What do you get when you combine the 16th highest scoring offense in the Nation with the 199th ranked scoring defense? Complete and udder chaos, AKA an East Carolina game. It was a wild year for East Carolina. Led by first year coach Ruffin McNeil the Pirates won 5 of their first 7 games beating NC State and Southern Miss on the way. Unfortunately, the season took a turn for the worse and they dropped 5 of their last 6 including drubbings to Navy (76 to 35) and Rice (62 to 38). To make sense of this wild year we brought back Michael Perry, the sports editor for the ECU student newspaper The East Carolinian, to find out his thoughts on the 2010 Pirates.
1. In our Pre-Season preview you said you thought East Carolina would win six or seven games. They finished 6-7. Now that the season is over how do you feel about the season? Was it a success, a failure or somewhere in between?
Great question. This has been a big debate among local media members and those on my staff and I believe I've come to the conclusion that the season ECU had was unsuccessful if you compare them to years passed, but if you look at them as a young program with new coach they were an overwhelming success. They hung tough in close games and had a wonderful first half of the season. The main downfall was the young defense, from Coordinator to player, everyone on the defense was inexperienced.
2. What was the turning point of the season?
The turning point for ECU was the debacle against Navy. Not to say Navy is not a solid football program but an option offense should put up numbers like that. The loss to Rice and the way the Pirates lost to SMU added to this teams terrible second half performance.
3. East Carolina had a dynamic offense this year putting up 36 points per game but on the other side of the football they often couldn't stop anybody. What were the major issues with the defense and what needs to be fixed going into next year?
To not steal any credit from my football beat writer Adam Bunn who said it best, it was purely fundamentals. Bad tackling, not knowing assignments in the secondary, not staying composed. These are all things that young defenses go through, but with a season behind them this defense can not support itself with the crutch of the "young defense" next year.
4. Who was the most surprising player this season?
Tough one. Sounds funny to say Dominique Davis as he was already known to be a promising quarterback, but in person the way that guy ran the offense was a thing of beauty. From the standpoint of an all out surprise it has to be Lance Lewis (WR). I would argue he was the most lethal receiver in the Pirates' offense this season.
5. Who are you most looking forward to watching in 2011?
Again I will give the nod to Lewis. The program was all about Dwayne Harris this year, supposedly, but Lewis is a big fast receiver who can make plays. I look forward to hearing from Davis to Lewis all next season. I am also excited to watch Dustin Lineback once again. The guy has an old school linebacker build and he is involved on virtually every tackle on defense.
Showing posts with label East Carolina Pirates. Show all posts
Showing posts with label East Carolina Pirates. Show all posts
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Under The Radar: Non-BCS Games of the Week
Ross already has us covered on the "Big Time" games this week in his Six Pack Games of the Week. So I thought I would take a look at some under the radar games this week (in some cases way under the radar) that do not involve any teams from a BCS conference.
Tulsa Golden Hurricane at East Carolina Pirates
When: Sunday Sept 5th at 2 PM on ESPN 2
Where: Greenville, NC (Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium)
Line: East Carolina by 8.5
Last year under the guidance of Skip Holtz, East Carolina defeated Tulsa 44 to 17 on Tulsa's home turf. This year Skip Holtz has moved on to South Florida and former Texas Tech DC Ruffin McNeill has taken over the East Carolina Pirates. With last years game being such a blow out, why would I pick this as a game to watch? Because these two teams look to be vastly different than last years versions. East Carolina returns the least amount of starters in all of the FBS (they are losing 30 lettermen and only return 8 starters) and is breaking in a new coaching staff. Tulsa on the other hand brings back 15 starters with 9 of those playing on the offense including QB G.J. Kinne and WR Damaris Johnson. I think Tulsa could be a surprise team in C-USA. Ruffin McNeill still hasn't decided who his QB is for game one and to me that's not a good sign when you are breaking in a new offense.
