Temple HC questions Oklahoma’s ‘energy’ surrounding upcoming matchup
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Oklahoma brought plenty of energy and emotion to its 24-13 win over Michigan last Saturday, but Temple head coach K.C. Keeler is wondering if the Sooners will bring that same fire with them to Philadelphia this weekend.
Ahead of the Owls’ noon clash with OU, Keeler hopped on SiriusXM’s College Sports radio show to discuss the matchup, and he had some interesting thoughts to share.
“I’ve done this a really long time and can tell you that, from watching the game tape, Oklahoma’s a really good football team,” Keeler said. “I like my team too, and momentum is a funny thing. We need to make some plays early and get some that momentum on our side.”
Keeler went on to discuss the anticipation his team is exhibiting for this game, and he called into question if the Sooners feel the same way.
“There’s a lot of energy in this building right now. I don’t know if there’s the same energy in Oklahoma’s building,” Keeler explained. “Because they’re hearing stuff from their media to where it’s like ‘is this gonna be a high school game’ or ‘how many people are gonna be there?'”
“And their coach, God bless him, he did a great job talking about Temple,” Keeler added. “But did you know not a single reporter asked a question about playing Temple? That never happens. It’s your next game!”
The former Sam Houston head coach went on to detail that the energy within the two athletic facilities may be different, but he doesn’t blame the Sooner players for that. He pointed at the adults around them as to who’s creating that reality.
Per Keeler’s point about his time in the sport, he’s spent 10+ seasons at three different colleges on his way up to the D-I ranks. Keeler started as an assistant coach at Amherst before taking on a similar role at Rowan. Then after taking the head coaching job there in 1993, Keeler eventually was hired by his alma mater, Delaware.
The former linebacker coached the Blue Hens from 2002-2012 before he took over at Sam Houston and led the program to multiple postseason berths from 2014-2024. He also played a large role in overseeing the program’s move up to the D-I level in 2024 prior to taking the job at Temple.
And also to Keeler’s point, his Owls have come out swinging this year. The team hasn’t won more than three games in a season since 2019, but wins over UMass and Howard by a combined margin of 97-17 have fans thinking the Keeler era could be different.
Current sports editor with the Enterprise-Journal in McComb, Mississippi. 2024 graduate from Mizzou and college athletics enthusiast.
