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  • Eagles drama is ‘disrespectful’ to Jalen Hurts; DeSean Jackson stirs the pot; and what else they’re saying

    Eagles drama is ‘disrespectful’ to Jalen Hurts; DeSean Jackson stirs the pot; and what else they’re saying

    It’s Dallas Week — and there’s plenty of drama. But it all seems to be focused on the 8-2 Eagles, not their sub-.500 opponents on Sunday, the Cowboys.

    Despite a four-game winning streak and a 3.5-game lead over the Cowboys for first place in the NFC East, most of the discourse surrounding the defending Super Bowl champions has come off the field.

    From the fallout following a report that there have been internal frustrations with Jalen Hurts to A.J. Brown’s continued disappointment with his contributions on offense, here’s what they’re saying about the Birds ahead of their upcoming game against the Cowboys …

    ‘So disrespectful to Jalen Hurts’

    During Sunday’s postgame show with former Eagles linebacker Seth Joyner, longtime Eagles reporter Derrick Gunn said “there’s a lot of people in that organization that are frustrated with the quarterback situation right now.”

    Frustrations with Jalen Hurts? Quarterback says he holds himself accountable.

    When Hurts was asked to respond to the comments, he held himself accountable and said the frustrations haven’t been brought to him directly. Although Hurts didn’t voice his own frustrations with the report, ESPN’s Dan Orlovsky called it “disrespectful” toward the QB.

    “What’s going on with Hurts is so disingenuous and disrespectful to Jalen Hurts,” Orlovsky said on ESPN’s Get Up. “And I’m not the biggest Jalen Hurts fan. All this dude does is literally, everything that everybody begged every other quarterback to do — or knocks them for not doing.

    “All he does is win. All he does is be obsessed with football and winning and doing what’s best for the team. And we’re just finding ways to knock him and take shots at him or report this about him or that about him. We heard this stuff last year about him being disliked in the locker room and he never wavered. He never flinches. And it’s this constant attack.”

    Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts and wide receiver A.J. Brown late in Sunday night’s win over the Detroit Lions.

    Since the 2022 season, Hurts has recorded a 51-15 record, made two Super Bowl appearances, winning one and earning a Super Bowl MVP. Despite his success, the quarterback still seems to face plenty of scrutiny.

    “We kill guys — Joe Burrow doesn’t win enough, Dak Prescott doesn’t win enough, Mathew Stafford didn’t win enough in Detroit, Josh Allen doesn’t win enough, he can’t win the big game — and all Hurts does is everything we beg those quarterbacks to do,” Orlovsky said. “And all we want to do is kill him because it doesn’t look the same way, or the way that we want it. And I’ve done it [criticized him] before in the past as well.

    “I don’t understand why we are obsessed with trying to knock Jalen Hurts right now when he does the only thing that people actually care about.”

    Eagles vs. Cowboys in Week 12: Here are the numbers that matter

    ‘I hate seeing this’

    Orlovsky isn’t the only one upset hearing about the drama that’s reportedly taking place within the Eagles. Former center Jason Kelce responded to the Gunn report on 94 WIP and shared some insight about what it’s like inside an NFL locker room and the emotions at play.

    “I think that there are frustrations within a team that build up, continually,” Kelce said. “And I think Jalen gets a lot of the highlighting of that, again, because he’s the quarterback. … Lane [Johnson] and I didn’t talk for an entire offseason. Lane is like one of my best friends. Like, I love that guy. And this is part of being on a team. There are so many ups and downs. I’ve gotten into yelling matches with Jeff Stoutland, a guy that I consider like a second, almost like a father.

    “This thing brings out emotions and sides of people because you all want to win so badly. I hate seeing this, and the only way out of this, and I mean this fully, you talk to people. You be accountable, you try and work this out. I mean, it’s not that much different than what you do in your marriage, right? You try to be accountable to what you’re doing wrong, what you’re failing in. You try to take accountability to alleviate the burden off of other people. These are the ways you maintain relationships and maintain a team functionality.”

    ‘[There’s] something else going on’

    Leading up to the report, there was plenty of drama surrounding star receiver A.J. Brown — from cryptic social media posts to voicing his frustrations on a Twitch stream with Janky Rondo. Former Eagle DeSean Jackson believes there’s something more going on between Brown and Hurts.

    “You can tell when the interest ain’t there, it ain’t there,” said Jackson on the House of Action podcast with Clinton Portis. “It’s something else going on. And I got a great relationship with [Brown]. I respect him. I can’t say it. But I know it’s something else going on. It’s not all about football, it’s not all about X’s and O’s. I’ve been there. I’ve had situationships with QBs that I didn’t necessarily like. I’m just going to be honest. And when it ain’t there, it sticks out like a sore thumb. That’s all I’m going to say.”

    Why is A.J. Brown struggling against zone coverage? Here’s what the film says about his inconsistency.

    ‘Take away winning and it’s a muck down there’

    Despite their 8-2 record, the Eagles haven’t found their identity offensively. The passing offense has been inconsistent and Brown hasn’t put up the same production as past years. On the ground, Saquon Barkley is on pace to finish with just over 1,100 yards, after finishing with 2,005 last year.

    On ESPN’s First Take, former quarterback Cam Newton discussed what he perceives to be massive problems hidden behind the team’s winning record.

    “You don’t get reports like this from thin air, they’re coming from somewhere,” Newton said. “When you’re not getting opportunities to make plays, the frustration then comes to say like ‘Yo, we’re an offense that is well capable of producing way more. Are we winning the football games? Yes. Is it becoming a distraction that I’m voicing my opinion because I want to hold my team accountable and there’s an expectation here to dominate? Yes.’

    “The Philadelphia Eagles have been able to mask a lot of their deficiencies because they have been winning. Take away winning and it’s a muck down there.”

  • Eagles center Cam Jurgens takes the next step in concussion protocol by returning to practice

    Eagles center Cam Jurgens takes the next step in concussion protocol by returning to practice

    The Eagles may end up only being down one starting offensive lineman when they travel to Dallas to play the Cowboys this weekend.

    Center Cam Jurgens, who left Sunday’s game and missed Wednesday’s practice with a concussion, returned to the practice field on Thursday as a limited participant. He was still sporting a brace on his right knee.

    Jurgens returning to the field means he is progressing through the NFL’s return-to-participation protocol, a five-step process players must progress through before being cleared to return to the field for a game.

    A right knee injury knocked Jurgens out of the Eagles’ Week 7 game in Minnesota. He returned to Sunday’s 16-9 victory over the Detroit Lions but was injured and left the game in the fourth quarter. Brett Toth, who filled in during Jurgens’ absence, finished the game Sunday.

