Temple's Rhule not overlooking Charlotte
Don't tell Temple coach Matt Rhule that his team is playing a third-year program competing in its first season as a Football Bowl Subdivision squad.
Don't tell Temple coach Matt Rhule that his team is playing a third-year program competing in its first season as a Football Bowl Subdivision squad.
Rhule feels that the nonconference game Friday at Charlotte will be a major test, regardless of the fact that the Owls are 22-point favorites.
Then again, Temple was a heavy favorite against Massachusetts and needed a miracle finish to win, 25-23. Temple (3-0) had a bye week to prepare for Charlotte, which is 2-2 and coming off a 17-7 Conference USA loss to Florida Atlantic.
Charlotte has two major difference makers, one on defense and one on offense. Nose guard Larry Ogunjobi is a 6-foot-3, 294-pound redshirt junior who leads Conference USA with 71/2 tackles for loss.
"He looks like an NFL player," Rhule said.
Even though the 49ers lead Conference USA in total defense (345.8 yards per game), sacks (10), and third-down conversions (23.7 percent), there are still holes.
That was evident by a 73-14 loss to Middle Tennessee.
On offense, the 49ers are led by junior running back Kalif Phillips, who has rushed for 380 yards (5.4 average) and two touchdowns.
"Offensively, this might be the best back we face, No. 3, Kalif Phillips," Rhule said.
The 49ers have used three quarterbacks, although redshirt junior Matt Johnson is the veteran, having thrown for 491 yards and three touchdowns.
Charlotte is a program with an unusual story. The 49ers played their first game two years as a Football Championship Subdivision team and are now an FBS squad.
Regardless of what Rhule says about his opponent, the Owls are heavy favorites. Rhule isn't falling for any traps.
The Temple coach said that UMass was better than many had thought and pointed out that the Minutemen trailed Notre Dame, 21-20, late in the second half last week. (Of course Notre Dame turned on the jets and won going away, 62-27.)
Now Rhule is saying that Charlotte is a quality team. Charlotte coach Brad Lambert said plenty of complimentary things about the Owls, but he also suggested the 49ers won't be backing down.
"They are playing fast and aggressive and violent, so we are going to have to get after them," Lambert said during his news conference this week.
One other subplot for Temple concerns freshman running back Jager Gardner. Rhule had said that he would like to see Gardner and another freshman, Ryquell Armstead, get more carries to take some of the load off junior Jahad Thomas.
Gardner is the only Temple player from North Carolina. He attended Charles D. Owens High in Black Mountain, N.C. Gardner says that it is about an hour from Charlotte and that 40-50 friends and family members will attend the game.
"It means a lot to me to go back home and see family members and everybody who really means a lot to me," Gardner said. "I hope to have a big day."
@sjnard