My Pick: Tulsa
Villanova Wildcats at Temple Owls
When: Friday Sept 3rd at 5 PM on ESPN3.com
Where: Philadelphia, PA (Lincoln Financial Field)
Temple finished 9-4 last year but opened up the year with back-to-back losses to Penn State and Villanova. Villanova went 14-1 last year and won the FCS Championship over Montana. In week one last year Temple held a 10 point lead on Villanova in the 4th quarter but the Wildcats fought back and kicked a FG with no time on the clock to win the game in dramatic fashion. This sets up as a revenge game for Temple and sets up as a game in which Villanova wants to show the world (or at least Philadelphia) that they are indeed for real.
My Pick: Temple
Bowling Green Falcons at Troy Trojans
When: Saturday Sept 4th on Troy/ISP Network/FCSP (cable)
Where: Troy, Al (Movie Gallery Stadium)
Line: Troy by 14
Much like Temple/Villanova this is a revenge game. Last year in the first game of the year Bowling Green beat Troy 31-14. This was Dave Clawson's debut game as coach of the Bowling Green Falcons and his team surprisingly outgained the Trojans 394-293. Troy took a 14-7 led into half but BGSU owned the 2nd half as they outscored the Trojans 24-0 to win the game. Bowling Green finished the season 7-6 and Troy wound up 9-4.
My Pick: Troy
Georgia State Panthers vs. Shorter Hawks
When: Thurs Sept 2nd at 7:30 PM
Where: Atlanta, Georgia (Georgia Dome)
Most people don't have this game on their radar but to me it's very intriguing because it's the very first game for the Georgia State Panthers. Head Coach Bill Curry has been tabbed as the guy to help make football a reality and it all kicks off on Thursday. Shorter is a Division 2 school that opened up their schedule last week with a loss to West Alabama (the #12 team in Division 2). Despite the loss Shorter's style is said to be like Georgia Tech's. That could be intriguing. Also, Georgia State is not naming a starting QB. They had 4 guys go at it during spring for the starting nod and then former Alabama back-up Star Jackson threw his name in the hat by transferring this fall. Despite being their first year Georgia State does have 8 players with D-1 playing experience (including a grad student who started at Georgia Tech on the OL last year). Unfortunately, this game isn't on TV (shocker) but I will be keeping an eye out on how Georgia State and Bill Curry do in their inaugural season.
My Pick: Georgia State
Tulsa Golden Hurricane at East Carolina Pirates
When: Sunday Sept 5th at 2 PM on ESPN 2
Where: Greenville, NC (Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium)
Line: East Carolina by 8.5
Last year under the guidance of Skip Holtz, East Carolina defeated Tulsa 44 to 17 on Tulsa's home turf. This year Skip Holtz has moved on to South Florida and former Texas Tech DC Ruffin McNeill has taken over the East Carolina Pirates. With last years game being such a blow out, why would I pick this as a game to watch? Because these two teams look to be vastly different than last years versions. East Carolina returns the least amount of starters in all of the FBS (they are losing 30 lettermen and only return 8 starters) and is breaking in a new coaching staff. Tulsa on the other hand brings back 15 starters with 9 of those playing on the offense including QB G.J. Kinne and WR Damaris Johnson. I think Tulsa could be a surprise team in C-USA. Ruffin McNeill still hasn't decided who his QB is for game one and to me that's not a good sign when you are breaking in a new offense.
My Pick: Tulsa
Villanova Wildcats at Temple Owls
When: Friday Sept 3rd at 5 PM on ESPN3.com
Where: Philadelphia, PA (Lincoln Financial Field)
Temple finished 9-4 last year but opened up the year with back-to-back losses to Penn State and Villanova. Villanova went 14-1 last year and won the FCS Championship over Montana. In week one last year Temple held a 10 point lead on Villanova in the 4th quarter but the Wildcats fought back and kicked a FG with no time on the clock to win the game in dramatic fashion. This sets up as a revenge game for Temple and sets up as a game in which Villanova wants to show the world (or at least Philadelphia) that they are indeed for real.
My Pick: Temple
Bowling Green Falcons at Troy Trojans
When: Saturday Sept 4th on Troy/ISP Network/FCSP (cable)
Where: Troy, Al (Movie Gallery Stadium)
Line: Troy by 14
Much like Temple/Villanova this is a revenge game. Last year in the first game of the year Bowling Green beat Troy 31-14. This was Dave Clawson's debut game as coach of the Bowling Green Falcons and his team surprisingly outgained the Trojans 394-293. Troy took a 14-7 led into half but BGSU owned the 2nd half as they outscored the Trojans 24-0 to win the game. Bowling Green finished the season 7-6 and Troy wound up 9-4.