    The Eagles, of course, will be without Lane Johnson (Lisfranc injury) on Sunday, and Fred Johnson will take his spot at right tackle.

    They will face a Dallas front that has improved with the addition of defensive tackle Quinnen Williams, whom the Cowboys acquired from the New York Jets before the trade deadline. Williams, who plays next to the talented Kenny Clark in the interior, tallied a season-high five pressures in his Cowboys debut Monday night on 28 pass rushes, according to Next Gen Stats. Williams was credited with 1½ sacks. Williams was doubled on half of those 28 pass rushes.

    Eagles vs. Cowboys: All the numbers that matter

    The Eagles will likely need to focus extra attention on Williams, regardless of whether a banged-up Jurgens returns or Toth gets the nod.

    Toth said he sees a lot of Kansas City defensive tackle Chris Jones and former Eagles tackle Fletcher Cox in Williams.

    “He’s a great player and he’s a force,” Toth said. “He’s a game-wrecker if you give him a chance. They’re a unit that’s been looked at a certain way, but it’s the NFL. Every given week you have to go out there and prove yourself.”

    The Dallas Cowboys acquired defensive tackle Quinnen Williams at the trade deadline, and he made an immediate impact with a sack and a half against the Las Vegas Raiders.

    Williams has also been stout against the run. He leads all interior defensive linemen in run stops (26), according to Pro Football Focus. In his debut Monday, the Cowboys did not allow a single rushing yard before contact, according to Next Gen, with all 27 Las Vegas Raiders rushing yards gained after contact.

    Toth said Dallas could be similar to the Eagles of 2024. They were a team that didn’t have an identity heading into their bye week. Dallas retooled at the deadline, then had its bye week, then emerged from the bye with a dominant win over a lesser opponent.

    “You got to try to piece together, are they giving different schemes because of the personnel or was it something that was always packaged together as well?” Toth said. “You have to be able to adjust on the fly.”

    Eagles tackle Fred Johnson says it’s ‘time to show what I can do’ as he fills in for Lane Johnson again

    Right guard Tyler Steen said schematically he is seeing a lot of the same stuff on film that he saw before Week 1. That week, the Eagles entered with a relatively healthy offensive line, though left guard Landon Dickerson left the game early with an injury. This time, Steen could be sandwiched between two backups. With the amount of time Jurgens and Lane Johnson have missed, that has been a constant in Steen’s first year as a starter.

    “I don’t think it’s impacted me too much,” he said. “Obviously, Cam and Lane are extremely good players. Brett and Fred are also pretty good players as well. It all goes back to making sure everyone is on the same page.”

    This week, with an improved Dallas front, that will be key. Jurgens could clear protocol in time to face one of his toughest challenges yet.

    Eagles practice report

    Jurgens was the only Eagles player listed as limited on Thursday’s practice report. Lane Johnson (foot) did not participate. He has not yet been placed on injured reserve, a move that is expected.

    Edge rusher Jaelan Phillips, who was listed as limited Wednesday with a shoulder injury, was upgraded to a full participant.

  • Drew Allar says his season-ending injury and the firing of James Franklin ‘still doesn’t feel real’

    Drew Allar says his season-ending injury and the firing of James Franklin ‘still doesn’t feel real’

    STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — Drew Allar said Thursday that he underwent successful surgery to repair his fractured left ankle. He said his rehab is “off to a really good start.”

    The 6-foot-5 quarterback finished his Penn State career with the program’s highest completion percentage. He led the Nittany Lions to the brink of a national title game berth last season, a performance many draft experts tabbed worthy of making him a first-round pick had he declared for the 2025 NFL Draft.

    But Allar felt he had unfinished business in Happy Valley. After a heartbreaking end to a successful junior campaign, one that ended with Allar tossing a game-sealing interception to seal Penn State’s 27-24 loss to Notre Dame in the College Football Playoff semifinals, he returned to State College for his senior campaign.

    His season did not go as planned. After a sporadic first five games, Allar suffered a season-ending ankle fracture in Penn State’s Oct. 11 loss to Northwestern, a result immediately followed by James Franklin’s firing.

    Penn State quarterback Drew Allar (15) throws a pass against Northwestern on Oct. 11.

    In 24 hours, not only did Allar’s college career end, but the head coach who recruited him and grew close to him over the last four years lost his job.

    “That was one of the worst weekends of my life,” Allar said. “I just stuck to my circle between my teammates here at Penn State and my family back home. … It still doesn’t feel real to some extent.”

    Allar took accountability for Penn State’s 3-3 start. He said the team wouldn’t have lost three games in a row if he had made more plays, specifically citing the game-sealing interception he threw in the Nittany Lions’ 30-24 loss to Oregon.

    Penn State still has a shot at a bowl, and Terry Smith says his players are ‘dialed in’

    The Ohio native, who has stayed with the team throughout his rehab process, has been present at practice and traveled with the Nittany Lions to road games against Iowa, No. 1 Ohio State, and Michigan State.

    Interim head coach Terry Smith said Allar is “in every meeting” and has served as a tremendous help to Ethan Grunkemeyer, Penn State’s redshirt freshman QB who replaced Allar under center. And while Allar’s presence has aided teammates and coaches, he said being around his teammates has helped him the most.

    “Selfishly, I felt like I needed to be around the team for my own sake,” Allar said. “I didn’t want to leave the guys or the coaches because I knew what kind of situation we were in … And for me personally as a captain, I felt like it was an obligation for me to be there for the guys.”

    Penn State quarterback Drew Allar (15) with his former coach James Franklin after losing to Oregon on Sept. 27.

    While Allar has remained around the program, his former head coach has moved on. Franklin was introduced as the head coach at Virginia Tech on Wednesday.

    Allar said he has talked to Franklin “about every other day” since his injury and congratulated him on his new gig. The duo earned consecutive 10-win seasons in Happy Valley, the kind of success that Allar believes awaits his former head coach with the Hokies.

    “[Franklin is] going to do a great job at Virginia Tech. It is a great spot for him,” Allar said. “I’m very excited to see what he does. I’m very happy for him and his family. They’ve done a great amount for me and my teammates.”

    James Franklin vows to pour his ‘heart and soul’ into new job as Virginia Tech’s coach

    Allar has played more than four games in each of his four collegiate seasons, which means he is out of college eligibility. With the Reese’s Senior Bowl scheduled for Jan. 31 and the NFL Combine beginning on Feb. 27, Allar’s next steps are near.

    But during Thursday’s media session, he did not directly answer questions regarding his participation in any of the major pre-draft evaluation events.

