PHILADELPHIA- Fresh off of a commanding 49-6 victory against East Carolina last week, Temple Football is rolling - largely in part due to the impressive play of the Owls' defense.
Head coach Geoff Collins and defensive coordinator Andrew Thacker have assembled a group that is fierce up front, littered with playmakers in the secondary, and deep across the board, and their growth through the first half of the season has been striking.
Helping lead the charge on defense is redshirt junior Chapelle Russell - a 6-foot-1, 215 pound single-digit linebacker who consistently sets the tone for the Owls' front seven - and the Lakewood, N.