DENNY O'BRIEN | Connors' conditioning regimen matters [fb-090312]

On Saturday, it was the Mountaineers who were melting amid the sweltering September heat. As the game wore on, more Mountaineers liquefied while the Pirates got stronger.

The difference this time around?

Pirates’ strength and conditioning boss Jeff Connors.

Connors, who returned to East Carolina last season after spending several seasons in Chapel Hill, has made a huge difference since his return to Greenville. That was evident Saturday by the late game posture of both the Pirates and Mountaineers.

“I definitely think we did wear their defense down,” Pirates receiver Andrew Bodenheimer said. “They played us well at the beginning, but I think our conditioning from this summer played a big part.

“We were in the heat all summer. They got tired, and we just pushed through and that’s when we started having some success in the third and fourth quarters.”

East Carolina outscored Appalachian 21-3 in the second half and 14-0 in the fourth quarter. Owning the final stanza was a major point of emphasis when Steve Logan was the Pirates head coach, and Logan entrusted much of the heavy lifting to Connors’ conditioning program.

The result was a program that routinely wore down opponents.

If Saturday is any indication, that could become a recurring theme, especially during games where the talent level is comparable. Even against opponents that have an unquestionable personnel advantage, losses are unlikely to come at the expense of a roster that is physically spent.

Connors’ impact on the ECU program both past and present has been an undeniable strength. The longer he remains in Greenville, the better off the Pirates will be.

Pirates finally special

It shouldn’t require a football PHD to determine Ruffin McNeill’s most significant offseason acquisition. That easily is new special teams coordinator Kirk Doll.

Doll, a former Pirates player, has completely transformed a unit that had been a glaring weakness in recent years. It’s an area of the game where opponents have routinely bested the Pirates of late.

This year, it looks as if ECU has a pair of dynamic return specialists in Lance Ray and Justin Hardy. Both demonstrated great vision, balance, patience, and cutting ability during long returns against Appalachian State.

New punter Trent Tignor averaged nearly 45 yards per kick, while both coverage units hindered the Mountaineers' quest for room to operate.

If there was one special teams concern following the Pirates’ win Saturday, it would have to be placekicker Warren Harvey. While he demonstrated that he has plenty of leg for long distance tries, his accuracy was lacking as he missed both of his attempts.

Even so, special teams was clearly one of the bright spots Saturday.

Questionable call

With a struggling offense, seven-point lead, the ball on its own 20-yard line and one minute of clock before intermission, slamming the ball between the tackles would seem like the prudent approach.

Instead, East Carolina offensive coordinator Lincoln Riley called for two passes and one run before the Pirates were forced to punt. The result was plenty of time for Appalachian to maneuver itself close enough to nail a field goal, trimming the Pirates’ lead to 14-10 and sending the Mountaineers to the locker room with momentum.

Given the Pirates’ physical superiority, there is no reason why they shouldn’t have been able to deflate the football and drain the clock. The refusal to do so cost East Carolina three points.