    “I’m not really going to get into all the timeline stuff,” Allar said. “There are a lot of things that have to go in a certain way.”

  • Temple brings ‘energy on defense’ until finding its way on offense in win over Hofstra

    Temple brings ‘energy on defense’ until finding its way on offense in win over Hofstra

    Temple started to panic when Hofstra guard Cruz Davis scored to cut its deficit to two points with three minutes remaining.

    However, the Pride never got any closer on Wednesday night at the Liacouras Center. All Temple (3-1) had to do was make its free throws to earn an 81-76 win against Hofstra (2-3).

    “I’m really proud of our guys, the resiliency to compete and play for 40 minutes,” said head coach Adam Fisher. “We knew this was going to be a tough task. I have the utmost respect for [Hofstra coach] Speedy Claxton. His team plays hard. They got great guard play. They’re so well-coached. They run great stuff. They’re so defensive-minded.”

    (Claxton, who played collegiately at Hofstra under coach Jay Wright, was the 76ers’ first-round draft pick in 2000. He had a nine-season NBA career, though missed two with injuries.)

    Owls head coach Adam Fisher talks to forward Jamai Felt (1) on Wednesday.

    Next, Temple will travel to Orlando to take on the University of California-San Diego in the Terry’s Chocolate ESPN Events Invitational on Monday (4:30 p.m., ESPNU)

    Hot and cold offense

    Fisher said after Temple lost to Boston College last Saturday was due to a lack of shot-following. The Owls shot a mere 34.3% against the Eagles.

    Against the Pride, Temple’s offense went stale for a long period, relying on its defense to keep them in the game. The Owls had a 10-point run five minutes into the first half, then made just two shots in the next five minutes.

    Owls guard Jordan Mason finished with 10 points against Hofstra.

    When Aiden Tobiason knocked down a three-pointer to take over the lead, the Owls responded with a five-minute scoring drought, missing five shots.

    “I think a big thing we harp on is our score is going to come,” Tobiason said. “Something we can control is our energy on defense. … I think we just harp on that and that will lead to us getting buckets.”

    Those problems were eliminated after halftime, as Temple shot a resounding 13 of 24 from the field.

    Temple’s AJ Smith hits 1,000-point milestone in his final year. He looks to check off more boxes.

    Four players reached double digits, led by Tobiason’s 21 points, while forward Jamai Felt gave the team a boost with eight points off the bench. Felt had been on a minutes restriction following shoulder surgery in the offseason.

    “I was just really focused on getting stops and getting rebounds so we can push the ball,” Felt said.

    Defense back on track

    While Temple’s offense ran in place, it was up to the defense to get it out of neutral.

    While the Pride shot 45.2%, the Owls’ defense held their own against an offense that averages 82.3 points.

    Temple limited Hofstra’s shooting and slowed down its offense. Pride guard Biggie Patterson, who scored 10 of his 15 points in the first half, made just five in the second.

    Pride guard Biggie Patterson (0) dunks the ball on Wednesday.

    The Pride settled for three-pointers and made 9 of 28 attempts. Davis scored 20 of his 25 points after the break, but it wasn’t enough to bring Hofstra back.

    “If we can control the glass, we can defend and rebound, we’re going to hopefully be in position [to win] every night,” Fisher said. “So that’s been a huge focus for us, defending and rebounding.”

    Free throw mishaps

    An issue plaguing Temple this season is at the free throw line.

    Temple missed seven free throws against Boston College, and on Wednesday, the Owls missed five of their 11 free throws in the first half.

    However, Temple went to the line 20 times in the second frame and knocked down 18. It ultimately was the difference in the Owls securing a win.

    Owls guard Derrien Ford (20) drives toward the net on Wednesday.

    Guard Derrian Ford, who finished with 20 points, was the main contributor at the line, drilling all nine, while Tobiason went 6-for-6.

    “To win games like that, you have to make those and they stepped up,” Fisher said. “They knocked them down with great confidence. So really proud of the group.”

  • Belmont Charter looks to make history as the only Public League team left in the PIAA playoffs

    Belmont Charter looks to make history as the only Public League team left in the PIAA playoffs

    All 20 players on the Belmont Charter football team were back on a school bus Tuesday, this time for practice at the South Philadelphia Super Site. It was a sweet upgrade from its usual practice field, best described as an open space in Fairmount Park.

    With a male enrollment of 127, Belmont Charter is the smallest Public League school with a football team. Belmont Charter, now located in the former John W. Hallahan Catholic Girls High School near Logan Square, has no home stadium and has had varsity football only since 2021.

    “With limited resources, we do make the best out of it,” said Cintella Spotwood, the school’s athletic director.

    Belmont Charter still can do something that no other Public League can match this season: win a PIAA state football championship. The Tigers (9-1) play Lackawanna Trail (12-1), from near Scranton, in the Class 1A quarterfinal Friday night at Northern Lehigh High School, about a half-hour’s drive north of Allentown.

    Since the PIAA playoffs began in 1988, no team from Philadelphia or the suburbs has won a state title in Class 1A, the smallest of six enrollment classifications. Imhotep Charter, with a Class 3A title in 2015 and a Class 5A title in 2023, is the only Public League school with a state title.

    Belmont Charter practicing at the South Philadelphia Super Site on Wednesday.

    Plus, Belmont Charter is one of only 10 teams from the city or suburbs among 48 teams still alive for six state championships. The others: La Salle College (10-1), Pennridge (12-1), and North Penn (11-2) in 6A; Roman Catholic (9-3), Springfield (Delco) (13-0), and Chester (13-0) in 5A; Cardinal O’Hara (9-4) in 4A; Neumann Goretti (8-4) in 3A, and Lansdale Catholic (11-2) in 2A. Pennridge and North Penn play each other Friday, as do Springfield and Chester.

    This will be only the third state playoff game in Belmont Charter history, compared with the 24th for Lackawanna Trail, which lost in the state championship game in 2019. And yet a lack of players, facilities, and postseason experience does not appear to bother the Tigers.

    “They’re just like us,” Kabir Knight, a junior wide receiver and defensive back, said of Lackawanna Trail. “They’re just in our way.”

    Belmont Charter, a four-year college-preparatory and career-readiness high school and part of the Belmont Charter Network, was founded in 2017 with a class of 75 freshmen. Before moving into the Hallahan facilities this year, the school was located on Belmont Avenue in West Philadelphia.

    High school football: It’s a showdown for the District 1 crown in the PIAA quarterfinals

    Belmont Charter is coming off its first victory in the state playoffs — a 36-20 triumph last Saturday over host York Catholic, where the Tigers rolled to a 24-7 lead in the first nine minutes. Freshman quarterback Nafis Watkins passed for 253 yards and three touchdowns.

