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Notes, Quotes and Slants
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Pirate Notebook
No. 14*
Wednesday, October 3, 2001
By Denny O'Brien
Staff Writer and Columnist |
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*Editor's Note: Like the 13th
floor in a hotel, Pirate Notebook No. 13 was purposely skipped.
Recalling 2000 Meltdown vs.
VPI,
Logan Constrains Pirates' Emotions
©2001 Bonesville.net
GREENVILLE -- Emotions are certain to be high when the Pirates and Tar
Heels renew their rivalry this Saturday. And with the memory of last
season's first-half collapse against Virginia Tech still vivid, Steve Logan
began mental preparations for this Saturday's game well before the season
started.
 "We
take a composite look in our first team meeting of the season and I tell
them this is the last time we're going to talk about the big picture," Logan
said. "We'll focus week-by-week after that.
"We went down the schedule and I talked to them about this game, as I did
every game. When I got to this game, I made an analogy from the standpoint
of the Virginia Tech game last year."
Hosting last year's Virginia Tech game before a nationally televised ESPN
audience only added fuel to the team's over-psyched state of mind, according
to Logan.
"I think the Virginia Tech game got out of hand emotionally. It was
'Michael Vick, Michael Vick, Michael Vick, we're going to get to play
against Michael Vick,' and we just went out and beat the fool out of Michael
Vick, but then that tailback named [Lee] Suggs beat the fool out of us when
nobody was looking.
"He (Suggs) ran for 400 yards and I don't know how many touchdowns. We
don't want to do that. That's not the answer. I think that's an immature way
to go about your business."
According to Logan, the fact that the game is on the road could have a
calming effect on the Pirates.
"I don't know why, but I like playing on the road — always have," Logan
said. "I think that we've done a decent job here of preparing our kids to
play on the road. I think East Carolina probably was born on the road, to be
honest with you.
"Going on the road is something that, I think, this particular school had
better become decent at it, or you would never, ever win a game. Going on
the road is something that is not a negative in my mind for us, and I don't
think it ever has been.."
ECU has made its share of 'Big Game' road trips during Logan's tenure and
has notched its share of wins in the process. Just ask Miami, South
Carolina and Syracuse, to name a few.
Though the stands will be filled predominately with baby blue on
Saturday, Logan contends that when you get down to it, there aren't many
differences between playing the game in Kenan or Dowdy-Ficklen.
"We'll go over there and tee it up and play the game," he said. "Once the
game starts, the football field is 100 yards long, and there are two
goalposts. That's pretty consistent.:"
It's a sentiment that is echoed by the Pirate players.
According to receiver receiver Marcus White, it matters not where the
ECU-UNC showdown is taking place.
"It doesn't make one bit of difference to me," he said. "Wherever we
play, be it in North Carolina or somewhere out in Europe, it doesn't make
one difference. It just goes down to who's going to be the better team on
Saturday."
Morris Out, White Steps to the Forefront
The receiving corps took a major hit on Saturday when star wide out Torey
Morris broke his foot against Syracuse. The junior from Toms River, NJ, is
expected to miss significant action, and could be out for the year.
The injury couldn't have come at a worse time for the Pirates, what with
the bulk of the conference schedule still looming. What's more, Morris has
been the most steady performer in a group of pass catchers that has been
plagued with inconsistency this season, leading the team with 192 yards
receiving.
One of the receivers on whom David Garrard will depend to pick up Morris'
load is White, whose play the past two weeks is drawing comparisons to
another receiver that wears purple, the Minnesota Viking's Chris Carter. In
the Pirates' last two games, White has hauled in two catches, both of which
resulted in touchdowns.
It is that type of play that will be needed if the Pirates are to win in
Chapel Hill and build momentum for the conference run. Morris' presence will
be sorely missed, and White recognizes the need for the receiving corps to
fill the void.
"Torey Morris is one of our better receivers, and one of our main
weapons," he said. "But myself, Aaron Harris, Arnie Powell, Derrick Collier,
Terrance Copper, Richard Alston and Richard Hourigan have got to step up.
Whenever you get your number called, you've got to be ready to step up."
Easier said than done for a unit that, at times, has suffered from a case
of the drops. Against Syracuse, a perfectly thrown ball hit receiver Aaron
Harris in stride. But instead of hauling it in and dashing for the end zone,
the ball ricocheted into the waiting arms of Orangeman safety Quentin
Harris, killing an opportunity for the Pirates to take control of the game.
