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| There was a reason Wyatt Benson was the first in the end zone on most TD celebrations. |
"I'm only going to switch someone who wants to be switched."
_ Matt Rhule
Temple's big man on campus these days is Khalif Wyatt, a basketball player for the Owls._ Matt Rhule
Temple football has both a Khalif and a Wyatt, though not in the same uniform.
I hope the the football Owls get as much out of their Khalif and their Wyatt as the basketball team has.
Khalif Herbin and Wyatt Benson.
If so, they should be in good shape this fall.
Pick a rushing touchdown, any touchdown, for Temple's football team in the last three years and if there's one common denominator it is that Wyatt Benson is blowing up a defender right before it.
Sometimes two defenders.
All you have to do is look at the South Florida film from last year.
Montel Harris sprung free for an exclamation point touchdown only after Benson destroyed someone on a sweep.
Same for all five of Bernard Pierce's touchdowns at Maryland two years ago.
In all of my 30-plus years of watching Temple football, I can honestly say Wyatt Benson is the best blocking fullback the Owls have had since Paul Palmer followed Shelley Poole through the hole to nearly win a Heisman Trophy.
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| Nobody appreciated Benson more than Montel Harris. |
Now Benson has been moved from fullback to linebacker, a position of strength for the Owls.
Go figure.
Herbin, like the 5-5 Matty Brown four years ago, needs to get the ball in his hands more than a typical slot receiver does. He's got the potential to make those explosive plays downfield that Steve Addazio always talked about but never delivered. A switch to running back might help get him more than the two or three touches a typical slot receiver gets per game.
Current Temple head coach Matt Rhule indicated the strong possibility exists that Benson will be back at fullback in August.
"He's our starting fullback, but what does a fullback do?" Rhule told Owlscoop.com. "He came here as a linebacker and I liked him as a linebacker."
Good point.
He'll play 15 snaps and you can do that and play linebacker as well.
Hey, if Bill Cosby, Bill Juzwiak, Fizzy Weinraub and John Rienstra can play two ways for the Owls, so can a few of these modern players. (Although Rienstra, an offensive tackle, only played nose guard on goal-line situations.)
It won't kill Benson to play linebacker and come in to block on the goal-line package, something Rhule was in charge of for the New York Giants this season.
Also notable in practice from Saturday is this quote from Rhule:
"I'm only going to switch someone who wants to be switched."
He was talking about Kevin Newsome from quarterback to another position, but I hope the same, err, rule applies to everyone else.
Khalif Herbin please report to Rhule's office immediately and bring a letter of recommendation from Matty Brown.
A Twin Brother from a Different Mother
Player | Height/Weight | 40 speed | Yards gained from Scrimmage in final High school year | Position started/finished at Temple |
Matt Brown | 5-5/150 | 4.40 | 1,450 (9 TDs) | WR/RB |
Khalif Herbin | 5-7/170 | 4.34 | 1,940 (43 TDs) | WR/??? |