    “That’s how we should have been playing all season,” said Mason Billingsley-Walker, a 6-foot-4 and 310-pound senior tackle on both offense and defense.

    The victory softened a tough 28-22 loss last year to Delone Catholic that had motivated the 14 returning players to launch training in January for the 2025 season. The team’s only loss this season was by six points last month to Central, which has a student body six times larger.

    “Gotta go through the downs, but there have been more ups than downs lately,” said Terrell Brent, the Tigers’ effervescent third-year head coach.

    Belmont head coach Terrell Brent leads practice on Wednesday.

    He said of the long bus ride home from York: “Instead of going home crying, there were happy tears — and smiling.”

    Brent, 26, is a health and physical-education teacher at the school. He joined head coach Ed McCabe’s staff at Belmont when Brent was still a student at East Stroudsburg University, during COVID-19, which delayed and shortened the Tigers’ junior varsity schedule.

    The Tigers have made progress each season. They lost a 2023 play-in playoff game to Steelton-Highspire, the eventual state champion, but they finished 5-6 last year, beating District 1 champ Morrisville in a play-in game before losing to Delone Catholic. The Tigers beat Morrisville again this year to earn the playoff game against York Catholic.

    Redemption, tradition, and history: Area football teams compete for much more in PIAA playoffs

    “Our coaches motivate us, but we keep each other accountable,” said Shyneem Newsuan, a sophomore linebacker and running back. “We don’t overlook anyone. We just play hard-working football.”

    Billingsley-Walker said the lack of a practice field near the school — they take a bus to the athletic fields across the Avenue of the Republic from the Please Touch Museum, not far from Belmont’s former location — can take away valuable practice time.

    But still: “I like us in the long run,” Billingsley-Walker said.

    Because Belmont Charter faces schools its size in the playoffs, the Tigers won’t be overwhelmed by teams with substantially larger rosters. York Catholic had 28 players on its roster, according to MaxPreps, and Lackawanna Trail has only 30.

    Belmont head coach Terrell Brent stands with senior tackle Mason Billingsley-Walker during practice on Wednesday.

    (Roxborough High, another Public League team, played a regular-season game last month against Olney with only 17 players in uniform.)

    Still, the four-weekend grind through the state football playoffs is much more punishing and treacherous for Class 1A teams than larger schools.

    At a school like Belmont Charter, ranked 202nd in the state (Lackawanna Trail is 97th), there is no such thing as a depth chart, because everyone is needed to play both ways. Injuries can’t be avoided, but Brent has kept his team healthy by paying attention to training details.

    “We always try to take care of the kids,” he said. “For the most part, they’re trying to get their bodies right. I believe in the staff and the abilities of the coaches to put kids in the best position possible.”

    Joey McLeish embraces being a quarterback at Imhotep, an African-centered STEM school

    The Tigers find a way to manage. Their game against Morrisville was supposed to be held in Philly, but Spotwood said she could not find an available field in the city, so the game was played at Morrisville. The Tigers won, 19-0.

    They will practice at the South Philadelphia Super Site for as long as they are playing in the playoffs. It has lights, and the open space they normally use for practice is ringed by trees. Their bus to South Philly was late, and when they got to the field, a soccer goal was on it.

    Belmont Charter is the smallest school in the Public League with a football program.

    The goal, fortunately for Belmont Charter, was on wheels, so two players were able to easily push it aside. But Brent already had a Plan B: If they could not move the goal, they would just use half the field — it is not as if the team is overflowing with players.

    “To the outside world, we would be underdogs,” Brent said. “But we’re confident in the coaching staff and the kids to go 1-0 every week.”

  • Kajiya Hollawayne has ‘come a long way’ in his journey to Temple, where he’s the leading receiver

    Kajiya Hollawayne has ‘come a long way’ in his journey to Temple, where he’s the leading receiver

    When K.C. Keeler was hired by Temple last Dec. 1, there was one question swirling in wide receiver Kajiya Hollawayne’s mind: Should he leave?

    In fact, he’d pondered that thought since former coach Stan Drayton was fired. He wouldn’t have been the first, as nearly 20 players entered the transfer portal after Drayton’s dismissal.

    However, this wasn’t Hollawayne’s first experience with a coaching change.

    His primary recruiter at UCLA, quarterbacks coach Dana Bible, retired before his first practice as a freshman in 2021. Hollawayne bounced between programs, including Grambling State and Riverside Community College, but left for greener pastures. This time, he decided he wanted to stick out the challenge at Temple.

    “I just thought it’s time to stop running from the struggles that I have got going,” Hollawayne said. “Every school I’ve been at has had coaching changes. So I was like, ‘Let me stop running and see the other side, see how the grass is on this side.’ So when I stayed, I just knew to put my head down and grind, because a lot of times, coaching staff that come in, it’s not better for us. It’s like whoever comes in has a better hand on things like that, so I was just thinking about trying to get on their radar.”

    First-year coach K.C. Keeler is committed to Temple, Philly, and his ‘grandpa’ dance moves

    The redshirt senior climbed Temple’s depth chart amid the offseason departures. Hollawayne talked to Keeler and new offensive coordinator Tyler Walker, who knew they could mold the receiver into the Owls’ system. The result: Hollawayne is the team’s best receiver this season. He leads the Owls (5-5, 3-3 American Conference) with 445 receiving yards and six touchdowns entering Saturday’s matchup against Tulane (8-2, 5-1) at Lincoln Financial Field (3:45 p.m., ESPNU).

    “It’s been a steady process since January,” Walker said. “He’s come a long way. And he’s definitely earned a reputation as a guy that we can throw the football to in critical moments, and we feel confident that he’s going to go get the football.”

    Before arriving at Temple, Hollawayne was a three-star quarterback out of San Jacinto (Calif.) High School, where he was ranked 34th in the state. He committed to UCLA under then-coach Chip Kelly, who also coached the Eagles from 2013 to 2015 and now is the Las Vegas Raiders offensive coordinator, but only lasted a season at UCLA.

    Temple wide receiver Kajiya Hollawayne takes part in drills during practice on Aug. 4.

    He spent the 2021 season backing up Bruins starter Dorian Thompson-Robinson. Hollawayne, then 18, didn’t want to wait on the sidelines for another year. So he left.

    He landed at Grambling State, which then was coached by Hue Jackson, but another setback occurred. Hollawayne suffered a severe strain on his rotator cuff that dated back to pitching while he was in high school. If he were to continue playing quarterback, he would need to have surgery.

    Not wanting to lose another year of eligibility, Hollawayne asked his coach how he could get on the field, which led to a position switch from quarterback to wide receiver.

