Owls Put Up Valiant Effort In 30-19 Season-Opening Loss To Navy :: Record crowd on hand for historic night at Lincoln Financial

Aug. 31, 2007

PHILADELPHIA - Redshirt junior quarterback Adam DiMichele threw for 199 yards and two touchdowns, but it was not enough to overcome visiting Navy's high-powered rushing attack as Temple dropped its season-opener to the Midshipmen, 30-19, Friday night in front of 30,368 fans, the largest crowd to watch a Temple game at Lincoln Financial Field.

Even though the Owls were not victorious, second year head coach Al Golden clearly accomplished two of the factors he has been preaching in the preseason - to increase the competitive level of the team and the talent pool. Temple lined up against a veteran Navy team that had posted a 42-6 victory at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in the Owls' 2006 regular season finale, and went the distance.

"We're obviously 25 points better than we were a year ago against this outfit," said Golden. "I thought our kids fought. We had eight penalties and a lot of that was just young guys...We are still young and those guys have to grow up fast.

It is disappointing. I can not tell you how disappointed I am right now that we did not win. The guys really worked hard and I just really wanted to see them have some success. We will bounce back and be ready for Buffalo."

The nation's top rushing team last year, the Midshipmen used their spread offense to accumulate 361 yards on the ground on 56 carries. Junior Shun White led the way with 122 yards rushing on just eight carries while junior quarterback Kaipo-Noa Kaheaku-Enhada scampered for 102 yards, including a 44-yard touchdown. Senior running back Adam Ballard added two scores while accounting for 78 yards on the ground.

DiMichele, who completed 21 of 29 passes, looked poised in the pocket for the Owls. He connected with freshman Daryl Robinson on an 18-yard touchdown in the second quarter and then brought the Cherry and White within a score late in the fourth when he hit another true freshman, tight end Matt Balasavage, for a 23-yard touchdown on a fourth-and-two play. Redshirt sophomore Jake Brownell, who kicked two field goals including a career-best 41-yarder, had his extra point attempt blocked. That left the score at 27-19 with 4:04 remaining.

White broke a 33-yard run on Navy's ensuing possession to set up a 43-yard Matt Harmon field goal with 1:07 remaining to give the Midshipmen a 30-19 cushion. Matt Whimsatt then picked off DiMichele to seal the victory for the visitors.

Junior TE Kevin Armstrong led the Cherry and White receiving corps with five catches for 45 yards. Sophomore WR D'yonne Crudup made four receptions as did sophomore RB Jason Harper.

Redshirt junior Travis Shelton led the team on the ground with 37 yards on three carries, but he was unable to break a return. The preseason First Team All-America kick returner had just 41 yards on two returns.

Defensively Temple was led by sophomores John Haley and Anthony Ferla. The duo combined for the Owls' big play when Ferla forced a fumble by Zerb Singleton and Haley picked it up and ran it back 25 yards to the Navy 12. DiMichele made them pay two plays later, connecting with Robinson for the Owls' first touchdown and making the score 14-10 with 9:23 remaining in the half.

The Midshipmen, which had jumped out to a 14-0 first quarter lead, answered with a Ballard touchdown on a nine-play, 72-yard drive to make it 21-10. Harmon tacked on a field goal to make it 24-10 on the final play of the half.

Junior DT Terrance Knighton forced a fumble on Navy's first possession of the third quarter with freshman LB Elisha Joseph recovering for the Owls. Temple capitalized as Brownell connected on a 25-yard field goal to make it 24-13 to account for the only scoring of the quarter.

Harmon opened the fourth quarter by capping a nine-play, 28-yard drive, with a 30-yard field goal to increase the margin to 24-10.

Temple then mounted its best offensive possession of the contest, an 11-play, 82-yard drive with DiMichele completing all six of his passes, the final going to Balasavage for the score.

Redshirt sophomore DB Dominque Harris, junior LB Tommie Weatherspoon and freshman LB Amara Kamara led the Owls with eight total stops each.

Temple honored the best of its best in a halftime ceremony as banners were hung for the Owls "Ring of Honor". Honorary game captains also included 1963 Heisman winner Roger Staubach and 1960 Heisman winner Joe Bellino, 1963 captain and retired admiral Tom Lynch and 1957 Maxwell winner Bob Reifsnyder of Navy. Temple was represented by Four-time all-Pro Joe Klecko, Maxwell winner Steve Joachim, All-American Bill Singletary, 1979 Garden State Bowl MVP Brian Broomell and Heisman runner-up Paul Palmer.

The Owls host Buffalo next Saturday (1:00 p.m./WYSP 94.1 FM) in their inaugural MAC game.