It is that type of mistake that must be avoided against the Tar Heels.
"If you have four turnovers, chances are you're not going to win that
game, no matter who you play," White said. "If we can execute 100 percent,
there is not a doubt in my mind that we'll be OK against North Carolina."
White and his fellow receivers will face an additional challenge on
Saturday. With Garrard most likely facing constant pressure from the
Carolina front seven, ECU's receivers must find quick separation from a very
good Tar Heel secondary, led by cornerback Michael Waddell.
"If we can beat the defensive back really quickly, the chances are there
will be a higher percentage of a completion." White said. "David (Garrard)
is going to be under a lot of pressure from Peppers and some of their very
good linebackers."
Though Morris will be missed, Logan indicated yesterday that his absence
will not alter ECU's gameplan against the Heels, though true freshman
Garrett Peterkin could see duty behind starting split end Derrick Collier.
UNC Defensive Front Comparable to Orange's
The Pirate offensive line passed its toughest test to date this past
Saturday, leading the way to a 275-yard rushing performance, the most
yielded by a tough SU defense that previously had held its own against
Georgia Tech, Tennessee, and Auburn.
But the task could be tougher this Saturday against Carolina, which is
allowing just 113 yards yards per contest on the ground and is lead by
perhaps the nation's best defensive front. Anchoring the Heel's front four
is All-Everything defensive end Julius Peppers.
Though containing Peppers is certainly a tall order, senior offensive
lineman Aaron Walker relishes the challenge.
"He's (Peppers) a great athlete," Walker said. "Anybody that can play
football and basketball on a major level has got to be pretty talented.
"I haven't really seen any film on him yet, but they're probably going to
be the best defensive front we've faced so far. It's going to be a
challenge, but I'm looking forward to it."
With the help of Walker, the offensive line's performance has been
reminiscent of the unit that spear-headed Scott Harley to a 1,745-yard
record-breaking season in 1996. Current running back Leonard Henry is within
striking distance of several ECU and C-USA rushing records.
The line's pass-blocking has been relatively effective, too, with Garrard
having enough protection to pick apart opposing defenses when on-target
passes aren't dropped.
Not bad for a unit that had to do some reshuffling after a game-one
injury to four-year starter Chris Nelson. The unit's progress comes as no
surprise to Walker.
"The young guys that have had to step up have stepped up for the most
part," Walker said. "It hasn't really surprised me because I knew those guys
had the ability to do it, they just had to get the chance."
"With the injury to Chris Nelson early, a lot of young guys had to step
in. They've done the job so far — we've got to see if we can keep it going."
The O-line is a work in progress according to Logan, who feels the
coaching staff has pin-pointed the right personnel but is still tinkering
with the positioning of those players.
"We thought we had pieced that thing back together a little bit going
into the Syracuse game, and in fact, we had to make another adjustment
during the game," he said. "So, we're still not quite fixed yet.
"We think we've got our five best on the field, but I don't know that
we've got them in the right positions. There may be a position switch at
guard/tackle still yet to come."
Walker vs. Sims Match-up Has Palmetto
State Angle
ECU's best five will certainly have its hands full on Saturday, trying to
contain a defensive front that Logan feels is slightly better than the one
it faced against Syracuse.
"I think they're a little bit better than Syracuse from the standpoint of
the young man that plays inside for them, (Ryan) Sims," he said. "Syracuse
didn't have one of those guys.
Still, the UNC and SU fronts mirror each other enough that Logan feels
the Pirates already have somewhat of an idea of the athletic talent they'll
face on Saturday.
"Certainly, with the young men they've (Syracuse) got up front, last
week's game will at least give us an idea of what it is we're getting ready
to deal with, the front seven that Carolina's got," he said.
Many still remember Sims' comments over the summer that the Carolina
program must be at an all-time low if it is being compared to ECU
physically.
Though such a comment alone would seem to be enough motivation for
Walker, the Columbia, SC, native has a little added incentive to perform
well on Saturday.
"I'm looking forward to blocking him (Sims), because he's from South
Carolina," Walker said. "I like South Carolina natives.
"I haven't seen any film yet, but from what coach (Logan) is telling me,
he's a pretty good guy. Being from South Carolina, I can expect that."
That battle in the trenches between the two Palmetto State natives might
well turn out to be one of the game's turning points.
Send an e-mail message to Denny O'Brien.
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archives.
02/23/2007 01:41:22 AM
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