Temple's Pierce playing hurt

During his weekly teleconference, Temple head coach Steve Addazio said that star running back Bernard Pierce did not take one practice snap last week due to being "banged up."

The junior with a history of injuries still rushed for 107 yards on Saturday but carried the ball a season-low 17 times as the Owls fell at Bowling Green, 13-10.

"That's part of it, I think Bernard did a great job of trying to battle through real injury," said Addazio on Monday. "That's football and that's what it is. He knows that."

This season, Pierce has rushed for 18 touchdowns on 181 carries as he averages 5.3 yards per carry.

Pierce carried the ball a career-high 236 times in 2009 as a freshman. At his current pace, Pierce may eclipse that number after two more games.

In his first two years at Temple, Pierce failed to play a complete season due to injuries. His freshman year was marred by lingering ankle, hamstring and shoulder problems. And last season, as a sophomore, it was much of the same. He missed three games, including the team's final two.

"That's all part of it when your a running back in this league and you're in an offense that's a downhill offense," said Addazio. "We need some rest and we hope to get some guys back."

After a 10-day layoff, the Owls will visit Ohio, armed with the MAC's third-ranked rushing defense, next Wednesday in a game to be nationally televised on ESPN. The Bobcats have allowed just one opposing running back to eclipse 100 yards this season. Pierce has done it six times, while junior Matt Brown has done it the last three straight games.

If Ohio is successful in halting Pierce and Brown, the Owls will have to win it through the air.

Out of the 12 conference quarterbacks, senior Chester Stewart, who has started that last five games, is the only one to throw for fewer than 100 yards in each of the last two weeks.

In Saturday's loss, Stewart passed for just 66 yards; almost half the amount of the conference's next least prolific passer (Akron's Clayton Moore, 125 yards).

A week prior, the senior threw for 58 yards and in five starts a few relief appearances this season, he's totaled just two touchdown passes.

Although Stewart's play has been lackluster the last two weeks, Addazio doesn't seem to think a fix is in order.

"I don't think anything is broke," said Addazio. "I think it's just a matter of making sure that we have more balance in what we choose to attack with.

"But, in terms of broke - I don't know if it's broke. I wouldn't say that. That's not an accurate statement," said Addazio.

Junior Mike Gerardi started the Owls' first three games, before being pulled for Stewart during the Owls loss to Penn State in September. In just two-plus games (Girardi has not played since that game), he has thrown for more touchdown passes (three) than Stewart.

Last season, Gerardi played in six games, five of them starts. Each game, he threw for more than 100 yards. In three starts this season, Gerardi averaged 141 passing yards per game.