No, the passing statistics of Temple senior quarterback Kevin Lock aren’t going to get him confused with Texas’ Colt McCoy or make anyone forget Texas Tech’s Graham Harrell.
But in his second varsity season and first as a starter, Lock has made steady progress and emerged as a big-play passer to complement Temple’s rushing-based philosophy in the Wing-T offense.
His improvement is a big reason that the Wildcats (3-5 overall, 3-2 in District 12-5A) have won three straight games entering their showdown with rival Belton (2-6, 2-3) at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Tiger Field.
“So far it’s been a gradual thing,” Lock, a 6-2, 190-pound left-hander who’s also a standout in baseball, said in assessing his performance this season. “I’ve just tried to get better and better each week.”
Temple coach Bryce Monsen likes what he’s seen recently.
“Kevin has come a long way and he’s learning day by day how to be a quarterback,” Monsen said. “It’s what we call generalship and how to take care of the ball, and he has played really well in the last three games.
“He’s doing a good job of reading defenses and we’re very proud of the job he’s done working with Coach (Mike) McMurtry (Temple’s offensive coordinator and QBs coach).”
Although Lock ranks 15th in the area in passing yards, that’s more a product of his offense’s style than anything else.
Paced by speedy junior running back Lache Seastrunk with strong help the last three games from rugged fullback Derrick Davis, Temple has racked up 2,113 rushing yards to rank third in the area.
That production hasn’t left a huge amount of room for a passing attack, but the Wildcats have increased their aerial opportunities to take advantage of Lock’s left arm.
Temple’s starting quarterback last year, Chase Moore, was 30-for-79 passing for 547 yards - with four touchdowns and one interception - in 10 regular-season games.
Through just eight games, Lock already has 14 more completions, 23 more attempts, 204 more yards and four more TDs than Moore did, though he has four more interceptions.
Lock has averaged 17.1 yards per completion, thrown for at least one touchdown in six of eight games and been picked off no more than once in a game. He also averages a TD pass every 5.5 completions.
Lock was solid but not spectacular in the three non-district games, going 20-for-39 for 246 yards with two scores and an interception in losses to Cedar Park, Leander and then-No. 2-ranked Plano.
Then real adversity hit him in the first two district games.
Lock threw for a season-high 229 yards - including two long touchdowns to Seastrunk - at College Station A&M Consolidated, but he completed only seven of 25 passes and took an 11-yard sack that hurt Temple’s final scoring bid in a 24-21 defeat.
A week later at home against unbeaten Copperas Cove, Lock threw an errant out pass that Chris Miller intercepted and turned into a 25-yard touchdown during a second-quarter flurry that sparked the Bulldawgs to a 56-14 victory.
Monsen says it was important for Lock to experience those problems and learn from them.
“The Cove game helped him,” Monsen said. “He took it personal, but he’s really matured the last three games. He knows he doesn’t need to make every throw. We’ve told him to let it flow and that he’s got a lot of freedom to use his natural talents and abilities.”
Added Lock of overcoming those mistakes: “You just have to move on to the next play.”
And Lock has enjoyed plenty of highlights during Temple’s three-game winning streak.
He hit running back Daniel Carr for a 34-yard touchdown pass in the must-have 49-42 victory at Killeen Ellison.
He connected with Baylor-bound receiver Tevin Reese for first-half scoring throws of 46 and 23 yards in going 5-of-9 for 119 yards in a 48-10 thrashing of Harker Heights.
“Kevin has made some very good throws,” Monsen said. “And he’s not in the (shot)gun, so he doesn’t get to see everything in front of him. He’s learned to make plays.”
Lock was just 3-of-11 for 27 yards in last Friday’s crucial 35-20 home win over Bryan, but his playmaking right before halftime was vital.
With Temple trailing 14-7 with 1:09 left in the half, Lock found Reese to convert a fourth-down play, escaped the pocket for an 18-yard run to the 6, then rolled left and hit Seastrunk for a TD pass that gave the Wildcats much-needed momentum.
“It was a real motivator for us at halftime,” Lock said.
The hard-charging Davis has rushed for 255 yards and five touchdowns in the last three games, and both Lock and Monsen believe that addition has triggered a crucial boost in the Wildcats’ offense.
“It was a big change for us, and Derrick is the big guy,” Lock said. “But it’s not just one guy. Everybody is doing their job and the line is blocking right.”
Added Monsen: “It’s been a domino effect, and Kevin has taken advantage of that.”
A first-team all-district pitcher who threw a no-hitter against Killeen Shoemaker last spring, Lock says he plans to play college baseball. For now, though, it’s all about football.
“I just want to make sure,” he said, “that my team is focused and ready to go."
gwille@temple-telegram.com
