Turnovers help Wildcats take three-game winning streak into bye week

As an old-school, no-nonsense, defensive-minded football coach, Scott Stewart doesn’t seem like a guy who would enjoy hanging a Hulk Hogan-style gold wrestling belt and a Run-DMC-style gold chain necklace in his fieldhouse office. However, Temple’s ninth-year head coach certainly is willing to make an exception for those shiny accoutrements — awarded near the bench area after Wildcats players create turnovers — if his team’s defense continues to make game-changing plays in bunches. Temple produced only one takeaway in its first three games with new defensive coordinator Thomas Rocco, but two weeks ago the Wildcats broke through by grabbing four interceptions and recovering a fumble as they blasted Austin 52-13 in the non-district finale at Wildcat Stadium. Then in last Thursday’s District 12-6A opener against Killeen Shoemaker at Leo Buckley Stadium, Temple picked off two more passes and senior cornerback Lezlie Jackson recovered a second-quarter fumble and returned it 53 yards for a touchdown to help spark a 44-26 victory, the Wildcats’ 12th straight over the Grey Wolves. With a staggering eight takeaways — not including turnovers on downs — in two games, Temple’s turnover belt and turnover chain are getting heavy usage for a surging 4-1 squad that carries a three-game winning streak into the Wildcats’ open week and has put last year’s 1-9 season far in the rear-view mirror.

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TURNOVERS HELP WILDCATS TAKE THREE-GAME WINNING STREAK INTO BYE WEEK

GREG WILLE

Temple Daily Telegram | 10/3/2024