OwlScoop.com - The Scoop

Pleasantville High School running back Ta’kiesse Barnes, Temple’s first football verbal commitment from the 2027 class, talked to us about why he chose the Owls, and we’ll give you a hint about who could be next when the program hosts official visitors in June. We talked about why College Football Playoff expansion sounds better in theory but not great in practice, and it looks like Adam Fisher and his Temple men’s basketball staff are going to need to be creative in adding more size to their roster. We also paid tribute to several of our past interns thanks to a mailbag question from one of our loyal listeners.

Intro: 0:00 – 10:10

Ta’kiesse Barnes talks Temple. Who’s next?: 10:10 – 14:10

Is College Football Playoff expansion a good thing?: 14:10 – 20:42

When is the next big addition coming to Adam Fisher’s roster?: 20:42 – 26:55

Mailbag (with Ryan’s dog Sasha making an appearance): 26:55 – end  

USC transfer point guard Jordan Marsh gave Temple’s roster a big boost when he signed with the Owls this week. Marsh is one of four portal players – along with Deuce Drake, Cam Scott and Sir Isaac Herron - who have helped replenish Adam Fisher’s roster over the last seven days. We have you covered with scouting reports on each player on this week’s podcast, along with details about Pleasantville High School running back Ta’Kiesse Barnes, Temple’s first 2027 football verbal commitment.

0:00 – Intro

5:12 - Three guards – AND A BIG – bolster the men’s hoops roster

23:48 - Ta’Kiesse Barnes is Temple football’s first 2027 commit

29:33 - Women’s lacrosse falls to USF in American Conference tournament

30:28 - Mailbag

Division II All-American Dallis Dillard, one of Temple’s two newest portal additions, joined us on the pod this week to talk about why he chose the Owls and what he can bring to yet another revamped Temple men’s basketball roster. We also discussed the addition of former UTSA forward Baboucarr Njie, a player who dropped a career-high 25 points on the Owls earlier this season, and we’ll tell you why NCAA Tournament expansion is a bad idea and why Bonnie Rosen’s Temple women’s lacrosse team could upset top-seeded USF in the American Conference tournament Thursday. And on the football front, four Temple players are getting NFL opportunities as undrafted rookie free agents. We looked at their chances of latching on to a pro roster and got to all of your mailbag questions, too.

Intro: 0:00 – 4:10

Temple lands a D-II All-American: 4:10 – 23:42

Portal pickup Baboucarr Njie might remind you of a past Owls forward: 23:42 – 31:34

5-for-5 -- What if Derrian Ford and Jordan Mason could have returned?: 31:34 – 37:14

Why we think NCAA Tournament expansion is not a good thing: 37:14 – 41:35

Which Temple football UDFA can make an NFL roster?: 41:35 – 48:02

Temple women’s lacrosse team returns to the conference tournament: 48:02 – 51:12

Mailbag: 51:12 – end

*Timestamps are approximate due to advertisements.

Temple picked up its first 2026 transfer portal addition with the signing of former Oregon State guard Dez White. You’ll hear part of our interview with him on this week’s podcast, along with a closer look at the Owls’ roster reconstruction and what the addition of HBCU All-American Taliyah Logwood means for Diane Richardson’s women’s team.

Intro: 0:00 – 2:55

A reset on the Temple men’s basketball roster: 2:55 – 5:05

Dez White talks about choosing the Owls: 5:05 – 24:17

Diane Richardson lands an HBCU All-American: 24:17 – 30:50

Mailbag:30:48 – end

Jaxon Smolik looked as sharp as he has all spring, throwing three touchdown passes and completing 19 of his 23 throws in last Saturday’s Cherry and White game. In addition to our post-spring position group analysis, you’ll hear part of Temple football general manager Clayton Barnes’ interview with reporters that lent more insight into how the Owls have constructed and developed their roster, and you’ll also hear more about Adam Fisher’s new assistant coach and the latest men’s and women’s hoops transfer portal developments, along with answers to your mailbag questions.  