My Pick: Troy
Georgia State Panthers vs. Shorter Hawks
When: Thurs Sept 2nd at 7:30 PM
Where: Atlanta, Georgia (Georgia Dome)
Most people don't have this game on their radar but to me it's very intriguing because it's the very first game for the Georgia State Panthers. Head Coach Bill Curry has been tabbed as the guy to help make football a reality and it all kicks off on Thursday. Shorter is a Division 2 school that opened up their schedule last week with a loss to West Alabama (the #12 team in Division 2). Despite the loss Shorter's style is said to be like Georgia Tech's. That could be intriguing. Also, Georgia State is not naming a starting QB. They had 4 guys go at it during spring for the starting nod and then former Alabama back-up Star Jackson threw his name in the hat by transferring this fall. Despite being their first year Georgia State does have 8 players with D-1 playing experience (including a grad student who started at Georgia Tech on the OL last year). Unfortunately, this game isn't on TV (shocker) but I will be keeping an eye out on how Georgia State and Bill Curry do in their inaugural season.
My Pick: Georgia State
Monday, August 16, 2010
Pre-Season Preview: East Carolina Pirates
2009 Record: 9-5 (7-1 in C-USA)
2009 Bowl: Liberty Bowl (lost to Arkansas 20-17 in OT)
Final 2009 AP Ranking: Not Ranked
Head Coach: Ruffin McNeill (1-0 as a Head Coach)
Non-Conference Schedule: at Virginia Tech (9/18), at North Carolina (10/2), N.C. State (10/16), Navy (11/6)
2009 Offensive Statistics
Scoring: 27.0 points per game (7th in C-USA)
Rushing Yards/Game: 152 (4th in C-USA)
Passing Yards/Game: 217 (6th in C-USA)
Total Yards/Game: 369 (8th in C-USA)
2009 Defensive Statistics
Scoring: 21.9 points per game (1st in C-USA)
Rushing Yards/Game: 120 (2nd in C-USA)
Passing Yards/Game: 258 (7th in C-USA)
Total Yards/Game: 378 (3rd in C-USA)
2009 Misc Stats
Turnover Margin: +0.86 per game (1st in C-USA, 9th in Nation)
Penalties: 60 yards per game (7th in C-USA)
Returning Starters
Offense: 5
Defense: 3
Kicker/Punter: 0
Top Returning Statistical Leaders
Passing: QB Josh Jordan, Soph (5 of 7 for 61 yds)
Rushing: WR Dwayne Harris, Sr (31 carries for 149 yds, 5 TD)
Receiving: WR Dwayne Harris, Sr (83 rec, 978 yds, 7 TD)
Tackles: CB Emanuel Davis, Jr (69)
Sacks: DT Josh Smith, Sr (4)
Interceptions: CB Emanuel Davis, Jr (2)
2010 Pre-Season Rankings
Athlon Sports: #91
Pre-Snap Read: #91
Sporting News: #65
2010 Pre-Season C-USA East Prediction:
Athlon Sports: #4
Phil Steele: #5
Sports Illustrated: #2
East Carolina has won back-to-back Conference USA titles but Skip Holtz has moved on to a new challenge and has left ECU with the least amount of returning starters in all of college football. ECU turns to former Texas Tech Defensive Coordinator Ruffin McNeil to rebuild a program that has just won back-to-back conference titles. We caught up with Michael Perry, the sports editor for the ECU student newspaper The East Carolinian, to find out about the 2010 Pirates.
What are the major strengths and biggest weaknesses of ECU?
This is a new team in a new era for Pirate football. The new philosophy of Coach McNeill is a fast-paced aggressive team on both sides of the ball. The stay at home defense and play it safe "Big 10" offense of the Holtz era is gone.
