Temple Notes: Owls defense answers Rhule's challenge

Temple entered Saturday's game knowing it had to get pressure on East Carolina quarterback Shane Carden, and it did, keeping the hot quarterback off his rhythm and holding him without a touchdown pass for the first time this season.

The defensive line came up with a huge game, accounting for all four sacks of Carden.

"Coach [Matt] Rhule challenged us at the beginning of the week and said this is going to be a great week for the defensive line," said defensive tackle Matt Ioannidis, who had three tackles and 11/2 sacks. "We studied his patterns. This has been a week more important than any other for the defensive line to play its best game. And if we didn't, I think we played close to it."

Defensive end Praise Martin-Oguike finished with two forced fumbles, four tackles, 11/2 sacks, and a blocked field goal, and tackle Brandon Chudnoff had a sack.

Linebacker Tyler Matakevich had 16 solo tackles, and freshman defensive back Sean Chandler had a career-high 13 solo tackles.

Chandler was part of a secondary that also made huge contributions. Will Hayes recovered two fumbles, Alex Wells had 10 tackles and broke up two passes, and Boye Aromire finished with seven tackles and forced and recovered a fumble.

East Carolina coach Ruffin McNeill has bemoaned his team's propensity for penalties, and on Saturday the Pirates gave him plenty to be upset about.

The Pirates were penalized 12 times for 120 yards. The most painful was a pass-interference call against cornerback DaShaun Amos. On third and 5 at the East Carolina 27 in the third quarter, Amos was whistled for pass interference on Temple's John Christopher.

That kept Temple's final scoring drive alive. On the next play, first and 10 at the 13, Pirates defensive back Josh Hawkins was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct.