Bonesville: The Authoritative Independent Voice of East Carolina

News & Features from ECU, the AAC and Beyond

  • Home
  • News & Features
  • Recruiting
  • Photos
  • Audio
  • Roundup
  • Comments
  • Legacy Archives
  • • ECU 2021 FOOTBALL SCHEDULE
  • • ECU 2021 BASEBALL SCHEDULE

Football Recruiting
Close relationship with ECU staff swayed Temple

July 11, 2020 By Sammy Batten Leave a Comment

Tweet
Share
Share
Pin

Football has been a family affair for Cruz Temple.

Temple started playing the game at age seven, following in the footsteps of his father and older brother. His dad, Tony, was a walk-on player at the University of South Carolina and is now an assistant coach at Cruz’s high school in Abbeville, South Carolina. Brother Nate was a Shrine Bowl All-Star game participant at Abbeville and is now a redshirt freshman defensive end at Pittsburgh.

“I’ve been playing football and learning from my Dad since I was little,’’ Temple said. “My brother has been a huge role model. He showed the way to how to get to where I am now.’’

Cruz Temple is now a recruited Football Bowl Subdivision athlete himself, drawing scholarship offers from programs such as Air Force, Army, Coastal Carolina, Georgia Southern, Georgia State and Navy. But it was a close relationship Temple was able to build with the coaching staff at East Carolina that earned the Pirates a verbal commitment from the 5-foot-11, 205-pound safety on June 10.

Cruz Temple (247sports.com)

East Carolina was one of the first major schools to start actively recruiting Temple soon after he helped Abbeville to a 13-1 finish and berth in the state 2-A semifinals where the four-time defending state champion Panthers were upset by Saluda, 32-28. Temple was a major contributor, starting at safety and working on offense as a short-yardage back.

Despite missing three games with an ankle injury. Temple still managed 35 tackles, two tackles for loss, had two pass breakups and a fumble recovery during his junior campaign. The performance earned him a spot on the All-Lakelands region team as well as first-team All-State status as chosen by the South Carolina High School Coaches’ Association.

East Carolina extended a scholarship offer to Temple in April, so the majority of his recruitment occurred during the COVID-19 outbreak.

“That definitely made it strange,’’ Temple said. “But ECU had been in contact with me before I had any offers. It was one of the first (schools) to show interest, so I always felt they believed in me. Once they gave me the offer, I started thinking about them a lot and they were always at the top of my board. Once I got a virtual tour and saw the campus and all the new equipment and weight room and all of that, it kind of blew me away.’’

Temple played four games on the junior varsity at Abbeville as a freshman before joining the varsity for its run to a third straight state 2-A crown. He helped the Panthers to an undefeated 14-0 season and fourth straight state title as a sophomore.

“We’ve known about Cruz for a long time,’’ Abbeville coach Jamie Nichols said. “As a kid growing up, he was always a little smaller than other kids, but he was always real fast and you could tell he was an explosive athlete. I think his explosiveness is the first thing that really stuck out to me. He plays at a different speed than anyone else on the field.’’

That’s quite a contrast to Temple’s older brother, Nate, who is a significantly larger athlete at 6-4, 230 pounds.

Two totally different athletes,’’ Nichols said. “Cruz is more explosive and fast. Nate was taller and more of a technician type player. He’s not as fast as Cruz.’’

Despite their different physical makeup, the Temple brothers are a close pair, especially when it comes to football.

“My brother showed me the work you have to put in, the mindset you have to have to be a good football player,’’ Cruz Temple said. “When I was going through my recruitment we had a lot of long talks and he helped me with that. He told me just to feel it. You’ll know when it’s right. Make sure you go somewhere where you are wanted, and I felt wanted at ECU.’’

Cruz Temple has been recruited by East Carolina to play safety, although he’ll probably see action at Abbeville this season at linebacker. “I feel like I’m definitely going to be one of the hardest hitters,’’ Temple said in describing his strengths. “But I also know football from coming up with my dad, so I’m smart with it. I give it everything I’ve got every time I step on the field.’’

Like all athletes, staying in shape during the COVID-19 outbreak has been difficult for Temple. But he’s continued to train in a garage weight room at his home and twice a week at Apex Athletic Performance in Columbia, SC. He works there with Paul Beckwith, Apex’s Supervisor of Sports Performance.

“I work there on explosiveness and speed training twice a week,’’ Temple said. “A lot of (South) Carolina players go there.’’

Temple is the third secondary prospect to join ECU’s recruiting Class of 2021. The Pirates already had verbal commitments from safety James Wright from Lakewood, SC, High School and safety Jalen Clyatt from Sandy Spring, MD.

RECRUITING CLASS OF 2021 THUMBNAILS…
RECRUITING CLASS OF 2020 THUMBNAILS…
Tweet
Share
Share
Pin

Filed Under: Football Recruiting, News & Features, Recruiting, Recruiting Class of 2021

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recent News & Features

Baseball News
ECU prevails over Eagles in first road game

VIEW FROM THE EAST
Pirates prep for challenging start in 2021

Baseball News
Pirates use long ball to down Duke

Football Recruiting Report
Banner recruits keep American on the rise

Basketball News
Postponements continue to mount in AAC hoops

Baseball News
Pirates complete sweep

Baseball News
Norby paces Pirates to series win

Baseball News
Pirates edge Rams, 3-2, in 10 innings

"VIEW FROM THE EAST" ON ECU BASEBALL
Godwin has good news as season starts

Basketball News
Weather, COVID force more schedule changes

More News & Features

ECU Schedules

  • ECU 2021 Football Schedule
  • ECU 2020-21 Basketball Schedule
  • ECU 2021 Baseball Schedule

