The last time Isaac Rochell took the field against Temple, he claims that he was a weary-eyed freshman defensive end just trying to keep his head above water.

"That game was a blur for me," Rochell said. "I was just trying to survive."

That won't be the case this weekend when Notre Dame travels to Philadelphia to take on the undefeated Owls. Rochell has gone from a spot player in the rotation on the defensive line, to the unit's leader in tackles (35, which ranks fourth on the team), second overall in quarterback hurries (six) and third in tackles for loss (5.5). And while he admits that things might be coming full circle for him on Saturday, he knows that he can't get caught up in the moment.

"It's definitely a different feeling for me now. Three years later, I'm a junior, and I have played, so I don't plan on it being survival mode," Rochell said. "It's just different."

Which makes sense, seeing as how Rochell is now a leader of the defense and a player that will be called upon under the lights at Lincoln Financial Field to force three-and-outs, instead of just trying to line up correctly and be in the right place at the right time.

"They're way different," Rochell said when asked what type of challenge Temple presents for him in his new role. "I think your record speaks a lot about where your team is at. They were 2-10 [back in 2013] and now they are undefeated, [ESPN's GameDay will be there], and it's just a huge game. Their program has come a long way"

Rochell spent the Irish's bye week back in his home state of Georgia, and while there was certainly some time away from football, he said that he did have chance to sit down and watch Temple's game at East Carolina last Thursday in which it rallied from a 14-10 halftime deficit for a 24-14 win. The Owls consistently have been a better second half team while outscoring its seven opponents 137-29 in the final 20 minutes.

"They're a really solid team," he said. "They got huge o-lineman. … They are all really good and they do well with what there scheme is."

Rochell said that Temple's zone-read option is unlike any that the Irish have seen this season, and that will require him and the rest of the front seven to play assignment football, although not to the level of true triple-option teams such as Georgia Tech and Navy. But Temple running back Jahad Thomas has been a workhorse whose 39 plays of 10 yards or more tie him with LSU's Leonard Fournette for the fourth most such bursts in the nation. Notre Dame's C.J. Prosise is third with 41.

"You have to stop the run," Rochell said. "Their quarterback and running back are both threats. It's just something that we have to put an emphasis on, stopping the run."

But Rochell knows that the Owls have the ability to beat teams through the air, and that's where the rangy offensive linemen he hinted at come into play. Temple has two tackles and a guard that check in at over 6-5, which will present somewhat of a challenge for the Irish defensive line to get to the quarterback.

"College o-linemen are experts at holding," Rochell said with a smile. "You have to play around it. So the biggest thing is hand placement. Hands and footwork really win up front."