Three Factors to watch Thursday night
Niner Report wants to welcome one of our newest members in Matthew St. Pierre, as he brings us three factors to watch for Thursday night when the 49ers open their season against No. 19 Louisville.
1. Kevin Olsen's first start
For the 49ers last season, the passing game was abysmal. After a campaign in which the unit ranked 110th in the nation in yardage and threw 23 interceptions compared to only 12 touchdowns, it was time for Head Coach Brad Lambert and staff to make a change. Enter junior college pickup Kevin Olsen. The younger brother of Panthers all-pro tight end Greg Olsen won the starting gig this spring beating out returnee Brooks Barden among others. Olsen looks to have a real chip on his shoulder this season. Three years ago, he was a redshirt freshman waiting in the wings at his older brother’s alma mater, Miami (FL). He would never play a down as he was plagued with off field troubles. The same would happen at FCS school, Towson, before he ended up playing junior college ball both at Garden City Community College in Kansas and Riverside Community College in Southern California. Now he’s back in the FBS ranks at Charlotte and can’t take this opportunity for granted. He was sharp enough to win the starting job in spring and on Thursday, he faces likely the toughest test he will have all season in the #19 Louisville Cardinals. He has much help in senior running back Kalif Phillips in the run game but if down early, he will have to show off his arm. In such a tough matchup where adversity is likely, it will be intriguing to see what kind of mental toughness and resolve Kevin Olsen brings to the 49ers offense.
2. Will the defense step up against the explosive Louisville offense?
On Thursday night, we will truly see what the Charlotte 49ers defense is made of as they travel to Louisville to face Bobby Petrino’s Cardinals. Though Petrino’s squads through his first stint in Louisville and his run at The University of Arkansas were known for high octane offense, his first two Cardinals teams in his second stint won with staunch defense. Well, this season that should change as Petrino finally looks to have the personnel of a top offense. This starts with sophomore quarterback Lamar Jackson whose arm and legs will make him a handful for opposing defenses. Those game breaking skills, plus a receiving corps full of returning pass catchers, figure to be a focal point for the 49ers defense. In the Niners’ 3-4 defense, it will be vital for the defensive ends to contain the outside while the pass rushing outside linebackers cannot afford to over pursue and allow Lamar Jackson to escape. Also, the secondary cannot let themselves get worn out as extended plays are always a threat with a dual threat under center. The unit as a whole cannot afford to melt down as they did at times last season (73 points given up against LA Tech). Against a top-flight ACC offense, expect Thursday night’s matchup to be at least somewhat of a measuring stick for how far the defense, which has eight returning starters, has come since last season concluded.
3. How will the 49ers respond to playing against a top-flight power 5 team?
Thursday night’s game will not be the first time the Charlotte 49ers have faced off against a power 5 team as they had a matchup in Kentucky against the SEC’s Wildcats last November. Thursday night’s game against the #19 Louisville Cardinals will however, be the first time the 49ers have faced a team ranked in the AP Top 25. The Niners open as 40-point underdogs and though the team is filled with players who have been around since the start of the football program, nerves could always come into play early on. Lambert has the responsibility of keeping his team calm heading up to their big Thursday night opener and 15 returning starters on the squad must lead by example on the field. We’ve all heard the “treat it like it’s just another game” cliché before in big spots, and it will have to apply to this game. The 49ers must ignore any outside talk of what the game will or will not be. It is important that all players realize that despite the opponent, all teams go through the same weekly preparations and face many of the same struggles. That leveled mentality coupled with the will to give a nationally ranked opponent the biggest fight that they can should be keys in this matchup. These moments, especially for young programs such as Charlotte football, show what a group of guys is made of. For fans of 49ers football, this should be looked at as a benchmark matchup and possibly a huge confidence builder depending on the outcome.