Former Receiver Romond Deloatch Should Become Impact Player On Defense For Temple Football

Three years ago, Temple football head coach Matt Rhule dipped into Charlie Strong’s playbook when he decided to discipline wide receiver Romond Deloatch for missing a team meeting. As a punishment, Rhule put Deloatch on defense.

The only punishing done that day, though, was by Deloatch, who had what is believed to be a team-high seven sacks in a full-contact scrimmage. The move was reminiscent of Strong, then the Louisville head coach, who punished a quarterback named Marcus Smith by putting him at defensive end in a practice four years ago.

The difference, though, was Strong kept Smith at end and he became a first-round draft choice of the Philadelphia Eagles. Rhule, having made his point, returned Deloatch to starting wide receiver for Temple. Still, the impression made that day was so deep that Rhule and the defensive coaches filed away that performance and now Deloatch was back at defensive end in Saturday’s annual spring game. Quarterback P.J. Walker’s White team beat Deloatch’s Cherry team, 35-23, but the score in these games are never has important as the personnel moves and Deloatch’s is certainly one of the most unusual in Temple history.

At times, Deloatch appeared unblockable, but because the quarterback was not “live” there were no stats kept on sacks. Like Smith, though, Deloatch’s long arms, leaping ability, quick first step to the quarterback and lean frame (6-foot-4, 220 pounds), make him an intriguing weapon at defensive end. At the very least, the experiment will continue into the fall and Deloatch could be a specialty pass rusher in third-and-long situations; that much was evident to the 4,500 people who watched the spring game.

If he gets seven sacks in the opener against Army, the NFL scouts will no doubt also take notice.