Temple Football Practice Notebook (3/21)

Tagged under: News, Pennsylvania Colleges, Temple

Mike Livingston | March 21, 2026

NORTH PHILADELPHIA – Temple wrapped up its second week of spring practices Saturday morning with its first live contact and scrimmages of the season. 

After a chippy week of practices on Tuesday and Thursday, both sides played fast-paced and excitable brands of football at an impressive pace for the first live play. 

Some of the guys who took a brunt of the physicality came out of the wide receiver room, with the likes of Jayce Freeman, Ramier Hardy, and Reis Stocksdale getting a few big, hard-hitting reps in. 

Notably, Colin Chase and JoJo Bermudez, who left practice with a left knee injury, had grey no-contact pinnies on when they saw action. 

Wide receivers coach Roy Roundtree, along with Chase and Freeman, were selected for their spring availability with the media Saturday, and Chase spoke about the team’s first foray into full contact.

“It’s fun,” said Chase. “I think we were a little bit excessive, but I like the energy, and when you’re going out there, and guys on the sideline are engaged, it just creates such a better environment and a better atmosphere. We were flat at all, so that was good.”

Chase didn’t see too many targets with the Owls duo of quarterbacks in Ajani Sheppard and Jaxon Smolik; however, Freeman did. The Stony Brook transfer has turned into somewhat of a favorite target for his quarterbacks, not just on Saturday but throughout camp to this point, as the lengthy 6’4 receiver hasn’t yet been figured out by Temple’s first team defense. 

Another standout on the LOS for Temple to this point in the spring has been a local product, Ramier Hardy. Hardy, a second-year man out of St. Joseph’s Prep, has made his bones winning 50/50 balls 10-30 yards off the line of scrimmage and pulling down some physical catches while turning some heads all the same. 

Hardy still projects as a second-teamer to this point, with Chase, Freeman, and Bermudez being the clear-cut guys to line the offensive wings come week one as of now. Nonetheless, guys like Hardy, Stocksdale, and Demonte Green seem to be the favorites amongst special teamers and guys who should compete for the wide receiver four and five spots.

Redshirt-Freshman transfer Kenedy Uzoma has also gotten attention purely for his size, standing at 6’5/210 pounds. He’s spent most of his time with the third teamers; however, along with Tylik Mitchell, he could see a chance with the first team at some point this spring. 

On the injury front, it was announced that redshirt freshman Keagan Chambers underwent an undisclosed surgery on Friday and will be shut down for the remainder of the spring season. Chambers was another name in a strong crop of young wideouts competing with the third and fourth teams. 

Elsewhere, it was Ajani Sheppard taking charge behind center that grabbed a lot of eyes. The Washington State transfer completed multiple tight passes over the middle to tight end Peter Clarke and put up 50/50 balls for Freeman and Hardy. 

While Smolik didn’t look bad by any means, it was the sense in Sheppard’s poise and calmness behind center that could have opinions shifting as the team moves into next week. 

Additionally, the defensive line had another day of dominance against an offensive line still trying to find itself with new names and faces across the trench. 

And out of the backfield, Hunter Smith found himself a few targets while also cutting up on inside runs where the offensive line saw some more luck mauling their way upfield. 

The Owls congregate again on the 10th Diamond next Tuesday to kick off their third week of spring practice.

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