I've had a lot of fun with Temple's quarterback situation. Seeing that the Owls will roll into Amherst as big favorites its been about the only source of fun I could have at the Owl's expense. For anyone unaware this years starting Quarterback was last years backup and last years starter is this years tight end. Fun right? Insane right? How has it worked out for Temple?
Vaughn Charlton has two receptions for ten yards and Chester Stewart arguably looks worse this year than Charlton did last season. So with everything that Temple does right why would this be the thing you emulate!
You'll have to ask Jeff Quinn who just moved Alex Dennison from second string QB to Tight End. I have not seen the depth chart yet so I don't know where he fits in but lets look at out tight ends, including Dennison.
| # | Name | Height | Weight | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 86 | Kyle Brey | 6-2 | 251 | SR |
| 80 | Aaron Connacher | 6-5 | 250 | JR |
| 88 | Jake Reeder | 6-6 | 237 | FR |
| 81 | Jimmy Gordon | 6-5 | 236 | FR |
| 89 | Michael Marr | 6-3 | 231 | SR |
| 82 | Dante Burton | 6-4 | 225 | FR |
| 12 | Alex Dennison | 6-3 | 218 | FR |
On the face of it this is a really curios personnel move. Dennison gives up twenty pounds to Jake Reeder who is the most consistent tight end on the roster and given the problems with injuries on the line, and the ease with which teams have gotten into UB's backfield, and Jerry Davis's head, why would you take someone who has never played tight end and stick him at that position
But putting aside the obvious reasons why this is a head scratcher and looking deeper it's not a terrible move.
- Dennison is a freshman, so he has a year to put on some mass before he will really be needed.
- Dennison is a great athlete easily faster than Marr, Reeder, or Brey and he adds a pretty solid understanding of the offense to the Tight End position.
- If he is even close to a passable blocking Tight End you add more formation flexibility with a no huddle fast paced offense by moving him between a split and and a tight end between plays.
The questions that pop up are who rises to third among QB's? It was already announced that Zordich moved to the second quarterback position yesterday. This leaves Johnson and Tyler Warden as the two remaining QB's on the roster. There were whisperings that Rudy Johnson was being looked at as a receiver during the summer so you would have to assume that Warden slides to the 3rd spot.
Dennisons struggles this season have been nothing short of legendary. He has been given quite a few chances to take on the task of leading the offense but he has performed no better than Davis. He is 4/11 for 30 yards, and an interception. Running the ball he is 9/60 but with a huge fumble at the two against Bowling Green.