There was quite a shakeup in the American Athletic Conference’s pecking order when Temple knocked mighty East Carolina off its top spot in the league.
Of course, the Pirates fall to second place didn’t last long, as Connecticut did a similar number on UCF soon after. Now, the efforts of the Owls and Huskies have created a logjam at the top of the AAC with five teams sitting at 5-1.
What this means is there is a logjam at the top of the conference, and no one can afford to slip up with just four games to go. ECU dominated Temple from the start, but just couldn’t hang on the ball. The Pirates ran for 211 yards and passed for another 217, but scored only one touchdown, with just over two minutes left.
With the weekend off, ECU has some work to do. Here are the three main things to fix after Saturday’s loss:
1. Cut Down on the Penalties
When your defense is dominating an opponent the way ECU’s shut down the Owls — just 135 total yards — giving them nearly as many yards in penalties is hardly advisable. The timing of said penalties was often untimely, too. On the opening drive, a false start on 4th-and-1 stalled the Pirates, while in the third quarter, a holding penalty on 4th-and-2 spoiled another drive. Big penalties — both pass interference and personal fouls — played a part in two of Temple’s scores. Penalties also impacted special teams, forcing the Pirates to start drives in poor field position.
2. Keep Your Quarterback Upright
ECU has generally done a good job of keeping Shane Carden from being sacked, giving up 15 on the year, but the line has been less effective keeping the pass rush off him, conceding 45 pressures. The Owls did a particularly good job getting after the passer, sacking Carden four times and keeping the Pirates from taking too many shots down the field, where the secondary may have struggled. East Carolina might be talented, but its path to an AAC title begins with Carden. If he keeps getting hit, the Pirates will suffer for it.
3. Hang on to the Damn Ball
It’s no secret that the primary reason the Pirates lost on Saturday was due to fumbles. Five, to be precise. Breon Allen fumbled twice in his first seven carries, with the first being returned for a touchdown by Temple’s Tavon Young, and the second setting up a rushing score. Carden, Chris Hairston and Isaiah Jones also lost the ball. Even punter Worth Gregory got in on the act, although he recovered his own fumble, but the Pirates still turned the ball over on downs.
That’s not all of it. Temple quarterback P.J. Walker fumbled three times, including one at the ECU goal line, and the Owls got them all back. That’s nine total fumbles, and East Carolina recovered one. That is a ridiculous statistic, and the Pirates need to sort it out in a hurry.
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