CHARLOTTE VS. ELON · SEPT. 10, 2016
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STAFF PICKS FINAL SCORE: CHAR 28, Elon 14 “Charlotte cleans up penalties in front of home crowd and preps for Elon by watching lots of film from last week’s game against Louisville. Olsen has a coming out party at home.”
FINAL SCORE: CHAR 14, Elon 13 “The loss against Louisvlle will serve as a learning experience for the 49ers. While the offense didn’t have much momentum last week, they’ll be able to push through against Elon giving Charlotte their first victory of the season. ”
FINAL SCORE: CHAR 24, Elon 13 “Simple. Charlotte hasn’t lost a home opener in the program’s history. With an extended time to prepare for Elon, Charlotte should be able to learn from their mistakes against Louisville.
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GOLDRUSH · A NINER TIMES SPECIAL SECTION
49ERS OPEN AT HOME AGAINST ELON
After losing a tough battle in Louisville, Charlotte looks to snag their first win at home ANDY GUSTAFSON ASST. SPORTS EDITOR
Football at Jerry Richardson Stadium is back. The Charlotte 49ers begin the home part of their schedule against the Elon Phoenix. For the first time in program history, Charlotte dropped their season opener by losing to nationally-ranked Louisville last Thursday. While beating the Cardinals was far-fetched, the 49ers can learn from facing one of the top teams in college football. As for this week’s opponent, Elon will play their first away game at Charlotte. Elon opened their season last week Kalif Phillips scores against Southern Miss last season. Phillips was at home against GardTeam all-Conference USA for the 2015 season. NT file ner-Webb. This isn’t the first that runs the 49er offense, rushing for over time both programs have matched up. Back 3,000 yards in his career. in 2014, Charlotte traveled to Elon, when Now, Charlotte has more options the Phoenix escaped with a 20-13 win after when it comes to the running game with a passing touchdown with less than four two freshmen, Robert Washington and Ben minutes to go sealed the game. Lemay, that garner carries. One thing to remember as the 49ers In last week’s loss to Lousiville, return home: the last time Charlotte won at Charlotte couldn’t get anything going on the Jerry Richardson Stadium was week two of ground, finishing with a measly 48 yards on last year over Presbyterian. 31 attempts. Niner Nation is ready for a home Going into the Elon game, the 49er victory. The lights will be on at Jerry Richrushing attack should find more success. ardson as the game starts at 6 p.m. Just last year, the Phoenix gave up 198.5 rushing yards a game. WORK THE GROUND & If another 30-plus carry game is on POUND the way for Charlotte’s offense, there is potential that the 49ers could match the nearly 200 yards Elon gave up last season. The running game has become a sta By sticking to what Charlotte does ple of the Charlotte program the first four best on the ground, the trio of Phillips, years. Senior Kalif Phillips is the engine Lemay and Washington can wear down the CHARLOTTE VS. ELON · SEPT. 10, 2016
Elon defense and take control of the game.
ELON SCOUTING REPORT Last season, Elon finished 4-7 in year two of head coach Rich Skrosky’s tenure, an improvement from the onewin season in 2014. As a team, the Phoenix are well coached, only committing 55 penalties last year that put them 13th in the nation last year in Football Championship Subdivision play. The Phoenix played better away from named to Second Rhodes Stadium last year, photo going 3-3 on the road. While going .500 isn’t any indication of being a super team, it’s a sign that Elon is no pushover as a visitor. On offense, Elon struggled as a whole. Like Charlotte last year, Elon shuffled their starting quarterback situation, going with two freshmen in Daniel Thompson and Connor Christiansen. Neither quarterback threw for double-digit touchdowns, but it was Christiansen who was more efficient by throwing for more yards and having a higher completion percentage. It looks like Christiansen will get the nod against Charlotte, but an in-game adjustment wouldn’t be a surprise. A player to watch for Elon is senior linebacker John Silas, who won the team’s MVP last season. Silas had over 100 tackles last season and 3.5 sacks en route to making the third-team All-College Athletic Association. If there is one player that could disrupt Charlotte’s rushing attack, it is Silas.