    “It was kind of easy, because growing up, everybody played wideout,” Hollawayne said. “The hard part was learning how to block and stuff like that. There’s little things to block that you can get beat on.”

    At Grambling State, he bonded with Tyron Carrier, the wide receivers coach. Even after Hollawayne left for Riverside Community College, they remained in touch. Eventually Carrier was hired at Temple and recruited Hollawayne.

    Temple can still make a bowl game, but heading into the bye week it’s about ‘moving forward’

    While Hollawayne followed suit, he didn’t hit the ground running. He was behind wide receivers Dante Wright, Ashton Allen, John Adams, and Antonio Jones on the depth chart. While he finished with 120 receiving yards in 2024, Hollawayne used the opportunity to learn behind those older receivers.

    “I was behind Dante in the slot, and he was a great player, just paying attention to him, seeing how he works the game, how he plays the game,” Hollawayne said. “Also just working because I haven’t been playing wide receiver for a long time. I’m looking at different wide receivers in our group, seeing what I can take from their game, put into my game. Also looking online and seeing what you can do better, like hand work.”

    He also formed a connection with quarterback Evan Simon, who transferred to Temple from Rutgers that offseason.

    When Hollawayne transferred to Temple from Riverside, he didn’t have a dorm room for the first month. Jones, who was roommates with Simon, asked if Hollawayne could crash on their couch. Simon obliged, and, before long, they were tossing passes together.

    “[Antonio] is like, ‘Is it cool if Kajiya Hollawayne lives with us for a little bit?’ Absolutely,” Simon said. “Then next thing, we’re throwing on our own, him and I. We’d be out here throwing after whatever. He’d wait out there for me to get the gate because he couldn’t get in.”

    Temple wide receiver Colin Chase (right) celebrates a first quarter touchdown reception with teammate wide receiver Kajiya Hollawayne on Sept. 6.

    Simon and Hollawayne’s extra work has paid off this season.

    “I think some of it definitely was him trusting in his ability, and him seeing the results, and then him understanding that we have confidence in him to throw the ball in key moments,” Walker said. “Then when he makes those plays, it just builds confidence. I think a lot of it was that he always had the athletic ability, that was never an issue. It was just getting him to fine tune his ability and get him to do some things that naturally take some time, and he’s done a great job.”

    Temple preps for No. 24 Tulane, needing one more win to become bowl eligible

    For Hollawayne, his development on the field comes from his journey, which has had many twists and turns.

    “I think that freshman year helped me a lot,” Hollawayne said. “I think if I would have played my freshman year, I wouldn’t be the man I am right now, because that actually humbled me a lot.”

  • Why is A.J. Brown struggling against zone coverage? Here’s what the film says about his inconsistency.

    Why is A.J. Brown struggling against zone coverage? Here’s what the film says about his inconsistency.

    When the Eagles face the Dallas Cowboys for the second time this season on Sunday, they’ll face a team that plays the seventh-highest rate of zone coverage, according to Sharp Football Analysis.

    The Eagles passing offense — which has seen a lot of zone coverage — has been a roller coaster this season. Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts and wide receiver A.J. Brown haven’t put up the production to match the gaudy numbers they’ve produced together in years past.

    Brown still thrives against man coverage, catching 16 of his 25 targets for 244 yards and three touchdowns this season against man schemes, according to Next Gen Stats. But Brown not only has his lowest target per route percentage (20.9%) against zone coverage since joining the Eagles in 2022 per Next Gen, but has a career-low 38 yards after catch vs. zone coverages and is averaging 1.14 yards per route against zone coverage, the lowest rate of his career.

    Eagles vs. Cowboys: All the numbers that matter

    We took a film- and stats-based dive into why Brown is having a down year, and particularly what’s contributing to his issues against zone coverage this season as the passing game searches for consistency:

    Route variety

    For this exercise, we watched all of Brown’s targets in an Eagles uniform, beginning with his dynamo 2022 season, in which he finished with a franchise-record 1,496 receiving yards on 88 receptions with 11 receiving touchdowns.

    The playcaller that year was current Indianapolis Colts head coach Shane Steichen, and the first noticeable difference from 2022 to now is the variety of routes that Brown ran in that offense.

    According to Pro Football Focus, Brown had a near 70/30 split in terms of his alignment, with 808 of his 1,187 snaps that year coming out wide, and 342 coming from the slot. This will be important later, but that unpredictability allowed Brown to be moved around to several spots and be utilized in different ways.

    One of the best ways to get receivers the ball against zone coverage is moving the pocket and utilizing shallow crossing routes. Brown had a career-best 17.5 yards per reception vs. zone coverages, and the utilization of him getting underneath or between linebackers across the middle of the field made for easy throws for Hurts.

    Even though that route wasn’t as prevalent in 2023, the Eagles brought it back more often in 2024, especially after the bye week with the Birds sitting at 2-2. Against the Cowboys, Commanders, and Rams, there was a noticeable effort to get Brown touches and space for yards after catch opportunities on those routes, and even Brown’s touchdown in Super Bowl LIX came on a shallow cross route.

    In 2025, there have been attempts to incorporate crossing and shallow routes into the offense, but the attempts have been either infrequent or unsuccessful. A shallow route passing attempt from Hurts to Brown vs. zone coverage against Denver was rushed because of pressure and fell incomplete, and a crossing route to Brown vs. zone went for a 16-yard gain against the Giants.

    The routes that Brown was known for in Tennessee and even now as an Eagle, are in-breaking routes, including slants and dig routes. Those have been a major aspect of Brown’s game, because of his ability to create after the catch, and his physicality to withstand hits that come over the middle of the field.

    A large portion of his catches in 2022 were on those routes, and he dominated after the catch that year. According to Next Gen, 40.5% of his YAC came against zone coverage, and he caught 51 of his 78 targets against zone coverages for 892 yards. He also averaged 2.62 yards per route against zone, which is still the second-highest split of his career.

    In 2023, those numbers took a dip, to 2.19 yards per route, with just 26.7% of his YAC coming against zone coverages, per Next Gen. But the in-breaking routes were more successful post-bye last year, as his numbers crept to the highest yards per route mark (2.83) of his career and his second-highest YAC percentage (29.4%) against zone.

    This season, he’s at career-low in both categories: 1.14 yards per route and just 17.8% of his YAC are coming against zone coverages. He’s averaging just 9.7 yards per reception vs. zone and has 22 catches on 187 routes run against zone this year.

    Part of that is linked to the running game’s ineffectiveness in past years, but also the increase in heavy personnel. The Eagles are running 13 personnel (one back, three tight ends) at a 6.47% rate, according to Sumer Sports, almost double the rate from last year, and 12 personnel (one back, two tight ends) at a slightly higher rate this year (30.32%) compared to last year (30.16%).

    The Eagles are running more condensed formations while running 11 personnel (one back, one tight end) at the lowest rate since Brown as been an Eagle, with just 54.8% of their snaps. They’re also not throwing the ball as much either from empty formations, where Brown has thrived in previous years against both man and zone coverages.

    Add in that fact that Brown has been targeted on just 21.3% of his routes against zone coverage this season, his lowest rate since his rookie year in 2019 (20.7%), according to Next Gen, and it’s been a struggle for him to get the ball. Per Pro Football Focus, 13 of his 14 catches between the numbers this year came on passes of 10 yards or less, with just one coming in beyond 20 yards. In 2022, he had 14 catches beyond 10 yards between the numbers, 12 in 2023, and 10 last season.

    Formational changes

    As outlined above, formational changes have played a part in Brown’s struggles this season, with a shift to heavier personnel and dialing back 11 personnel. But so has Brown’s alignment, which has trended away from utilizing him in the slot.

    After playing 342 snaps in the slot in 2022, he played 259 in 2023, and 171 in 2024, which matched more of his alignment with the Titans in 2019-21 (when he averaged 131 slot snaps). This year, Brown is on pace for his fewest such snaps as an Eagle, with 52 of his 504 snaps coming in the slot, per PFF.

    He’s aligning outside the numbers over 88% of the time, which not only allows defenses to send multiple defenders his way, but also limits his route tree. Almost all of his routes against the Lions last week were outside the numbers and he played just four snaps in the slot.

    Having Brown in the slot not only creates opportunities for mismatches, but it gives him a chance to create big plays against linebackers and safeties. The 2023 season probably shows his slot usage best, when Brown had career-highs in routes (366), targets (89) and catches (62) against zone coverage with 801 receiving yards, his second-highest total behind the 2022 season.

    The route spacing this season just isn’t as sharp as years past and it seems to bring some hesitancy from Hurts in challenging those windows at times. Hurts had no problem ripping the ball Brown in 2022 and 2023 on curl or in-breaking routes, but appears not as confident in doing so this year.

    Brown had targets where he sat in the soft spot of zone coverage against Denver and Green Bay, and against the former, Hurts eventually hit him after scrambling and immediately put the ball on him against the Packers.

    What could help?

    One way to combat some of the bracket coverages and extra attention that Brown is getting from opposing defenses is to have him align on the same side as DeVonta Smith. Especially against zone coverages, the alignment puts defenses in a bind, forcing them to choose one star receiver or the other.

    A lot of Brown’s big plays against zone coverage in those situations came in either 12 personnel or empty formations, and since the heavier personnel isn’t working this year, adding more empty passes could be beneficial for Brown and the Eagles’ passing game.

    Most of the time the Eagles are attacking downfield this year, its in man coverage situations, but Hurts and the passing attack has shown the ability to hit “hole shots” which are passes in between the corner and safety in zone coverage. They did so in 2022 and 2023 to Brown, making two-high zone coverages pay for not sending help to the corner on such throws.

    The Eagles have Smith and Brown run hitch routes above league-average this year (16.5%), at 24.5% and 23.7%, respectively, according to Next Gen, and that will always be an identity of the offense. But adding in more variations, where Brown isn’t always working along the sidelines, could help open some throwing windows for Hurts.

    Whether it’s adding him more to the slot or utilizing more empty formations and 11 personnel, there has to be a more concerted effort for the Eagles to find more easy targets for Brown and find answers to their issues against zone coverage. Unlocking this dimension could be the step forward the offense needs.

  • The Sixers continue to have a third-quarter problem, even after their lineup switch against Toronto Raptors

    The Sixers continue to have a third-quarter problem, even after their lineup switch against Toronto Raptors

    About 10 days ago, Nick Nurse jokingly proclaimed that maybe the 76ers would play better in the third quarter if they spent halftime regrouping on the bench, instead of inside the locker room. Veteran Kyle Lowry suggested to star guard Tyrese Maxey that perhaps the players should try another round of layup lines before the second half begins.

    There was no making light of the ongoing problem late Wednesday, when another dreadful third quarter doomed the Sixers in a 121-112 loss to the Toronto Raptors on the front end of a back-to-back. For a season that so far has been a pleasant 8-6 surprise, the Sixers’ perplexing struggles during that specific quarter remain a worthy criticism.

    “A lot of bad, right?” Nurse said when asked again Wednesday about the blunders.

    The Sixers were outscored 44-26 in Wednesday’s third quarter, flipping a three-point halftime advantage into a 15-point deficit entering the final frame. And though they rallied in the fourth — another quality consistently flashed throughout the early season — that hole ultimately was too deep to fully overcome against the streaking Raptors (10-5).

    When the third-quarter topic was broached again Wednesday, a far more terse Maxey pointed to the Sixers’ turnovers (eight, which Toronto parlayed into 15 points) and defensive breakdowns (the Raptors shot 68.4% from the floor, including a blistering 5-of-6 on three-pointers) as the primary areas to blame. Nurse added that the Sixers committed five fouls in less than four minutes, leading to a whopping 16 free-throw attempts (and 13 shots made) for the Raptors during that period.

    “Just set the tone for a really bad quarter,” Nurse said.

    It was the latest on a growing list of “really bad” third quarters populating the regular season’s opening month. The Sixers have “lost” 11 of their 14 third quarters, with one tie. They have been outscored by 111 total points (454-343) in that frame, with an average of 24.5 points per third quarter.

    On Oct. 30, Nurse said the reasons for the Sixers’ woes during those 12 minutes were “under investigation.” Subsequent questions to the coach as the dilemma persisted did not yield revelations about correctable through-lines or themes.

    What Paul George can still give the Sixers — and what might be a thing of the past

    Separately and unprompted, Maxey and reserve big man Jabari Walker have suggested that it may now be a collective mental block.

    “Man, I think it’s a mindset thing, honestly,” Walker said Wednesday, after a long exhale. “We’ll figure it out. But it’s honestly mindset. It’s nothing besides that.”

    After a Nov. 5 loss at the Cleveland Cavaliers, Nurse floated the idea of starting a different group at the beginning of each half, a tactic he has previously used to spark his team coming out of the locker room.

    That has transpired in the Sixers’ past three games. One change was out of necessity, when wing Kelly Oubre Jr. went down with an LCL sprain in his left knee in the second quarter of last Friday’s loss at the Detroit Pistons. But Wednesday night, Quentin Grimes and Trendon Watford replaced starters Justin Edwards and Dominick Barlow in the first group to play after the break.

