Why Temple won't be taking Charlotte lightly
For anybody who thinks Temple will have an easy time with Charlotte on Saturday at Lincoln Financial Field, all Owls running back Jahad Thomas has to do is point to last year's game with the 49ers.
For anybody who thinks Temple will have an easy time with Charlotte on Saturday at Lincoln Financial Field, all Owls running back Jahad Thomas has to do is point to last year's game with the 49ers.
Not the whole game, but the first half.
Temple struggled to move the ball during a rainy first 30 minutes in Charlotte and led, 10-3. The Owls finally pulled away with a 20-0 third quarter en route to a 37-3 win.
"They played us well last year," said Thomas, who rushed for 109 yards and two touchdowns on 20 carries against Charlotte. "It was 10-3 at the half and we couldn't establish the running game and had a few drops."
Both teams are 1-2 and each has beaten a Football Championship Subdivision opponent. Charlotte opened with a 70-14 loss to a Louisville team that is ranked No. 3 this week.
After beating Elon, 47-14, Charlotte lost last week to visiting Eastern Michigan, 37-19.
This is only the fourth year that Charlotte has fielded a program and the second competing in the Football Bowl Subdivision.
Temple, whose win is over Stony Brook, will have to be wary about the 49ers rushing attack. Last season Kalif Phillips rushed for 125 yards on 19 carries.
This year Phillips has been dealing with a hamstring injury that kept him out of last game. Coach Brad Lambert said the senior is expected to play.
In Phillips' place, freshman Robert Washington ran for 120 yards on 20 carries against Eastern Michigan.
The player who worries Temple coach Matt Rhule most is Larry Ogunjobi, a 6-foot-3, 294-pound redshirt senior nose tackle. In last year's loss against Temple, Ogunjobi had three tackles and one tackle for loss.
"He gave us fits last year and he is an NFL player," Rhule said.
Rhule said Ogunjobi has to be accounted for on each play.
"He is disruptive and powerful. He did it against Louisville and did it against everybody else," Rhule said. "He is one of the best players we will face all year."
Charlotte isn't expected to contend in the Conference USA Eastern Division, but the 49ers have their eyes on the postseason.
"Our goals are intact and we have a chance to go to a bowl game," Ogunjobi said this week during a video news conference.
Charlotte's starting quarterback is redshirt junior Kevin Olsen, but redshirt sophomore Hasaan Klugh could also see action. Last week Klugh completed 9 of 15 passes for 66 yards and two touchdowns in the loss to Eastern Michigan.
Olsen, who began his career at the University of Miami and played for Riverside City (Calif.) Junior College last year, is the brother of Carolina Panthers tight end Greg Olsen.
Charlotte's top receiving target is redshirt senior Austin Duke, who has 2,875 receiving yards, third among active Football Bowl Subdivision players.
This is the Owls' final nonconference game before beginning their American Athletic Conference schedule next Saturday against visiting SMU.
Temple will certainly look for some momentum heading into the conference schedule and, most of all, for more consistency.
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