The biggest strength this squad has is attitude, this is a team of proven winners who are confident in their new coaching staff, which is crucial in a transition year. A front runner for quarterback seems to be the big question early on and may pose problems as the Pirates look to implement a "Texas-Tech" pass heavy offense. Also the youth on both sides of the might provide challenge especially in the first few game of the season. If inexperience is a problem I see it hurting the new defense mentality that will look to blitz often, which obviously might leave opponents open for the big pass.
What team on the schedule do you want to beat more than any other?
Is this my personal opinion as a student or a journalist? Coach Ruff would tell you they look to beat every team they play, but the non-conference schedule is crucial to keeping the morale of this team up. As a student I would say protecting home turf from N.C. State is really big, but as a journalist a win on the road at pre-season favorite UNC or even VT would cause some noteworthy buzz.
Who is the best player on your team that nobody talks about?
Best player on the team, by far, WR Dwayne Harris. Harris has already est. himself as a playmaker and if the new offense can execute and get him the ball he is as good as any other top receiver in the downfield.
Who is the best offensive player on the team?
I would again mention Dwayne here, but also make note of young receivers Darryl Freeney and Andrew Bodenheimer, these two both showed promise last year and the new pass mentality will rely on guys like this.
Who is the most impactful defensive player on the team?
Defense, this is tough one, these guys are young and they are trying to fill the shoes of probably the best defense in ECU's history (Van Eskridge, CJ Wilson, Jay Ross, Linval Joseph, Nick Johnson). Marke Powell and Steve Spence are two names to mention with this new defense, but based only on a personal hunch I see walk-on Dustin Lineback contributing greatly to this defense.
What player(s) needs to step up this year in order for the team to reach it's full capability?
Which ever quarterback they decide to go with. Brad Wornick and Rio Johnson are the front runners for the position, but Coach Ruff is extremely adamant that he has no favorite (which many in the ECU community believed Holtz did). The quarterback is important to every system, but to lead a team that relies on its ability to pass makes the position and the leadership qualities of that person all the more important.
Who is the top newcomer that can make an impact this year?
I really hope that its Steve Spence on defense and Andrew Bodenheimer on offense. Spence is big and fast and he's everything you would want in a pass rusher. Bodenheimer has the look of Jordan Shipley or at the NFL level Jeremy Shockey, he is a physical receiver that will not allow the defense to harass him downfield.
Gut feeling on the teams final record at the end of the regular season and what makes this a successful season in your eyes?
Gut feeling is...six or seven wins (hopefully eight) with a bowl game appearance. That is a drop in production from what ECU fans are used to, but that is a commendable record for a young team in a new system. I don't want to limit Coach Ruff cause he is really the kind of person who just makes you believe in him and what he's doing, but I'm trying to stay reasonable.
Previous Conference USA Previews:
Houston Cougars
Rice Owls
SMU Mustangs
Southern Miss Golden Eagles
Tulane Green Wave
UTEP Miners
Next Up: Marshall Thundering Herd
Previous Pre-Season Previews
ACC- Boston College Eagles, Clemson Tigers, Duke Blue Devils, Florida State Seminoles, Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, Maryland Terrapins, North Carolina Tar Heels, North Carolina State Wolfpack Virginia Cavaliers, Virginia Tech Hokies, Wake Forest Demon Deacons
Big Ten- Illinois Fighting Illini, Indiana Hoosiers, Iowa Hawkeyes, Michigan Wolverines, Minnesota Golden Gophers, Northwestern Wildcats, Ohio State Buckeyes, Penn State Nittany Lions, Purdue Boilermakers
Big 12- Iowa State Cyclones, Kansas Jayhawks, Kansas State Wildcats, Missouri Tigers, Oklahoma Sooners, Oklahoma State Cowboys, Texas Longhorns, Texas Tech Red Raiders