    That approach placed Grimes on a better rotation pattern for the closing lineup, with which he scored 15 of his 21 points in Wednesday’s fourth quarter. It also allowed the coaching staff to make judgments in real time, to cater to specific matchups or ride a role player who excelled in the first half.

    “It just changes the rhythm of the start of the second half,” Nurse said in Cleveland. “It doesn’t mean you’re penalizing anyone in particular. Just trying to look for solutions.”

    Sixers head coach Nick Nurse and his teams are still trying to figure out their fourth-quarter issues.

    That lineup tweak, however, did not solve the issue Wednesday. The Raptors began the third on a 10-2 run, and never surrendered the lead after that.

    And perhaps the third-quarter gaffes are even more glaring because of the Sixers’ knack for clawing back in the fourth quarter.

    They have already played an NBA-leading 12 “clutch” games, going 7-5 in such situations. They also have already tied an NBA record for most victories by a team that entered the fourth quarter trailing by double digits, with four.

    It looked like the Sixers might be on their way to such a result again, when a Grimes three-pointer capped a 24-12 run to slash the Raptors’ lead to 109-106 with 5:25 to play. But the work required to rally meant the Sixers could not afford defensive miscues down the stretch, which helped Toronto re-extend its lead.

    Sixers takeaways: Costly turnovers, another woeful third quarter, and more in loss to Raptors

    Before making the quip about staying on the floor during halftime, Nurse bristled a bit at a question about the Boston Celtics outscoring the Sixers, 36-20, in the third before his team rallied to a Nov. 11 win. The coach said, “I’d rather be a better fourth-quarter team” because, “in the fourth quarters, we’re pretty damn good.”

    But inside the Sixers’ postgame locker room that night, the phrase “30th in 3Q” had been written on a white board — with the word “STILL” in red. Ten days later, this is still plaguing a positive start to the season.

    So why does the Sixers’ third-quarter problem persist?

    “To be honest, we don’t know,” rookie VJ Edgecombe said. “If we had it all figured out, there would be no slow starts to third quarters.”

  • Eagles tackle Fred Johnson says it’s ‘time to show what I can do’ as he fills in for Lane Johnson again

    Eagles tackle Fred Johnson says it’s ‘time to show what I can do’ as he fills in for Lane Johnson again

    Nick Sirianni’s message for Fred Johnson during his annual meeting when he explains each player’s role on the team was pretty simple.

    The Eagles had just reacquired Johnson via trade at the end of training camp. They weren’t comfortable with their depth at tackle, and Johnson’s quest to be a starter when he signed with Jacksonville in free agency had not gone as planned.

    The message, and the role: “Be ready for when your number’s called,” Sirianni said Wednesday. “You just never know when that’s going to be, and that’s every backup. Every guy’s one snap away from going in. We have a lot of faith in [Johnson].”

    The role, Johnson said, was “the same role as last year. Be ready to go at any moment.”

    The moment, once again, has come.

    The Eagles and Johnson have been here before. Last season, Johnson started five games as a fill-in for Lane Johnson (once) and Jordan Mailata (four times), and he has come on in relief of Lane Johnson multiple times this season. But while Fred Johnson’s role is the same, and he’s being called on once again to fill in for Lane Johnson — who will likely hit injured reserve and miss at least the next four games with a Lisfranc injury to his right foot — he doesn’t want a repeat of last year.

    There were things he “would have taken back,” he said. He felt as if he was just waiting for the starters in front of him to come back rather than trying to seize the opportunity.

    “Lane Johnson is cemented in stone as one of the greats,” Fred Johnson said. “Fred Johnson is still trying to make a name for himself.

    “Now is my time to show what I can do.”

    What we know (and don’t) about the Eagles entering Week 12 vs. the Cowboys

    He has been a reliable backup for the Eagles so far. Four times this season, he has been asked to come in at right tackle to replace Lane Johnson, the Eagles’ perennial Pro Bowler.

    The Eagles first added Fred Johnson as a practice squad member in November 2022. In addition to filling in, he has been used as an extra blocker in the Eagles’ jumbo package this season.

    “There’s a reason why we were putting him into playing those big packages because we have a lot of faith in him,” Sirianni said. “For what we were trying to do, we felt like he was one of our best 11 to do what we were trying to do on those particular plays.”

    Eagles tackle Fred Johnson is a seventh-year veteran who also has played for the Bengals and Buccaneers.

    It is no secret that the Eagles are a worse football team without Lane Johnson. They are 12-23 since the beginning of the 2016 season in games he doesn’t start. Fred Johnson, though, has at least provided some reliable backup play over the last two seasons.

    But some of the numbers show a big difference. The offense’s struggles, particularly in the running game, are well documented at this point. But when the Eagles do choose to run behind Lane Johnson — something they probably should do with more frequency — they have found success. According to Next Gen Stats, the Eagles average 4.6 yards on their 84 designed runs to the right side with Lane Johnson on the field. That average drops to 2.4 yards on 40 runs to the right side with him off the field.

    Pass protection sees a similar drop-off.

    According to Pro Football Focus, Lane Johnson has allowed seven pressures (and no sacks) on 262 pass-blocking snaps, a pressure rate of 2.67%. Fred Johnson, meanwhile, has also allowed seven pressures, but on 77 pass-blocking snaps, a pressure rate of 9.09%.

    Eagles rookie Jihaad Campbell sees ‘opportunity’ and the bigger picture in his new role

    The Eagles will need to make adjustments, or live with the fact that their already-struggling offense is going to find improvements hard to come by for the duration of Lane Johnson’s absence.

    “Lane’s one of the best players in the NFL, so it makes you do a couple different things here and there,” Sirianni said. “With that being said, I have a lot of faith in the guys with Fred. … We need all hands on deck. We’ve had a lot of guys play, so a lot of experience doing that, not just with Lane, but with every position.”

    Fred Johnson, 28, said knowing he is starting changes little except getting more first-team reps in practice. He prepares to play every week.

    “Fred knows the drill,” Mailata said. “Fred knows what’s going on, what we’re going to ask of him.”

    Mailata said he sees a difference this year in the backup’s mindset and how he approaches the game plan each week. He thought Fred Johnson’s size and skills would have landed him a starting job and was excited to have the “extra-extrovert” back in the building when the Eagles traded him for after camp.

    “We got lucky,” Mailata said. “We got really lucky.”

    Maybe Fred Johnson did, too. For the next stretch of games, he’ll have another chance to, as he said, show what he can do. He wants the 2025 version to be better than the 2024 version. He thought he “left some meat on the bone” last time around.

