Joseph, Diaz Anchor Rebuilt OLB Room for Temple

Tagged under: News, Pennsylvania Colleges, Temple

Mike Livingston | April 2, 2026

NORTH PHILADELPHIA – No position group offers a clearer window into how Temple is settling into year two under K.C. Keeler than outside linebacker.

In year one under Keeler and an entirely new coaching staff, Temple’s outside linebacker room was shaky at best. Outside linebackers coach Chris Ratiano made the best of what he could with Ty Davis and Charles Calhoun, who transitioned from defensive ends to the edge role.

Both Davis and Calhoun had serviceable seasons and contributed to a Temple defense that was among the best against the pass in the American Conference.

However, coming into year two, just as the Owls’ entire roster has seemingly done with a full offseason under its belt, the room has settled. In Ratiano’s first complete offseason at the helm, he had a nearly entirely new room, with his two projected starters — Jaylon Joseph (Lafayette) and JaMair Diaz (Sam Houston State) — joining the club from the transfer portal.

Now, with Joseph and Diaz at the helm, outside linebacker looks to be yet another spot the Owls will project to improve dramatically in 2026.

“(I’m) very happy with where we’re at right now,” said Ratiano following Thursday’s practice. “Overall, as a defense. You know, we’re flying around, we’re communicating. (We) gotta continue to learn how to practice as a group, protecting each other, respecting each other’s right to work and get each other better. So just those little things of learning how to practice and those subtleties, we’re very happy with where we’re at this year compared to this time last year.”

Ratiano worked closely with Keeler and general manager Clayton Barnes this offseason to bring in both Joseph and Diaz in the portal, as well, sharing past connections with both of them — having connections to Joseph from his time at Rice, where he worked with the Lafayette transfer’s former high school head coach, and to Diaz, as they grew up just 45 minutes apart in northern New Jersey, sharing natural connections.

“I was heavily involved,” said Ratiano. “Obviously, it always goes to the GM at the end of the day, but he believes in me and my evaluation. I believe in him, and we kind of work very well together. But again, like, he knew exactly what I wanted the position to look like. It didn’t necessarily look like how I wanted it to look last year, just because of the guys I inherited. And again, no offense to them. I think we got everything we could, and we had some productive guys in that role, but now being able to recruit that exactly how I want it and how I’ve pictured it, because this is a role that we did have at Rice when I was with Coach (Brian) Smith over at Rice, and now understanding — they understand what we want it to look like. And, you know, I showed these guys that this is exactly what I want the skill set to be. And we kind of both agreed on those two and came to terms with it.”

Defensive coordinator Brian Smith’s signature 3-4 defensive scheme is also what has Ratiano in his position in the first place.

Outside linebackers coach is a growing job across college football as roles evolve. As the jobs of specific positions become more intricate, they’ve become almost abundant in 3-4 schemes, along with certain 4-3 hybrid schemes primarily across Power Four football.

However, Ratiano, who first spent time as an OLBs coach for Rice under Smith from 2021 to 2022, now has his two guys to set the edge (literally) on the defensive line.

Joseph, who spent the first three seasons of his career playing FCS ball for the Leopards, recorded 71 tackles, 20 TFLs, 12.5 sacks, an interception, and three forced fumbles during his time in Easton. Now, in his senior season, he has the opportunity to take his game to the next level playing on an uber-talented defense with a starting hybrid role in the front seven.

As for Diaz, after spending two seasons at D-II Glenville State, he played just four games at Sam Houston State last year for the Bearkats before being shut down with an undisclosed injury.

Nonetheless, in his limited playing time, the New Jersey native recorded 14 tackles and returned a fumble recovery 43 yards against Western Kentucky. He also recorded a sack and six tackles in a game at Hawai‘i.

Despite the limited production, the Owls’ staff has made its belief in Diaz clear, and his raw talent makes it hard to argue with that notion.

“So coming out of Sam Houston, I only played four games,” said Diaz. “So the transfer portal was kind of a risk for me. But I took that risk, Temple hit my line, it was close to home, and I’ve been a Temple fan since I was little. I’ve been going to Temple camps. I was familiar with Temple, and just for them to kind of take a chance on me, only having four games shows a lot.”

Along with David Koelgo, Adriano McLean, and Brian Adderley, the five make up one of the smallest rooms on the team. Though out of the three reserves, McLean is likely the only one who may see meaningful time on defense, though chances aren’t all too high for the second-year recruit out of Penn Wood High School — making the OLB spot one of the few places on the Owls roster as a whole that doesn’t possess serious depth.

However, barring injury, the top-heavy Temple edge rushing group could prove to be one of the most potent in the American Conference and cause serious fits for opposing quarterbacks.

“Man, I definitely think we can become a championship team,” said Joseph. “I just feel like we have to keep taking note of the key things, the small things, and don’t let anything go overlooked. Just stay a team and build each other up. Coach each other up. I feel like we definitely got all the tools we need in this room, and our room alone would be a championship team. So with everybody else added, it’s a no-brainer. We just all have to be on the same page.”

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