Big East- Cincinnati Bearcats, Pittsburgh Panthers, Rutgers Scarlet Knights, Syracuse Orange, UConn Huskies, USF Bulls, West Virginia Mountaineers
Independent- Army Black Knights, Navy Midshipmen, Notre Dame Fighting Irish
MAC- Ball State Cardinals, Bowling Green Falcons, Buffalo Bulls, Central Michigan Chippewas, Temple Owls, Toledo Rockets
MWC- BYU Cougars, Colorado State Rams, UNLV Rebels, Utah Utes
Pac-10- Arizona Wildcats, Arizona State Sun Devils, California Golden Bears, Oregon Ducks, Oregon State Beavers, Stanford Cardinal, UCLA Bruins, USC Trojans, Washington Huskies, Washington State Cougars
SEC- Alabama Crimson Tide, Auburn Tigers, Florida Gators, Georgia Bulldogs, Kentucky Wildcats, LSU Tigers, Mississippi Rebels, Mississippi State Bulldogs, South Carolina Gamecocks, Vanderbilt Commodores
Sun Belt- FIU Golden Panthers, North Texas Mean Green, Troy Trojans
WAC- Boise State Broncos, Fresno State Bulldogs, Louisiana Tech Bulldogs, New Mexico State Aggies
2009 Bowl: Liberty Bowl (lost to Arkansas 20-17 in OT)
Final 2009 AP Ranking: Not Ranked
Head Coach: Ruffin McNeill (1-0 as a Head Coach)
Non-Conference Schedule: at Virginia Tech (9/18), at North Carolina (10/2), N.C. State (10/16), Navy (11/6)
2009 Offensive Statistics
Scoring: 27.0 points per game (7th in C-USA)
Rushing Yards/Game: 152 (4th in C-USA)
Passing Yards/Game: 217 (6th in C-USA)
Total Yards/Game: 369 (8th in C-USA)
2009 Defensive Statistics
Scoring: 21.9 points per game (1st in C-USA)
Rushing Yards/Game: 120 (2nd in C-USA)
Passing Yards/Game: 258 (7th in C-USA)
Total Yards/Game: 378 (3rd in C-USA)
2009 Misc Stats
Turnover Margin: +0.86 per game (1st in C-USA, 9th in Nation)
Penalties: 60 yards per game (7th in C-USA)
Returning Starters
Offense: 5
Defense: 3
Kicker/Punter: 0
Top Returning Statistical Leaders
Passing: QB Josh Jordan, Soph (5 of 7 for 61 yds)
Rushing: WR Dwayne Harris, Sr (31 carries for 149 yds, 5 TD)
Receiving: WR Dwayne Harris, Sr (83 rec, 978 yds, 7 TD)
Tackles: CB Emanuel Davis, Jr (69)
Sacks: DT Josh Smith, Sr (4)
Interceptions: CB Emanuel Davis, Jr (2)
2010 Pre-Season Rankings
Athlon Sports: #91
Pre-Snap Read: #91
Sporting News: #65
2010 Pre-Season C-USA East Prediction:
Athlon Sports: #4
Phil Steele: #5
Sports Illustrated: #2
East Carolina has won back-to-back Conference USA titles but Skip Holtz has moved on to a new challenge and has left ECU with the least amount of returning starters in all of college football. ECU turns to former Texas Tech Defensive Coordinator Ruffin McNeil to rebuild a program that has just won back-to-back conference titles. We caught up with Michael Perry, the sports editor for the ECU student newspaper The East Carolinian, to find out about the 2010 Pirates.
What are the major strengths and biggest weaknesses of ECU?
This is a new team in a new era for Pirate football. The new philosophy of Coach McNeill is a fast-paced aggressive team on both sides of the ball. The stay at home defense and play it safe "Big 10" offense of the Holtz era is gone.
The biggest strength this squad has is attitude, this is a team of proven winners who are confident in their new coaching staff, which is crucial in a transition year. A front runner for quarterback seems to be the big question early on and may pose problems as the Pirates look to implement a "Texas-Tech" pass heavy offense. Also the youth on both sides of the might provide challenge especially in the first few game of the season. If inexperience is a problem I see it hurting the new defense mentality that will look to blitz often, which obviously might leave opponents open for the big pass.
What team on the schedule do you want to beat more than any other?
Is this my personal opinion as a student or a journalist? Coach Ruff would tell you they look to beat every team they play, but the non-conference schedule is crucial to keeping the morale of this team up. As a student I would say protecting home turf from N.C. State is really big, but as a journalist a win on the road at pre-season favorite UNC or even VT would cause some noteworthy buzz.
Who is the best player on your team that nobody talks about?
