Owls' Golden is looking to make up for the loss of QB Adam DiMichele.
When Temple visits Ohio University tonight for an important Mid-American Conference contest, the Owls will try to extend their three-game winning streak without the services of injured quarterback Adam DiMichele.
DiMichele, who suffered a season-ending broken leg in a 24-17 win over Miami of Ohio on Oct. 20, underwent surgery the day after the game. He is expected to return next year for his senior season.
DiMichele was 138 of 223 passing for 1,595 yards and 12 touchdowns for the season, with 10 interceptions. He also ran for two scores.
"We lost a playmaker," said Temple coach Al Golden, whose team was idle last week. "Who's going to be the playmaker? That's the challenge of the offense. Certainly we need some guys to step up and make some plays."
Temple, which is 3-5 overall and 3-2 in the conference, will take a 2-2 division record into Peden Stadium in Athens.
After being picked to repeat as Eastern Division champions, the Bobcats have slipped to 4-5, 2-3 and 1-2 after reaching the GMAC Bowl last season in a 9-5 campaign.
With DiMichele out, Temple will have sophomore Vaughn Charlton behind center.
The 6-foot-4, 226-pound Charlton has a strong arm and is more of a pocket passer than the 6-1, 185-pound DiMichele, who combined accurate throwing with a strong ability to evade pressure for a completion or ground gain.
Against Miami, in relief of DiMichele, Charlton was 9 of 13 for 109 yards and completed a 61-yard touchdown throw to wide receiver Bruce Francis that gave Temple a 21-7 advantage with 8 minutes, 29 seconds remaining in the third quarter.
"We're not going to change what we do, and anybody who watched [the Miami game] could realize that," said Golden, who is counting on freshman Chester Stewart and redshirt sophomore Colin Clancy as backups. "In terms of the impromptu, Vaughn is a little bit different than Adam in that capacity, but not in a negative sense. Just different."
Against coach Frank Solich's Bobcats, Temple's primary task defensively will be to control tailback Kalvin McRae, a senior who became the team's all-time leading rusher last week with 200 yards and three touchdowns on 42 carries in a 38-27 win at Bowling Green.
McRae, who has 4,026 yards on the ground for his career, is third in the conference with 1,062 yards this fall, and leads it in scoring with 17 touchdowns.
Ohio University, which threw the ball only 17 times last week, will encounter a Temple squad that is second in the conference in passing defense and rushing defense and leads the conference in total defense, fewest opposition first downs, fewest opposition third-down conversions, and red-zone defense.
"You have a tough, nasty offensive line that feeds off the tailback," Golden said of the Bobcats. "They think 40 carries is normal. The way they organize themselves on offense with that kid, everybody in the stadium knows he's getting the ball, and they try to whip your butt.
"This is by far our biggest challenge. Something has to give. We'll see how good our defense is going down the stretch."
Notes. Left on Temple's conference schedule after Ohio University will be Kent State on Nov. 17 at home and a Nov. 24 date at Western Michigan of the Western Division. . . . The Owls also have a much-anticipated Nov. 10 meeting with Penn State at Lincoln Financial Field.
When Temple visits Ohio University tonight for an important Mid-American Conference contest, the Owls will try to extend their three-game winning streak without the services of injured quarterback Adam DiMichele.
DiMichele, who suffered a season-ending broken leg in a 24-17 win over Miami of Ohio on Oct. 20, underwent surgery the day after the game. He is expected to return next year for his senior season.
DiMichele was 138 of 223 passing for 1,595 yards and 12 touchdowns for the season, with 10 interceptions. He also ran for two scores.
"We lost a playmaker," said Temple coach Al Golden, whose team was idle last week. "Who's going to be the playmaker? That's the challenge of the offense. Certainly we need some guys to step up and make some plays."
Temple, which is 3-5 overall and 3-2 in the conference, will take a 2-2 division record into Peden Stadium in Athens.
After being picked to repeat as Eastern Division champions, the Bobcats have slipped to 4-5, 2-3 and 1-2 after reaching the GMAC Bowl last season in a 9-5 campaign.
With DiMichele out, Temple will have sophomore Vaughn Charlton behind center.
The 6-foot-4, 226-pound Charlton has a strong arm and is more of a pocket passer than the 6-1, 185-pound DiMichele, who combined accurate throwing with a strong ability to evade pressure for a completion or ground gain.
Against Miami, in relief of DiMichele, Charlton was 9 of 13 for 109 yards and completed a 61-yard touchdown throw to wide receiver Bruce Francis that gave Temple a 21-7 advantage with 8 minutes, 29 seconds remaining in the third quarter.
"We're not going to change what we do, and anybody who watched [the Miami game] could realize that," said Golden, who is counting on freshman Chester Stewart and redshirt sophomore Colin Clancy as backups. "In terms of the impromptu, Vaughn is a little bit different than Adam in that capacity, but not in a negative sense. Just different."
Against coach Frank Solich's Bobcats, Temple's primary task defensively will be to control tailback Kalvin McRae, a senior who became the team's all-time leading rusher last week with 200 yards and three touchdowns on 42 carries in a 38-27 win at Bowling Green.
McRae, who has 4,026 yards on the ground for his career, is third in the conference with 1,062 yards this fall, and leads it in scoring with 17 touchdowns.
Ohio University, which threw the ball only 17 times last week, will encounter a Temple squad that is second in the conference in passing defense and rushing defense and leads the conference in total defense, fewest opposition first downs, fewest opposition third-down conversions, and red-zone defense.
"You have a tough, nasty offensive line that feeds off the tailback," Golden said of the Bobcats. "They think 40 carries is normal. The way they organize themselves on offense with that kid, everybody in the stadium knows he's getting the ball, and they try to whip your butt.
"This is by far our biggest challenge. Something has to give. We'll see how good our defense is going down the stretch."
Notes. Left on Temple's conference schedule after Ohio University will be Kent State on Nov. 17 at home and a Nov. 24 date at Western Michigan of the Western Division. . . . The Owls also have a much-anticipated Nov. 10 meeting with Penn State at Lincoln Financial Field.
