Charlotte 49ers changing practice routine this week after lopsided loss
Charlotte 49ers football coach Brad Lambert gave his players Sunday off to recover from Saturday’s 52-17 loss to Old Dominion.
Now that the 49ers are back at practice, they’re facing a slightly different routine as they prepare for Saturday’s Conference USA game against Florida Atlantic in Boca Raton, Fla.
“One of the things about football that we just love is that you don’t get time to feel sorry for yourself,” Lambert said during Tuesday’s news conference. “You’ve got to get on to the next one, and do it fast.”
Saturday’s loss was Charlotte’s third straight and third by four or more touchdowns in five games.
Afterward, a frustrated Lambert said that changes were being considered to the team’s practice routine, even the starting lineup and personnel rotations.
While no decisions have been made on personnel changes, Lambert said that will depend on how team performs the next two days.
“We’re going to evaluate everybody in practice,” Lambert said of the 49ers (1-4, 0-1 C-USA). “We’ve changed the way we practice, the things we do on the field.
“We’re going to practice a little different, so it’ll allow us to play a little fast ball and evaluate some guys and make those decisions as we get towards the end of the week.”
Eye on the weather
While Lambert is preparing the 49ers for Saturday’s game against the Owls, he’s also watching the weather in south Florida because of Hurricane Matthew.
The Category 4 hurricane is threatening the Caribbean islands, with hurricane watches issued for Florida’s eastern coast. Forecasters with the National Weather Service have put the storm’s track either coming ashore in Florida or skirting the coast.
“We’re watching it, but we’re still going through our normal routine,” Lambert said. “As we get closer toward the end of the week, we’ll see if it affects our travel plans. It doesn’t look like it will, but they don’t really know exactly where it’s going to hit.
“It could affect our Friday walkthrough (at FAU Stadium), depending on how much rain they get. If they get a bunch of rain, we may not be able to do that.”
Injury update
Injured Charlotte cornerback Terrance Winchester and right tackle Jamal Covington won’t play Saturday.
Winchester, a redshirt senior, is recovering from a separated right shoulder suffered in the opener at Louisville, and he re-injured it two weeks ago at Temple. Redshirt junior Anthony Covington will replace him.
Jamal Covington, a redshirt senior, re-injured his right knee in the loss to Temple, with redshirt sophomore Chris Brown filling his spot in the lineup.
Covington originally injured the knee last season, missing the final four games, then re-injured it against Louisville. He tried to return as a reserve in the 49ers’ C-USA opener against Old Dominion, but soreness prevented him from playing.
Also, starting right tackle Eugene German, a redshirt junior, suffered a hand injury in last week’s game. While he is listed on Charlotte’s two-deep chart, Lambert said his status would be reevaluated after Tuesday’s practice.
About the Owls
▪ Florida Atlantic (1-4, 0-1 C-USA) opened its conference schedule last week with a 33-31 loss to Florida International, extending its losing streak to four games.
▪ Last year, one of the Owls’ three wins were against the 49ers, a 17-7 victory at Richardson Stadium in their C-USA opener.
▪ Florida Atlantic running back Greg Howell is sixth in the league in rushing yards (405) and tied for third in rushing touchdowns (five). Owls safety Jalen Young is tied for fourth in tackles (49) with Charlotte’s Nick Cook.
This story was originally published October 4, 2016 at 7:17 PM with the headline "Charlotte 49ers changing practice routine this week after lopsided loss."