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LONG TIME COMING Before a stadium was even in place, a special group of guys was already laying the foundation for Charlotte football
KATHLEEN COOK SPORTS EDITOR
Once upon a time Jerry Richardson Stadium was used for rec fields and Charlotte having a football team was just a dream up in the athletic department’s head. Fast forward four years and the rec fields have been converted into a stateof-the-art football facility and there is a football team on campus that is now bowl-eligible. Before there was a stadium to be played in, a group of players was reporting at 5 a.m. for practices. Though the real games would not happen for another year, the preparations those players and coaches put in were critical to shaping the program. This season marks the first graduating class that has been a part of the Charlotte football organization since its first year in 2012. Players like
Austin Duke and Terrance Winchester were pivotal to laying the foundations of a succesful program. “Being here from day one, we’ve seen so much stuff. To see the program this year is definitely a blessing,” Winchester said. Head coach Brad Lambert holds the 19 players that make up this class in high regard, not only for their commitment to the program but for their determination as well. “This class, all of the guys that played as true freshmen, you just want something great to happen for them,” Lambert said. “I know how hard we pushed them, I know what we asked them to do when they were here as freshmen by themselves.” The experience as a whole
has influenced this core class and prompted them to deliver in their play. “It’s been a very humbling experience, very eye-opening,” Duke said. “It gives you a sense of pride that you helped build this place, you just want to give your gratitude and give everything you’ve got to the program.” Winchester and his fellow teammates have taken advice given to them by Lambert and incorporated it into developing the program. “Coach always says put into something what you hope to get out of it,” Winchester said. “It takes a lot for a group of men and a group of coaches to come together to a program that has nothing. To see it come to where we are now, from the running and lifting to the game experi-
Pictured are the 19 redshirt seniors who were present for the program’s first practices. When practices first began, the stadium hadn’t even been built. Photo by Chris Crews
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GOLDRUSH · A NINER TIMES SPECIAL SECTION
ence, it all comes together like a puzzle.” After the countless hours of work these players have put into the program, Lambert wants the group to be rewarded with success in the game. “This is a real special group for me. They’ve done everything we’ve asked. We’ve pushed them hard, especially that first year when we weren’t playing any games. Now we’re in our first year where we can go to postseason play, you just want something special to happen for them and see all that hard work pay off,” Lambert said. Lambert sees the determination that these 19 players exhibit on and off the field for Charlotte as the “number one quality” of this senior class. “They just want to 49ers to win, they’ll do whatever it takes,” Lambert said. After all of the work the players have put into the program, the 19 players in the senior class have developed a sense of ownership to 49er football. This pride is translated through the leadership displayed by the class toward the younger players. “When they start complaining about everything they don’t have or what they don’t get to do, I remind them that we used to wake up at five in the morning to stones out there. We didn’t have games or a place to practice, we just came up here at five in the morning wondering why we were here at five in the morning when we didn’t play until next year,” Duke said. “As soon as they start that griping, I quickly let them know that this is ours, that we own this, they can get in line and follow us.”
WHO TO KNOW ON THE FIELD LARRY OGUNJOBI
6’3’ • 297 LBS • R-SR • Defensive line Tied for second in Conference USA tackles for loss (14.5) On preseason watch list for the Bednarik Award and the Outland Trophy NT FILE PHOTO
KALIF PHILLIPS
5’10’ • 221 LBS • R-SR • RUNNING BACK Ranked 5th in Conference USA for rushing (87.4/game) Named to the preseason All-Conference USA team NT FILE PHOTO
AUSTIN DUKE
5’9 • 161 LBS • R-SR • WIDE RECEIVER Holds all of the 49ers single-game, single-season and career records for receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdouwns NT FILE PHOTO
CHARLOTTE VS. ELON · SEPT. 10, 2016
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CHARLOTTE DROPS SEASON OPENER TO NO. 19 LOUISVILLE TREVOR WILT SPORTS EDITOR