Intro: 0:00 – 5:02

Cherry and White game wrap-up: 5:02 – 21:55

Clayton Barnes dissects Temple’s offensive and defensive lines: 21:55 - 24:55

Adam Fisher hosts a portal visitor, adds an assistant coach: 24:55 – 31:57

Diane Richardson adds Philly’s all-time leading high school scorer: 31:57 – 36:10

Mailbag: 36:10 – end

The NCAA’s two-week transfer portal window opened Tuesday, and we’ll tell you on this week’s podcast who’s staying with and who’s leaving Adam Fisher’s Temple men’s basketball program. And although he was one of three Temple players to enter the portal early this week, Aiden Tobiason reached out to us during the show to tell us why he’s still open to coming back to North Broad Street for his junior season. On the football front, we’ll tell you what to watch for this Saturday at Chodoff Field in the Owls’ annual Cherry and White game.

Intro: 0:00 – 8:30

Transfer portal tidbits: 8:30 – 14:54

Aiden Tobiason tells OwlScoop he’s open to returning: 14:54 – 19:24

Who is coming back to Adam Fisher’s roster?: 19:24 – 26:39

A few names to watch in the portal: 26:39 – 29:44

Some definitive conclusions and remaining spring football questions: 29:44 – 38:15

Mailbag: 38:15 – end

After knee and foot injuries slowed his career at Rutgers, Sam Brown has found new life at Temple and looked like the player who was once ahead of Kyle Monangai on the Scarlet Knights' depth chart. You'll hear from Brown and running backs coach Andrew Pierce on this week's podcast, along with answers to your mailbag questions and an announcement about our upcoming OwlScoop series on the 2001 Elite Eight team. 

Intro: 0:00 – 4:42

Sam Brown has sparked Temple’s RB room: 4:42 – 16:03

Previewing our 2001 Elite Eight team series: 16:03 – 17:21

Mailbag: 17:21 – end 

K.C. Keeler talked this week about how and when the staff might select a starting quarterback, and placekicker Carl Hardin spoke about his approach to the position as he enters his second season as the starter.

Is Peter Clarke more likely to catch 50 passes than Keveun Mason is to rush for 700 yards this season? That’s one of five ‘this or that?’ scenarios we threw at the staff on this week’s podcast, brought to you each week by Greenspan & Greenspan Injury Lawyers. 

Intro: 0:00 – 6:50

More on the Jaxon Smolik-Ajani Sheppard QB battle: 6:50 – 16:36

Special teams report and Carl Hardin interview: 16:36 – 24:26

A Temple football and hoops version of ‘This or that?’: 24:26 – 57:18

Mailbag: 57:18 – end

After early conference tournament exits in Birmingham last week, what’s next for Diane Richardson’s and Adam Fisher’s Temple basketball teams? We broke down the rosters and took some early educated guesses about what’s to come in the transfer portal. You’ll also hear from Temple football coach K.C. Keeler and quarterbacks Jaxon Smolik and Ajani Sheppard as our spring football coverage continues, and Andrew Hope, a Philadelphia attorney at Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney, joined us to talk about the ongoing legal issues in college athletics and what congressional reform could look like in the future.

Intro: 0:00 – 2:57

What’s next for the Temple basketball squads?: 2:57 – 19:12

Spring football sound from K.C. Keeler, Jaxon Smolik and Ajani Sheppard: 19:12 – 26:19

Andrew Hope: 26:19 – 1:05:06

Mailbag: 1:05:06 – end

Diane Richardson’s Temple women’s basketball team has already won a game in the American Conference tournament in Birmingham while Adam Fisher’s men’s team prepares to play Wednesday night. And beyond the news in Birmingham, we’ll bring you updates and audio from Temple football’s first spring practice, as well as the answers to your mailbag questions. Former Temple offensive lineman Drew Peterson joined us on The Scoop as well to pay tribute to his former teammate and close friend, Tre’ Johnson, who passed away last month.

Intro: 0:00 – 3:10

Women’s hoops beats Tulane in OT, moves on to play UTSA: 3:10 – 13:33

Can Adam Fisher’s team make a run in Birmingham?: 13:33 – 26:53

Early spring football impressions: 26:53 – 32:25

Drew Peterson pays tribute to Tre’ Johnson: 32:25 – 38:02

Mailbag: 38:02 – end