Best player on the team, by far, WR Dwayne Harris. Harris has already est. himself as a playmaker and if the new offense can execute and get him the ball he is as good as any other top receiver in the downfield.
Who is the best offensive player on the team?
I would again mention Dwayne here, but also make note of young receivers Darryl Freeney and Andrew Bodenheimer, these two both showed promise last year and the new pass mentality will rely on guys like this.
Who is the most impactful defensive player on the team?
Defense, this is tough one, these guys are young and they are trying to fill the shoes of probably the best defense in ECU's history (Van Eskridge, CJ Wilson, Jay Ross, Linval Joseph, Nick Johnson). Marke Powell and Steve Spence are two names to mention with this new defense, but based only on a personal hunch I see walk-on Dustin Lineback contributing greatly to this defense.
What player(s) needs to step up this year in order for the team to reach it's full capability?
Which ever quarterback they decide to go with. Brad Wornick and Rio Johnson are the front runners for the position, but Coach Ruff is extremely adamant that he has no favorite (which many in the ECU community believed Holtz did). The quarterback is important to every system, but to lead a team that relies on its ability to pass makes the position and the leadership qualities of that person all the more important.
Who is the top newcomer that can make an impact this year?
I really hope that its Steve Spence on defense and Andrew Bodenheimer on offense. Spence is big and fast and he's everything you would want in a pass rusher. Bodenheimer has the look of Jordan Shipley or at the NFL level Jeremy Shockey, he is a physical receiver that will not allow the defense to harass him downfield.
Gut feeling on the teams final record at the end of the regular season and what makes this a successful season in your eyes?
Gut feeling is...six or seven wins (hopefully eight) with a bowl game appearance. That is a drop in production from what ECU fans are used to, but that is a commendable record for a young team in a new system. I don't want to limit Coach Ruff cause he is really the kind of person who just makes you believe in him and what he's doing, but I'm trying to stay reasonable.
Previous Conference USA Previews:
Houston Cougars
Rice Owls
SMU Mustangs
Southern Miss Golden Eagles
Tulane Green Wave
UTEP Miners
Next Up: Marshall Thundering Herd
Previous Pre-Season Previews
ACC- Boston College Eagles, Clemson Tigers, Duke Blue Devils, Florida State Seminoles, Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, Maryland Terrapins, North Carolina Tar Heels, North Carolina State Wolfpack Virginia Cavaliers, Virginia Tech Hokies, Wake Forest Demon Deacons
Big Ten- Illinois Fighting Illini, Indiana Hoosiers, Iowa Hawkeyes, Michigan Wolverines, Minnesota Golden Gophers, Northwestern Wildcats, Ohio State Buckeyes, Penn State Nittany Lions, Purdue Boilermakers
Big 12- Iowa State Cyclones, Kansas Jayhawks, Kansas State Wildcats, Missouri Tigers, Oklahoma Sooners, Oklahoma State Cowboys, Texas Longhorns, Texas Tech Red Raiders
Big East- Cincinnati Bearcats, Pittsburgh Panthers, Rutgers Scarlet Knights, Syracuse Orange, UConn Huskies, USF Bulls, West Virginia Mountaineers
Independent- Army Black Knights, Navy Midshipmen, Notre Dame Fighting Irish
MAC- Ball State Cardinals, Bowling Green Falcons, Buffalo Bulls, Central Michigan Chippewas, Temple Owls, Toledo Rockets
MWC- BYU Cougars, Colorado State Rams, UNLV Rebels, Utah Utes
Pac-10- Arizona Wildcats, Arizona State Sun Devils, California Golden Bears, Oregon Ducks, Oregon State Beavers, Stanford Cardinal, UCLA Bruins, USC Trojans, Washington Huskies, Washington State Cougars
SEC- Alabama Crimson Tide, Auburn Tigers, Florida Gators, Georgia Bulldogs, Kentucky Wildcats, LSU Tigers, Mississippi Rebels, Mississippi State Bulldogs, South Carolina Gamecocks, Vanderbilt Commodores
Sun Belt- FIU Golden Panthers, North Texas Mean Green, Troy Trojans
WAC- Boise State Broncos, Fresno State Bulldogs, Louisiana Tech Bulldogs, New Mexico State Aggies
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