I haven't really had a chance to dive deep into the quarterback situation, what the conversation has really been, but do you have a sense coming out of this on who maybe has the edge, and how would you kind of summarize the approach that Temple staff has taken to those two passers thus far?

Yeah, you know, I, I think what we've really learned is that it's still a totally open competition.

You know, it was a true 50/50 split of reps, really, between Shepherd and Smollek in week one.

Um, late in training camp, we really started seeing a true 50/50 split, and Coach Keeler even said after the game that he didn't feel that either one of those guys really came out and said, "It's my job.

I'm gonna take that job." So I kind of expect, you know, it, it might be a little bit more of a two-quarterback system heading into this week, um, pending, you know, a guy that really has a good week of practice and maybe earns a little bit more of the share of the reps.

But, you know, heading into the season, I th- I thought that Jackson kinda had the better, the little bit of the edge.

Um, I think even on Saturday when he was playing and when he was in, the offense was kind of running a little bit smoother when he was in.

If a guy's gonna swing momentum against this Penn State offense, who are some candidates to do that, whether it's a guy rushing the quarterback who could come up with an interception, make a big hit in the open field? Who are those guys that come to mind?

We're past year zero now, right? I, I told a coach today, "If you get to five wins, you're past year zero."

Yeah, you know, I, I think the biggest question mark with this Temple roster heading into the year comes, A, at the quarterback position, and then B, is gonna be on the defensive secondary.

Um, obviously you need a, a elite quarterback to compete in the American Conference now- nowadays.

You saw last year, obviously, this league has definitely turned into a very high-powered offensive league, and you need a guy that can sling it out there and not make mistakes.

Um, and he has to be able to protect the football, and that's gonna be the biggest thing for Temple.

Um, with now Evan Simon having graduated and, and been in a mini camp invite with the New York Giants, um, they have to replace a guy who only threw two interceptions last year, um, and was a vet- veteran leader, and people consistently, you know, pointed to as the face of the locker room, and he was the leader, and he was the guy that was sleeping in the football facility studying film.

You know, that's very hard to replace.

Uh, how do we look over there? Because if I go through, I-- returning production isn't everything, but if I, I kind of go look through those, uh, numbers and think and look at depth charts there, it looks like I see a lot of names that, uh, weren't, weren't there last year or, or didn't play a lot last year.

How does that kind of impact where the roster is at? And as you build for, is this year two? We're past year zero now, right? I told the coach today, if you get to five wins, you're past year zero.

Yeah, you know, I think the biggest question mark with this Temple roster heading into the year comes, A, at the quarterback position, and then B, it's going to be on the defensive secondary.

Obviously, you need an elite quarterback to compete in the American Conference nowadays.

You saw last year, obviously, this league has definitely turned into a very high-powered offensive league, and you need a guy that can sling it out there and not make mistakes.

and he has to be able to protect the football, and that's going to be the biggest thing for Temple.

With now Evan Simon having graduated and been a minicamp invite with the New York Giants, they have to replace a guy who only threw two interceptions last year and was that veteran leader, and people consistently pointed to as the face of the locker room, and he was the leader, and he was the guy that was – sleeping in the football facility studying film.

You know, that's very hard to replace.

down