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Temple linebacker Reggie Jones chases after wide receiver Jayce Freeman at spring practice. (Photo: Harvey Levine/OwlsDaily)   Temple's defense has upped its performance in each scrimmage this spring.  The key to that improvement – maybe the least-discussed aspect of the unit, where a reconstituted defensive line and revamped secondary have dominated the conversation. The inside linebackers made a few eye-catching plays in Saturday's scrimmage, in which the first-team and second-team defense held the offense to 10 points on 13 possessions.  Middle linebackers Eric Stuart and Reggie Jones had big solo stops and the middle of the field was generally plugged up, limiting the offense to 162 rushing yards on 48 carries (3.4 yards per carry). "I think today was a good indication," linebackers coach Keith Dudzinski said afterward of his improved group.  "I think everybody that played made some kind of play today, from the young guys to the older guys." The Owls were always confident in the talent and depth they returned from last season, evidenced by the fact that they didn't add any transfer portal help at inside linebacker.  But there were questions about big-play potential having graduated Katin Surprenant, who forced three fumbles last year, and with Curly Ordonez (seven tackles for loss) sitting out contact drills this spring following core muscle surgery. Along with the big plays, something else about the linebackers stood out on Saturday. "If you watched the scrimmage today, I don't think you'll see any difference from when group one was out there, but there was always a different group of linebackers running with the ones today," Dudzinski pointed out.  "And I don't think we really took any steps back.  So that's an indication that everybody knows what's going on on defense.  They're a lot more comfortable with what we're doing." Dudzinski talked a lot about comfort after the scrimmage.  And while Ordonez, fellow returnee Jayvant Brown, and veteran walk-on Aiden Britton have each been limited by injuries this spring, having Stuart and Tyree Alualu at full strength has accelerated their development. "I think it's comfort," Dudzinski explained.  "You take Eric, for instance.  Eric came off a pretty severe injury from a year before.  I don't know that he was really fully 100 percent all of last season.  Now I watch him play in the spring, he's playing so much faster than he's played since I've been here.  So I think he's playing a lot better and faster. "But I think it has to do with being comfortable in the scheme and then us being able to figure out who the playmakers are and putting them in a position to make the big plays. "I think they come in droves.  Sometimes guys make big plays and they just start coming, and other guys it just takes a little bit more time.  Just like turnovers.  Sometimes you get turnovers.  Sometimes they don't come for a while.  Then all of the sudden they do." Positionally, the Owls have settled in after figuring some things out last year. Stuart is manning the middle, where Brown will back him up when he returns.  Jones and Jordan Montgomery are also available redshirt juniors. At Will linebacker, Ordonez said he is "almost there" in his return from early February surgery.  Alualu and Wesley Brown have been splitting the first-team reps in his absence.  Willy Love worked at Mike and Will but has recently concentrated entirely on Will. "Tyree and Wes, I think it's really the maturity level of those guys," Dudzinski said.  "They've matured a whole bunch in a year and it's really made a difference. "I think there was a maturity level that needed to change in our room.  I think when you've got a bunch of young guys, they're not really sure what their role is.  And last year I think through the year they kind of figured it out.  I think they've really matured as a group. "I think they've learned how to become football players, really bring it home with them.  Some guys just don't bring it home.  They just come to the facility, they do what they have to do, and then they leave.  And that's usually young guys that do that kind of stuff.  And I think now we've kind of got to the point where our whole football team, they're studying more.  Every night I'm getting text messages from the guys saying, 'Hey coach, what am I supposed to do on this play?'" That's likely another factor in the improved play of the linebackers – knowing where to line up and what to do.  Misalignments were a common postgame topic when the defense struggled last season. "We put a lot of stuff in last year defensively," Dudzinski said.  "I think we've shrunk the package a little bit, tried to make it a little simpler for them.  And I think over the spring we're trying not to put as much on them.  We're trying to be good with the things we have and get good every single day of practice.  I think that's been the best thing about it." The net result, with one scrimmage to go, is a better and deeper group. "You could go right through the roster, I think everyone has shown great improvement," Dudzinski said.  "Right now I'm confident that I have 5-6 guys that I can roll through the game if I have to.  Obviously it would have been nice to see Curly out there all spring and see how he would have developed.  But I know he's working hard at it."