ECU Recruiting

  • Football Recruiting Class of 2021
  • Football Recruiting Class of 2020
  • Football Recruiting Class of 2019
  • Football Recruiting Class of 2018
  • Football Recruiting Class of 2017
  • Hoops Recruiting Class of 2021-22
  • Hoops Recruiting Class of 2020-21
  • Hoops Recruiting Class of 2019-20
  • Hoops Recruiting Class of 2018-19
  • Hoops Recruiting Class of 2017-18
  • Hoops Recruiting Class of 2016-17
Tweets by bonesville

Past Football Schedules

  • ECU 2020 Football Schedule
  • ECU 2019 Football Schedule
  • ECU 2018 Football Schedule
  • ECU 2017 Football Schedule
  • ECU 2016 Football Schedule
  • ECU 2015 Football Schedule
  • ECU 2014 Football Schedule
  • ECU 2013 Football Schedule
  • ECU 2012 Football Schedule
  • ECU 2011 Football Schedule
  • ECU 2010 Football Schedule
  • ECU 2009 Football Schedule
  • ECU 2008 Football Schedule
  • ECU 2007 Football Schedule
  • ECU 2006 Football Schedule
  • ECU 2005 Football Schedule
  • ECU 2004 Football Schedule
  • ECU 2003 Football Schedule
  • ECU 2002 Football Schedule
  • ECU 2001 Football Schedule
  • ECU 2000 Football Schedule
  • Historical Schedules

Past Basketball Schedules

  • ECU 2019-20 Basketball Schedule
  • ECU 2018-19 Basketball Schedule
  • ECU 2017-18 Basketball Schedule
  • ECU 2016-17 Basketball Schedule
  • ECU 2000-2015 Basketball Archives

Past Baseball Schedules

  • ECU 2020 Baseball Schedule
  • ECU 2019 Baseball Schedule
  • ECU 2018 Baseball Schedule
  • ECU 2017 Baseball Schedule
  • ECU 2016 Baseball Schedule
  • ECU 2015 Baseball Schedule
  • ECU 2001-2014 Baseball Archives

Recruiting Class Profiles

Football Recruiting Report
Banner recruits keep American on the rise

ECU Recruiting Evaluation, Part 2
Defensive report card: Pirates lure experience

ECU Recruiting Evaluation, Part 1
Offensive report card: Skill positions reinforced

ECU Football Recruiting - Early Evaluation
Pirates fortify secondary

Football Recruiting
Pirates land lineman with ‘nasty attitude’

Football Recruiting
Former TCU linebacker sets new path at ECU

Football Recruiting
Florida produces another quarterback gem for ECU

Football Recruiting
Legacy of ECU’s receivers helped sell Keigley

Football Recruiting
Pirates reaping dividends from Tri-City focus

Football Recruiting
Close relationship with ECU staff swayed Temple

Football Recruiting
Timely recruiting helped Pirates land Wright

Football Recruiting
COVID-19 opens door to FBS for Jason Shuford

Football Recruiting
ECU secondary secures Bama grad transfer Knott

Football Recruiting
ECU wins battle for coveted safety Clyatt

Football Recruiting
Grad transfer Chase rekindles ties with ECU

Recruiting Evaluation: Class of 2020 Defense
Defensive class caps off sterling recruiting effort

Recruiting Evaluation: Class of 2020 Offense
Gifted QBs, RBs headline offensive signees

Football Recruiting
Garrison’s route to ECU anything but typical

Early signing class evaluation
Pirates on the rise in recruiting wars

Football Recruiting
Healing prep star Hudson on track to sign early

Football Recruiting
Coveted QB recruit Garcia headed to Shrine Bowl

Football Recruiting
Help is on the way for ECU running game

Football Recruiting
Tackle took trek from ballboy to superstar

Football Recruiting
Crump brings ‘shut-down corner’ skills to ECU

Football Recruiting
ECU emerged from the pack to land McIver

Recent Web Roundups

GREG VACEK'S DAILY WEB ROUNDUP
Thursday, February 25, 2021

GREG VACEK'S DAILY WEB ROUNDUP
Wednesday, February 18, 2021

GREG VACEK'S DAILY WEB ROUNDUP
Saturday, February 13, 2021

Writer Archives

  • Bonesville Staff
  • Brian Bailey
  • Sammy Batten
  • Bethany Bradsher
  • Brett Friedlander
  • Al Myatt
  • NFF
  • Greg Vacek
  • Danny Whitford

Recent Web Roundups

GREG VACEK'S DAILY WEB ROUNDUP
Thursday, February 25, 2021

GREG VACEK'S DAILY WEB ROUNDUP
Wednesday, February 18, 2021

GREG VACEK'S DAILY WEB ROUNDUP
Saturday, February 13, 2021

GREG VACEK'S DAILY WEB ROUNDUP
Friday, February 12, 2021

GREG VACEK'S DAILY WEB ROUNDUP
Thursday, February 11, 2021

GREG VACEK'S DAILY WEB ROUNDUP
Tuesday, February 9, 2021

GREG VACEK'S DAILY WEB ROUNDUP
Monday, February 8, 2021

More Web Roundups

Copyright © 2021 Bonesville.net · Website by Seaport Webworks. · Log in · Privacy Policy