points. James Quick joined in on the touch In front of a sold-out crowd of 55,000 down party hosted by Jackson, catching a fans at Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium, the 32-yard pass from the sophomore quarterCharlotte 49ers (0-1) fell on the road 70-14 back. With just five seconds remaining in to the Louisville Cardinals Thursday night the half, Jackson found Cole Hikutini to give in the season opener, marking the 49ers the Cardinals a 56-point advantage going first-ever game against a nationally-ranked into halftime. FBS opponent. The 49ers got on the board first in “We ran into a really good football the third quarter, capitalizing on an interteam tonight,” said Charlotte head coach ception by senior defensive back Kedrick Brad Lambert. “We had way too many misDavis with 9:27 on the clock. Redshirt junior takes in the first half. We were having a hard time handling Lamar Jackson. We helped them a lot and compounded things with penalties and mistakes. We will go back and look at the film and see how we can get better and go from there.” Charlotte won the opening toss, selecting to return in the second half, a decision that allowed the Cardinals to set up their top-tier offense early. The Cardinals wasted not time getting on the board, scoring on an impressive first drive by their sophomore quarterback Lamar Jackson, scrambling for a 36-yard touchdown just under three minutes in to the Caleb Clayton-Molbey after a three-point loss to UTSA last game. NT File Photo The Cardinals’ (10) Jackson drove down the quarterback Kevin Olsen, in his first start field with ease through the next two drives, in a Charlotte uniform, connected with rethrowing a 13-yard touchdown pass to Regceiver Austin Duke on a 24-yard touchdown gie Bonnafon and then a 24-yard pass to Jaylen Smith to increase the margin of their pass on fourth and 10 to give the 49ers their first points of the 2016 season. lead, 21-0. Duke’s touchdown marked his 21st Snapping the ball just before the as 49er as he continues to write the record clock hit 00:00 in the first quarter, Jackson book for receiving touchdowns and receiving found himself in the end zone once again, yards for Charlotte. this time for a one-yard run, digging the Stephen Muscarello added in the 49ers into a 28-point deficit. extra point for the 49ers after Duke’s touch To open up the second quarter, down grab, making for the first points for Jackson stormed into the red zone with the redshirt senior kicker since 2014. his high-powered offense, connecting with Just when Charlotte looked like they Brandon Radcliff on a 16-yard touchdown. had a little momentum on offense, a holdWith just over six minutes to play in the ing call was made at the line of scrimmage first half, Jackson had a 20-yard touchdown pass to L.J. Scott, increasing their lead to 42 just moments before Olsen found Duke who
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broke past the Cardinal secondary for a 63yard touchdown with 10:21 left in the third quarter. With the Cardinals’ starting quarterback Jackson sitting out the entire second half, redshirt junior Kyle Bolin took over, finding Travel Samuel for an 18-yard touchdown pass, increasing their lead to 63-7. With just over 10 minutes left in the fourth quarter, Bolin hooked up with Seth Dawkins for a 13-yard touchdown pass, giving the Cardinals 70 points, the second most points given up by the 49ers defense in program history. The 663 yards by the Louisville offense is the third most yards allowed by Charlotte. Charlotte ended the game with a score at the 3:46 mark of the fourth quarter, as Cardinals’ return man Khane Pass muffed a punt from Arthur Hart, allowing Anthony Covington for Charlotte to jump on the ball in the end zone to give the 49ers 14 points, but sill trailing 70-14. Olsen completed 16 of his 29 passes in his first start at the FBS level, throwing for season. 141 yards and one touchdown. Running back Robert Washington led the ground attack for Charlotte, rushing five times for 35 yards. The 49ers all-time leading rusher Kalif Phillips recieved 11 carries, rushing for only 25 yards. Ben Lemay picked up 14 yards on the ground, with Johnson picking up eight yards. Duke led all Charlotte receivers with five receptions for 54 yards and one touchdown. T.L. Ford II had two receptions for 53 yards. On defense, redshirt senior Nick Cook had seven total tackles to lead Charlotte. Charlotte will host Elon in their first home game of the 2016 season at Jerry Richardson Stadium Saturday, Sept. 10 at 6 p.m.
GOLDRUSH · A NINER TIMES SPECIAL SECTION
2016 FOOTBALL SCHEDULE THURSDAY, SEPT. 1
FRIDAY, OCT. 1
SATURDAY, NOV. 5
Louisville, Ky.
Jerry Richardson Stadium
Hattiesburg, Miss.
#19/#23 Louisville 7 p.m. L, 70-14
Old Dominion
Southern Miss
6 p.m.
3:30 p.m.
SATURDAY, SEPT. 10
SATURDAY, OCT. 8
SATURDAY, NOV. 12
Jerry Richardson Stadium
Boca Raton, Fla.
Jerry Richardson Stadium
Elon 6 p.m.
Florida Atlantic 3:30 p.m.
Rice
2 p.m.
SATURDAY, SEPT. 17
SATURDAY, OCT. 15
SATURDAY, NOV. 19
Jerry Richardson Stadium
Jerry Richardson Stadium
Jerry Richardson Stadium
E. Michigan 6 p.m.
FIU
6 p.m.
Midd. Tennessee 2 p.m.
SATURDAY, SEPT. 24
SATURDAY, OCT. 22
SATURDAY, NOV. 26
Philadelphia, Pa.
Huntington, W.Va.
San Antonio, Texas
Temple Noon
Marshall 5:30 p.m.
CHARLOTTE VS. ELON · SEPT. 10, 2016
UTSA 7 p.m.
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CHARLOTTE VS. ELON · SEPT. 10, 2016
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