Charlotte 49ers start AAC play on the road at Rice

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After closing non-conference play with a loss at Indiana, the Charlotte 49ers (1-3) kick off their AAC schedule Sept. 28 at Rice (1-3).

Charlotte and Rice are in a similar situation ahead of Saturday’s American Conference football game.

Both teams faced their fair share of struggles in the early part of their seasons. Rice (1-3) has already played a conference foe in Army, a 37-14 loss.

“We've had a really tough out-of-conference preseason,” Charlotte (1-3) coach Biff Poggi said. “We learned a lot, and we got a lot better. As you know, we're leaving Friday to go down to Houston to play Rice … and Rice has had a really tough opening schedule. Also, last year here, they beat the brakes off of us and really beat us up physically. They're a physical team, their coach is a physical football coach.”

Poggi announced quarterback Deshawn Purdie and running back Terron Kellman will be able to play this weekend. When asked if Purdie would start over Trexler Ivey, Poggi declined comment. Poggi added running back C.J. Stokes sustained a season-ending injury against Indiana following his touchdown run.

“I feel really bad for Stokes,” Poggi said, “because he just got over an injury, and he comes back, and he starts the game at Indiana. And he's explosive, so we'll get him fixed, we'll get him put back together. He's kind of an erector set – put a couple screws in there and we'll get him back, but it won't be for this year.”

Running back Cartevious Norton stepped up with his best game of the season with 58 yards on 11 carries against Indiana. Poggi feels Norton is starting to find his footing within the offensive scheme and pleased with the progress of Charlotte’s backs as a group.

“Norton played great Saturday against Indiana,” he said. “He's what we saw when we wanted him from Iowa State and, of course, [Hashaun] Wilson is a really dangerous back. And we like our freshman, too, [Rod] Gainey. He is a good player also.”

Norton said he is feeling comfortable in the offense and the more carries he gets the better.

“I feel like I'm just understanding the offense more and understanding what they want me to do now,” Norton said. “Also just going out there, being myself and just being patient. I feel like that's the type of runner I am. I gotta get the feel for [the defense]. What I know for a fact is that it helps me a lot, and then it just helps me get a look at the defense, what they're trying to do, if they're trying to overplay, or if the linebackers are trying to hit the gaps. So, it just gives me a great feel when I get like, two, three carries in a row and I can see what a defense wants to do.”

Despite Rice’s record, Poggi knows the Owls will be a tough, physical opponent for Charlotte, a 7-point underdog. Rice won in Charlotte last season 28-7, and Poggi says players on last year’s team are taking the game seriously.

“[The players] have a lot of respect for Rice, and we have a lot of respect for Rice,” he said. “I really like how they play football. We're an underdog again. We live in underdog land, and we should be an underdog. We really should be. So, until we prove it, we're going to keep being an underdog. And [Rice] is the favorite and they should be.”

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