East Carolina Falls At Temple 37-10 In Final Contest Of 2016 Campaign

Saturday, November 26

Philadelphia, Pa.

7:30 P.M.

East Carolina University

3-9 , 1-7

Temple

9-3 , 7-1

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

East Carolina

Temple

East Carolina Falls At Temple 37-10 In Final Contest Of 2016 Campaign

November 27, 2016 | Football

Box Score

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PHILADELPHIA, Pa. – Many of the problems that plagued East Carolina during a disappointing season resurfaced again in the season finale on a chilly Saturday night at Lincoln Financial Field. And the result was one that has become all too familiar.

A turnover and penalty on consecutive plays in what had been a competitive and clean first half for the Pirates enabled Temple to seize a two-touchdown lead at the half on the way to a convincing 37-10 victory.

ECU ends Scottie Montgomery's debut season at 3-9, dropping the last six games and nine of the last 10 after a 2-0 start. The Pirates faced both American Athletic Conference division champions to close the season, falling to Navy and Temple by a combined score of 103-41.

The Midshipmen (9-2, 7-1 AAC) and Owls (9-3, 7-1 AAC) will square off for the conference title next week in Annapolis, Md.

For ECU, which finished 1-7 in league play, the focus quickly turns to recruiting and improving for next season.

"I told our team, the feeling we have right now, we won't have this feeling again. I'll make sure of that," Montgomery said.

"Our offensive front will be a priority; defensive front will be a priority. You've always got to have playmakers. We'll spend a lot of time making sure that we add some competitive depth in places. We're going to have to have some people who can come in and make plays on our defense really, really quickly.

"To sum it up, I don't think we ever got to a point where we tackled at any kind of level above average," Montgomery said. "I really thought there were times this season where we could have made some great plays if we would have just got guys on the ground. So we've got to get some people that can make plays on defense."

Montgomery also will be looking for some playmakers on offense with the departure of seniors James Summers and Zay Jones.

Summers, who saw time at quarterback, receiver and running back during his two years at ECU, emerged as the only legitimate threat in the running game this season. He had 52 yards on 19 carries against the Owls, giving him 869 yards for the year.

Jones, one of three finalists for the Biletnikoff Award, capped off a record-setting career by eclipsing yet another mark on Saturday. A week after becoming the all-time FBS leader in career receptions, the senior receiver set the single-season reception record, surpassing the mark of 155 set by Freddie Barnes of Bowling Green in 2009.

The Texas native and son of former ECU All-American Robert Jones had seven catches for 61 yards on Saturday, giving him 158 receptions for 1,746 yards for the season – both school records.

For his career, Jones finished with 399 catches for 4,269 yards (second in school history). He had at least one catch in 47-straight games and multiple catches in 49 of his 50 games as a Pirate.

But all the yards and records did not translate to points and wins. Turnovers – and the inability to force them – hindered the Pirates. ECU forced just eight turnovers all year (a single-season low) while giving the ball away 24 times.

The 10 points Saturday also were a season low and matched the total in a loss to Temple in 2014. The Owls have now won the last three games in the series.

Temple's formula against the Pirates on Saturday was applying constant pressure to quarterback Gardner Minshew and a time-consuming ground game mixed with the occasional big play. Minshew was sacked twice, one of which resulted in a fumble, but rushed a number of throws before being slammed to the turf.

The Owls amassed 205 yards rushing in the first half and finished with 256 yards on 46 carries. Jahad Thomas (24 carries, 152 yards) became the seventh opponent in the last seven games and 10th overall to rush for 100 yards against the Pirates this year.

The Owls came in with consecutive shutouts and no points allowed in 158 minutes, but ECU took the opening kickoff and drove 58 yards in 11 plays after Shawn Furlow's return to the 42. Furlow gave ECU a spark with 140 yards on five kickoff returns.

Jimmy Williams caught a 13-yard pass from Minshew for his eighth touchdown grab of the year and a 7-0 lead.

But that would be short lived and the only time ECU would hold an advantage.

Temple countered with a long kickoff return and moved 53 yards in five plays, highlighted by a 44-yard pass from Phillip Walker to Adonis Jennings. Ryquell Armstead scored from the 2-yard line for the first of his two first-half touchdowns.

ECU converted two third downs on its next drive – five straight to start the game – but came up a yard short on third-and-10 and punted from the Temple 47.

The game turned in the half's final minutes. Temple drove 68 yards in 12 plays to take a 14-7 lead on Armstead's 1-yard run. Furlow then returned the kickoff to the Owls' 47, putting the Pirates in position to drive for a tying score, but Minshew fumbled when he was hit by Praise Martin-Oguilee.

Temple took over on the 34 and quickly made it 21-7. Thomas sprinted 28 yards on first down and a personal foul penalty moved it to the 3. Thomas scored on the next play for his 11th touchdown of the year.

The Pirates never mounted a serious second-half push to get back in it. Davis Plowman missed a 42-yard field goal attempt with 7:07 to go in the third period, then Temple marched 76 yards in 11 plays with Thomas strolling in from the 3 for a 27-7 lead.

An apparent interception by the Owls was erased by an official review just before the end of the third period. A 37-yard pass from Minshew to Williams moved the ball to the 21, but a penalty and dropped pass inside the 10 brought on Plowman for a 42-yard field goal – the 17th he made in 23 attempts in his senior season – to draw ECU within 27-10.

Temple answered, draining 5:16 off the clock before Aaron Boumerhi booted a 35-yard field goal for a 30-10 lead.

Temple tacked on a 14-yard touchdown run by Jager Garner with 3:33 to play, capping off a five-play, 70-yard drive for a 37-10 lead.

Then, as the Owls and the turnout of 28,373 celebrated, ECU headed home with an eye on the future.

"Just a hard season," Montgomery said. "Altogether, we started well with Western Carolina and NC State, and as the year went on Virginia Tech beat us up a little bit, and we never really responded from that. I knew it, saw it, and we tried to adjust and do the things we could but couldn't get the bleeding stopped after that game.

"I'm not giving in whatsoever. You'll get the best out of me, I can guarantee you that. I'm on the road Monday recruiting. I'll be evaluating the whole time. We'll be a better program and a better team. I can guarantee that."