GREENVILLE —
As a ranked team since
a 70-41 win over North Carolina
two weeks earlier, East Carolina's 45-24 American Athletic Conference
win over Southern Methodist on Saturday was not ideal.
Ranked programs punish
winless teams by scores that raise eyebrows and impress voters across
the country.
ECU (4-1) didn't do that
despite a 21-0 lead early in the second quarter. The Pirates had to
reboot after the Mustangs (0-5) had closed within 35-24 and true
freshman Quay Johnson lost a fumble on the ensuing kickoff.
SMU had the ball at ECU's
26-yard line to start the fourth quarter and there were some disturbing
scenarios emerging.
The game bent back toward the Pirates with a defensive stand that
allowed three yards in three plays. When Cody Rademacher of the Mustangs
pushed a 40-yard field goal wide right, ECU gave no quarter.
A drive that produced a 24-yard field goal by Warren Harvey and an
8-yard touchdown run by Chris Hairston prevented further contemplation
of disastrous possibilities.
ECU drove further for the Harvey field goal (70 yards) than it did for
Hairston's score (68 yards).
It was another day of prolific offense as the Pirates had 581 total
yards.
Shane Carden completed 31 of 41 passes for 410 yards with four
touchdowns. Three of the scoring passes went to Justin Hardy, who had
eight catches for 120 yards.
Isaiah Jones, who, like Carden, played high school football in Texas,
said he was motivated personally by not being recruited by the Mustangs.
Jones had an 11-yard touchdown catch to start the scoring and also had a
30-yard reception in the third quarter that allowed Carden to move ahead
of David Garrard as ECU's career passing yards leader. Jones had nine
catches for 130 yards.
Coming off a 56-0 pounding from Texas Christian, the Mustangs played
like they had nothing more to lose.
They tweaked their offensive package and they gambled.
"We had seen them run a lot of draws and a lot of screens," said Pirates
mike linebacker Zeek Bigger. "We didn't see any of that today."
SMU quarterback Garrett Krstich completed 42 of 67 passes for 339 yards
with two touchdowns and one interception (by Travon Simmons).
He was almost flawless on fourth down as the Mustangs converted five of
six.
"We had to make some adjustments," said Pirates corner Josh Hawkins.
"Coach (Rick) Smith (defensive coordinator, secondary coach) said, 'DBs,
we're going to have to step it up. We're going to play press man.' My
eyes lit up. We love press man."
SMU's last two possessions ended with a punt and a fourth down stop by
ECU.
Krstich was making it tough on the Pirates with his ability to hit on
quick underneath routes. Other than a couple of sacks by buck linebacker
Brandon Williams, he was able to stand in the pocket and deliver.
Deion Sanders Jr. had three catches for 41 yards and a 34-yard kickoff
return for SMU. Darius Joseph had 13 catches for 100 yards and two
scores.
McNeill wasn't worried about covering a six-touchdown spread.
"It was a great win," said the Pirates coach. "The inaugural win in the
league. SMU had faced three nationally-ranked teams (Baylor, Texas A&M
and TCU) before us so they weren't going to be intimidated. ... When you
watch the film and you run through everything, you understand that
that's going to happen.
"It wasn't a surprise to the coaches. ... We had to weather through it
and I thought we did a good job of it."
McNeill was asked about performing for the polls.
He said the Pirates didn't start building the program that way five
years ago when the emphasis was on no egos, no entitlement, etc. The
present focus is on commitment to the vision from within, not
positioning in terms of outside perceptions.
McNeill's way produced results on Saturday against a team that may
surprise some people before the end of the season.
The Pirates won although the atmosphere at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium was
levels below the intensity generated when the Tar Heels came to town.
"We didn't hear that positive energy we heard two weeks ago," Ruff said.
"We need that."
View W.A. Myatt's gallery
of game day images...
ECU
coach Ruffin McNeill and
QB Shane Carden spoke
with the press after the
Pirates defeated
Southern Methodist 45-24
on Saturday in
Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium
(recorded by W.A. Myatt;
file photos):
The
Brian Bailey Show
airs on Pirate Radio
1250 on Mondays at
6:30 p.m. Brian's
guest was college
football referee
Darrell Harrison
(right):
ECU
coach Ruffin McNeill spoke
with the media at his weekly
press conference on Monday
(courtesy of Pirate Radio
1250; Bonesville file
photo):
