QUARTERBACK QUANDARY

As the Temple Owls prepare for Bowling Green this weekend they have a quarterback question — not a controversy.

The Owls have two quarterbacks in their arsenal this year; Devin Scott, who passed for 1,815 yards last season, and Mike Frost, a junior college transfer from Glendale Community College in Southern California.

Frost had a prolific junior college career passing for 5,192 yards in only two seasons. In his sophomore year at Glendale he broke five single-season records including passing yards (3,405), attempts (372), touchdowns (30), yards per game (438), and total offense (3,456).

Frost, ranked as a top Big East recruit by The Sporting News, was brought in to compete for the starting job with the Owls.

So far this season the Owls have opted to use both quarterbacks during their two games. Against Navy, Scott threw for 102 yards on 10-of-15 passing. Frost threw for 86 yards on 7-of-12 attempts through the air.

The powerful one-two combination led the Owls to a 17-6 victory over the Midshipmen.

Against Maryland Scott finished the day with 336 yards passing. After a first quarter drive culminating in a field goal, Frost came in to the game.

Frost ran for a 12-yard quarterback option and threw three passes, completing one, before getting injured.

He was hit in the knee by a Maryland player and was helped off of the field. A MRI examined by team trainers turned up negative, but doctors were to have looked at the MRI this week, according to coach Bobby Wallace.

Wallace is optimistic that Frost will be able to play this Saturday night against Bowling Green.

In case he can’t play, the team will return to Mac DeVito as its backup quarterback. DeVito threw for 435 yards last year on 43-of-90 passing backing up Scott.

“Both me and Devin bring different aspects to the game,” Frost said. “It is hard to say if it’s (two-quarterback system) working because we’re not scoring points right now. But if we can get that we’ll be alright.”

The Owls were hurt last week by penalties, which snuffed all of their scoring opportunities. Even with Scott’s performance the Owls weren’t able to beat Maryland, losing 17-10.

“We just (have) to make some more plays happen,” Frost said. “We’re not sustaining the drive, we get a lot of yards but they fizzle off with penalties like last year.”

Wallace was happy with Scott’s performance at Maryland.
“I think he deserves an award for courage for standing in that pocket and throwing the ball and getting banged around the way he was,” Wallace said.

Against Bowling Green, the Owls will probably have to go to the air. Falcon’s coach Gary Blackney said in a conference call with reporters that his defense will be ready for Tanardo Sharps, the Owls’ top running back. That is what Wallace expected.

“Right now it looks like we’re going to have to throw the football,” Wallace said. “I think they will be harder to run on than Navy or Maryland.”

Scott is confident that whoever is in the game will be able to take on the Falcons.

“We’ve got some great players,” Scott said. “We’re ready to roll whether I’m in there (or) Mike’s in there.”