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SURVEYING THE LANDSCAPE
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Pirate Notebook No. 343
Monday, April 28, 2008

By Denny O'Brien

UAB looms as danger game

By Denny O'Brien
©2008 Bonesville.net
All Rights Reserved.

East Carolina’s 2008 football schedule is generating plenty of fuss. Thank athletics director Terry Holland, whose non-conference scheduling philosophy is balanced with regional rivals and national heavyweights.

And there is no shortage of either on next season's docket.

From the openers against perennial powers Virginia Tech and West Virginia to short treks to North Carolina State and Virginia, four games against attractive Bowl Championship Series opponents highlight the schedule. All are easily accessible for fans, and there is a sentiment among them that the experienced Pirates have a legitimate shot in each.

What isn’t receiving as much attention – as is always the case – is a lineup of Conference USA opponents that could present tricky footing for Skip Holtz and his staff. That starts with an early-season trip to Tulane and the barren Louisiana Superdome, and ends at home with a Friday afternoon shootout with Texas-El Paso.

From defending gimmick-heavy offenses to visiting half-empty stadiums, many challenges await East Carolina along its C-USA tour. Historically it’s been a mental minefield for ECU, one that has produced enough emotional letdowns to prevent the Pirates from capturing the league crown.

In most cases the heartbreak was delivered from less-talented opponents. Consider this history lesson:

• In 1999, the nationally-ranked Pirates lead at UAB 17-3, only to get blanked 30-0 after intermission. The prize? Another trip to Alabama, this time to Mobile to get hammered by Texas Christian in the inaugural Mobile Bowl.

• A 2000 trip to Memphis produced a 17-10 shocker by the Tigers, who were led by third-string quarterback Scott Scherer. That and a home loss to UAB were especially perplexing when you consider the Pirates belted both Southern Miss and Louisville on the road.

• UAB applied the early-season damage in 2006, while Rice nailed the coffin shut. When you combine the attendance for both games, it would have filled a modest-sized high school venue.

• Last year it was 1-8 Marshall. At the time, most Herd fans were pondering potential coaching replacements, while ECU’s constituency was preparing to host the C-USA title game. Only West Virginia beat the Pirates more thoroughly in 2007.

Fast forward to 2008, and there are plenty of potential spoilers lining the schedule.

Tulane looms as a possibility, though it’s hard to imagine the Pirates lacking focus in the conference opener. After games against both the Hokies and Mountaineers, ECU should be battle-tested enough to handle the mental rigors of an empty Superdome.

The bigger question is the November 22 trip to Legion Field to face UAB.

While the Blazers should be improved from Coach Neil Callaway’s inaugural campaign, there will be a significant talent gap that separates the two. The Pirates should enter the game a solid favorite, but there are several factors that keep this from earning a gimmee distinction.

For starters, there’s location. Strange things happen in Alabama. Very strange. And when Legion Field is the backdrop, the ultimate pitfalls are borderline paranormal.

There was the phantom timeout taken by Alabama in 1998, which allowed the Tide to regroup and stave off the Pirates’ upset bid. Legend has it that Bear Bryant divinely intervened to preserve the one-point victory.

Then there was Phillip Henry’s fumble against UAB in 2006. ECU’s improbable comeback fell one-yard short when the ball – and the Pirates’ hopes – dislodged with only seconds remaining.

But location is only one part of this eerie equation. Not to be overlooked is UAB’s positioning on the schedule, a spot that has provided tremendous difficulty the past two seasons.

In both 2006 and 2007 the scenarios were similar:

Firmly at the wheel of C-USA’s East division. Next to the last game of the season. On the road. Inferior opponent.

That again could be the setting when the Pirates face the Blazers this November. If so, will the Pirates have the mental focus and execution to finally get over the C-USA hump?

Many will likely measure East Carolina’s progress by its performances against Virginia Tech, West Virginia, N.C. State, and Virginia. That’s normal for almost every program that doesn’t reside in a BCS conference.

But for ECU to take the proverbial next step it must prove it can navigate the tricky waters of C-USA. UAB presents a giant measuring stick from that perspective.

Send an e-mail message to Denny O'Brien.

Dig into Denny O'Brien's Bonesville archives.

04/28/2008 12:14:44 AM

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