ECU Retains Rolling With Huge Win at Temple

PHILADELPHIA, Pa. – East Carolina rode the energy of contemporary legs and a dominant floor sport Saturday at Lincoln Financial Field, thrusting itself into the thick of the American Conference championship race with a 45-14 thrashing of Temple. 

Playing their first Saturday sport since Sept. 20, the Pirates confirmed no rust from a 16-day layoff with a second straight offensive explosion, scoring on 5 consecutive possessions to draw back from a 14-14 second-quarter tie and lengthen their win streak to 5 in opposition to the Owls. 

ECU (5-3, 3-1) now finds itself as one among six one-loss groups within the American with 4 video games to play, together with consecutive dwelling dates in opposition to Charlotte and Memphis. A win at Temple was very important to heightening the significance of these video games. 

“We came out to practice every day with a certain type of edge and a certain type of intent to work toward this game and not use the bye week as a time to get away in a sense but to use it as a time to sharpen our tools and prepare for this game,” heart Darius Bell mentioned. 

That’s what head coach Blake Harell noticed and dismissed issues a few hangover from the lengthy break. 

“I wasn’t worried about that,” Harrell mentioned.” Our young men were eager to get back out there, get back between the lines and play a football game, and you could see it in their preparation, the way they go about their business, the way they practice every single day. They were just excited to get back to work. Almost half a month off from football, and they’re ready to make a run here in November, and I think today was a good start.” 

Indeed, the Pirates put collectively their most full sport excluding two first-half turnovers that enabled the Owls (5-4, 3-2) to hold round till the midpoint of the second quarter. 

ECU seized command with two touchdowns within the ultimate 6:15 of the second quarter and delivered the knockout blow early within the third. 

By sport’s finish, the Pirates amassed 614 whole yards, probably the most since piling up 612 yards in opposition to Tulane on Oct. 2, 2021, and the seventh time with 500-plus whole yards underneath Harrell. 

A rugged floor sport that includes 4 decided runners spearheaded a balanced assault that shredded a Temple protection, surrendering a median of 360.9 yards per sport. The Pirates completed with 358 dashing yards, their second straight sport over 200 and probably the most yards since 326 in opposition to NC State in final December’s Military Bowl. 

Quarterback Katin Houser turned in one other environment friendly outing, finishing 19 of 24 passes for 256 yards, the twelfth time in his ECU profession that he has surpassed the 250-yard mark. Six of his completions lined at the least 19 yards to go together with a big-play assault that additionally produced 10 runs of 10-plus yards. 

“I think those guys are doing a really good job on that side of the ball, and I think it starts up front,” Harrell mentioned. “We talked about what our culture’s about, who we are, and it starts up front with the offensive line and being able to run the football.” 

London Montgomery, again in his dwelling state and coming off a career-best 125 yards in opposition to Tulsa, began because the characteristic again and gained a team-high 84 yards, highlighted by a 19-yard landing run. T.J. Engleman Jr. bounced again from an early fumble and completed with a career-best 77 yards on eight carries. 

Marlon Gunn Jr. powered for 64 yards on 10 carries, together with a 1-yard rating. Mike Wright Jr., who flashed his abilities on either side of the ball, made probably the most of his one probability with a 15-yard landing sprint. Wide receiver Anthony Smith even acquired in on the get together, taking his first profession carry to the tip zone for a 45-yard landing run on a jet sweep. 

“I feel like all of us bring a different thing to the table, but we’re definitely scary in the backfield,” Montgomery mentioned. 

Montgomery helped get the Pirates off to a fast begin, choosing up 33 yards on 4 carries in a 75-yard drive that put ECU up 7-0. Anthony Smith hauled in a 35-yard strike from Houser – his sixth catch of at the least 35 yards this yr – to set up House’s 7-yard scoring cross to Yannick Smith. 

Anthony Smith’s 45-yard sprint boosted the result in 14-0 on the primary play after Ja’Marley Riddle dealt Temple quarterback Evan Simon his first interception of the yr. Simon, who accomplished 11 of 20 passes for 80 yards, had thrown 212 consecutive passes with out being picked off. 

The Owls bounced again to drag even with the help of ECU’s second misplaced fumble this season and one among its few sustained drives of the day. 

Jay Ducker scored Temple’s first landing on a 4-yard run, cashing in a fumble restoration by Jamere Jones on the ECU 47. A 3rd-down cross interference penalty stored the drive alive. 

Keveun Mason tied it at 14-14 with a 29-yard run, capping a nine-play, 75-yard drive with 11:24 left within the half. 

But ECU would dominate the remainder of the way in which, closing the half with a pair of touchdowns and scoring on its first three second-half possessions. 

Wright’s 15-yard run completed off a 12-play, 73-yard drive that includes Gunn and Engleman doing the majority of the work, placing ECU in entrance 21-14. Yannick Smith then scored on a career-long 59-yard catch and run, matching his profession greatest for TD catches in a sport. 

Special groups performed their half in the third quarter in extending the lead. The Pirates punted on fourth-and-6 from their 28, however a Temple substitution penalty arrange a fourth-and-1. Rion Roseborough, a 6-2, 295-pound defensive sort out, took the snap and rumbled 21 yards for a primary down. 

“Really good job by him and that punt team,” Harrell mentioned. “We talked about it at halftime. We actually flipped the way we were going to run it, and they did a good job of executing it, and Rion did a good job of running the football.” 

ECU didn’t waste the possibility. Houser transformed a fourth-and-3 with a 20-yard cross to Yannick Smith, who completed with 5 catches for a season-high 100 yards, then Montgomery ran by means of a Temple defender on the way in which to his 19-yard rating. 

Gunn’s 1-yard run put ECU up 42-14, and Nick Mazzie matched his profession lengthy with a 46-yard subject aim. 

ECU’s protection greater than held up its finish, limiting Temple to 82 yards dashing and 233 whole yards. The Pirates registered eight tackles for loss, boosting their whole to 66 for the yr, together with a pair of sacks. 

ECU preserved a second-half shutout with a stand contained in the 5-yard line within the ultimate 6 minutes.