quarterback Evan Simon | Danny Wild-Imagn Images

Temple opened the 2025 campaign with a 42-10 win against UMass before beating Howard 45-7 in Week 2.

Quarterback Evan Simon has been a major factor in the Owls’ two-game offensive explosion. The quarterback, who began his college career at Rutgers, has completed 77.1 percent of his passes in 2025, throwing nine touchdowns and zero interceptions.

The Owls have also shown their offensive versatility in their first two contests. They are averaging 260 rushing yards per game, and starting running back Jay Ducker has run for 215 yards and averaged 7.4 yards per carry.

“They got great balance in their offense,” Venables said. “In regards to who their opponents that they’ve played, they’ve completely gotten after them.”

Strong defense

Temple’s defense has allowed zero second-half points this season.

The Owls are surrendering only 211.5 yards per game and have held opposing quarterbacks to a 55 percent completion percentage. Temple forced two takeaways against UMass and one against Howard.

Venables specifically praised Temple defensive end Cam’Ron Stewart, who has logged five solo tackles for loss and a pass deflection in the Owls’ first two games.

“He's a really talented player,” Venables said. “Showed up in the first two games, was really disruptive.”

Because of Temple’s offensive balance and defensive prowess through two games, the Sooners aren’t taking their unranked foe lightly.

“We got to take these guys seriously or we’re going to their house and we’re going to (expletive) around and find out,” OU safety Peyton Bowen said. “We have a target on our back being at this university, so we have to take every opponent as they’re going to give us their best shot and we’re going to give them ours.”