    “I don’t want nobody to see a down step in physicality, execution, things like that that Lane does day in and day out,” he said. “I want people to forget that I’m even on the field.”

  • ⚽ Owned goals | Sports Daily Newsletter

    ⚽ Owned goals | Sports Daily Newsletter

    On a week when the Union should be preparing for a crucial Eastern Conference semifinal against New York City FC on Sunday (7:55 p.m., Apple TV, MLS Season Pass), the prevailing news is drama of a different kind.

    On Tuesday, the Guardian unveiled a monthslong report revealing alleged misconduct by the Union’s sporting director, Ernst Tanner, who is considered the mastermind of the team’s prominence in Major League Soccer over the last few seasons.

    According to the report, Tanner is accused in a series of incidents involving racism, sexism, and homophobia directed toward people around American soccer. On Wednesday, we heard the latest from the stance of MLS, the club, and even Tanner himself, via his legal team after he was put on “administrative leave.”

    The situation puts the Union in a bind: The technical staff is focused on advancing to next week’s conference final, while the front office seeks to distance itself from serious allegations against the guy in charge of its future.

    It’s what we’re leading off your Thursday with, one expected to remain cloudy, but peaking into the 50s today.

    — Kerith Gabriel, @phillysport, sports.daily@inquirer.com.

    If someone forwarded you this email, sign up for free here.

    ❓Is there a sports scandal you won’t soon forget? Email us back for a chance to be featured in the newsletter.

    Hurts, on Hurts

    Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts during a break against the Detroit Lions last Sunday.

    We all know the Eagles quarterback is good for a great quote or two, but what does he have to say about himself when asked? In a moment in which pundits once again are starting to doubt Jalen Hurts, here’s a snippet of what he said, gathered by Inquirer reporter Olivia Reiner:

    “I guess I get a lot of attention when things are going well and when things are not going so well,” Hurts said. “So I never run away from holding myself accountable and I think that’s exactly what I’ve taken the approach of doing. Even when I look at this last game, I take great pride in what we do on offense. I take great pride in how we go out there and play as a team and what our flow is.

    “So we obviously got work to do, and I think that obviously starts with me. That’s always my approach. That’s always me looking internally first in everything that we do. And in due time, rising above.”

    According to Hurts, scrutiny is par for the course. But he doesn’t plan on caving in to the rumors.

    What can George give the Sixers?

    Sixers forward Paul George joined the team in 2024 with expectations that he would help the team compete for a title.

    Paul George wasted no time getting in on the action in his first game of the 2025-26 season. Just 36 seconds into regulation Monday, George picked up a block against James Harden and turned a quick give-and-go with Tyrese Maxey into a catch-and-shoot three-pointer. Of course, the rest of George’s night wasn’t quite as smooth.

    It’s tough to draw too many sweeping conclusions from George’s season debut. But The Inquirer takes a closer look at how his return could help the Sixers improve at both ends while lightening the load on Maxey. We look at what George can give to the Sixers — and what might be a thing of the past.

    The Sixers could not overcome a third-quarter surge by the Raptors in a 121-112 loss to Toronto. Tyrese Maxey paced the Sixers with 24 points, but the team committed a season-high 21 turnovers that led to 31 Raptors points.

    Maddon talks Phillies

    Joe Maddon (left) managed Kyle Schwarber for the first five years of his career with the Cubs.

    Kyle Schwarber spent much of his first five major league seasons trying to get things right against lefties.

    Joe Maddon watched the struggle up close as manager of the Cubs.

    Schwarber became a complete hitter in four seasons with the Phillies — and put himself in position to cash in this offseason in free agency. As Schwarber’s market develops, Maddon sat down with Phillies Extra, The Inquirer’s baseball podcast, to discuss the slugger’s maturation as a hitter.

    Get your Eagles fix!

    Gameday Central: Eagles at Cowboys

    Get up to speed before kickoff as the Inquirer’s Olivia Reiner and Jeff McLane break down everything you need to know ahead of Sunday’s game against the Cowboys. Watch here.

    Eric Lindros

    On this date

    Nov. 20, 1997: Flyers great Eric Lindros is alleged to have bitten San Jose Sharks defenseman Marty McSorley. However, two days later, the NHL cleared Lindros of any wrongdoing, despite video appearing to show Lindros in full bite mode.

    Standings, stats, and more

    Want to see the full breakdown of last night’s Sixers game against the Toronto Raptors? Here’s a place to access your favorite Philadelphia teams’ statistics, schedules, and standings in real time.

    David Murphy’s take …

    Nick Castellanos and the Phillies will likely part ways before the start of next season.

    The most important variable in any negotiation is what the other side thinks you are willing to pay. Right now, the other 29 teams in Major League Baseball have every reason to think the Phillies aren’t willing to pay Nick Castellanos anything. — The latest from Inquirer columnist David Murphy on the upside of Castellanos’ situation for the Phillies.

    What you’re saying about Temple football

    We asked: Can K.C. Keeler bring success back to Temple in football?

    Success for Temple football is fielding a competitive team capable of earning a bid for a Bowl Game. Following four years of three-win seasons, KC [Keeler] has worked miracles on North Broad this season. He brought in 46 new players and totally revamped the culture. The team believes they can win and are on the brink of potentially qualifying for a bowl bid. Choosing a successful head coach who is committed to Temple, not the next job, is a big win for the Owls. Now, we need fans in the stands when Penn State visits next September. — Bob C.

    Yes. They were competitive in the conference this year in his first year at Temple. He knows the area, he can recruit, he can coach and the American conference is not impossible to win (see Army and Navy this year and last). — Richard V.

    Short answer on KC Keeler NO. Temple is not a football school. They should forget football and put all their money and efforts into becoming a big-name basketball school. Lifetime, the Owls are 499-622-52. They have played nine Bowl Games and won three. From 1887 to 2025, Penn State has had 16 coaches. From 1894 to 2025, Temple has had 34. They have played in multiple conferences and were expelled from the Big East in 2019 for a lack of commitment. Their greatest years were the Pop Warner era that ended in 1938 when I was born. Wayne Harden and Matt Rhule also had success there, but very limited success since then. —Everett S.

    We compiled today’s newsletter using reporting from Jonathan Tannenwald, Kerith Gabriel, Olivia Reiner, Keith Pompey, Scott Lauber, David Murphy, and Neil Pane.

    By submitting your written, visual, and/or audio contributions, you agree to The Inquirer’s Terms of Use, including the grant of rights in Section 10.

    Hey, thanks for allowing us to get your days started — or just to feel better informed. Bella returns to your inbox tomorrow to get you ready for the weekend. — Kerith