More News

Suitland High School graduate Devin Tyler's memories of his first two years as an offensive lineman with the Temple University football team are vivid — and none too pleasant.

Tyler joined a Temple program that was one of the worst in college football. The Owls went 1-22 in his first two years, which was difficult for Tyler since he came from a Suitland program that went 13-1 and won the Class 4A state title in 2004, his senior year.

But Tyler and the Owls slowly turned things around, winning four games in 2007 and five in 2008, before finishing 9-3 this season, which was the program's first winning record since 1990. Tuesday at 4:30 p.m., Tyler will get to end his college career close to home, as the Owls will face UCLA in the EagleBank Bowl at RFK Stadium in the District. It will be Temple's first bowl game appearance since 1979, when the Owls beat California-Berkeley, 28-17, in the now-defunct Garden State Bowl.

"To have my final game be in D.C. and have all my friends and family there will be emotional," Tyler said. "But we have come a long way and it feels great to end it like this. It was miserable my first few years because you felt numb after all the losing. We remind the younger guys all the time what it was like and tell them not to let it get back to that."

Tyler was redshirted his freshman season, but started every game in 2006. He started nine games in 2007, but only five last fall in his junior year. He said he got into some bad habits on the football field and lost his starting position.

Determined not to end his career as a second-stringer, he went back to work and regained his starting spot for his senior season.

"I knew it was just a setback and that I wasn't going to fall," he said. "I made some huge changes and so has the program. We changed the way we present ourselves on and off the field. Now there is just a different atmosphere on the campus and everyone is congratulating us."

One of the younger players that has helped lead the Temple turnaround is quarterback Chester Stewart. The 2007 DeMatha High School graduate took over the starting position for the Nov. 5 game against Miami (Ohio) University, after playing in five previous games.

The redshirt sophomore has completed 26 of 65 passes for 514 yards and three touchdowns, and running for two more scores in nine games.

Stewart said redshirting his freshman season allowed him to become more comfortable with the offense. He also said he learned from the other quarterbacks, which helped him become a better player. He said he was more excited than nervous when he started his first game.

"You come in as a freshman and think you can do everything, but I had a hard time grasping the offense," he said. "I always prepared like I was going to start, so I didn't have to change my preparation. I just didn't try and do too much because we have a good team and we were winning before I was named the quarterback."

Senior Wilbert Brinson Jr., a Gwynn Park graduate, gives the Owls some Prince George's talent on the defensive side of the ball. In 10 games this season Brinson has made 15 tackles to go along with an interception.

E-mail Joshua Hudson at jhudson@gazette.net