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

Who could have predicted East Carolina’s current scenario given its amazing 3-0 start?

Certainly not me. And definitely not the national and regional talking heads who postured the Pirates as the next imposter to barge into a Bowl Championship Series berth in the postseason.

But as the Pirates reach the halfway mark of the 2008 season, they do so limping with an uninspiring .500 record. Long gone are predictions of an Orange Bowl invitation, while another loss will all but seal another year of Conference USA futility.

Such is ECU’s disappointing plight.

A season that started with so much enthusiasm and promise has quickly turned to one of disappointment and doubt. Instead of wondering if someone on the schedule can present a scare — that was the talk after the victory over West Virginia — the debate has turned to which of ECU’s remaining opponents is a definite win.

The answer to that is no one. If anything, you’d have to consider the Pirates a solid underdog in each of their next two games, especially if the past three weeks are an accurate barometer.

Memphis, for sure, presents a nightmare challenge for an offense that rarely scores combined with a defense that struggles against the pass. Just how the Pirates are going to defend that tall and talented Tigers’ receiving corps is one issue. Inventing an offense that can keep pace is another.

“It’s going to be a heck of a challenge,” Pirates coach Skip Holtz said about Memphis. “Having the opportunity to watch a little bit of that game (Friday) night, they have some of the tallest receivers on the field.

“Their quarterback is playing really well, and they’ve got an awful lot of balance. So, it isn’t going to be an easy challenge.”

It certainly isn’t. But at this stage, ECU’s biggest concerns aren’t the ones residing on the other sidelines, rather the unresolved questions occupying their own.

Right now there isn’t a pipe in the program’s plumbing that doesn’t have a leak. The offense, defense, and special teams all have a hand in the Pirates’ current slide, and it’s also tempting to wonder about the players’ chemistry and their behind-the-scenes demeanor.

Yet despite it all, East Carolina sits at the midway point of the season still in complete control of its championship destiny, a fact that almost seems impossible considering its three-game skid.

But not nearly as sobering as a trip to St. Pete should the Pirates again fail to claim the C-USA title.

That actually brings to mind the most perplexing footnote in ECU football history. For all the memorable victories over Top 25 opponents and bowl appearances, East Carolina has yet to win what almost everyone considers a mediocre league.

In their more than decade-long membership in C-USA, the Pirates have never fared much better than a bridesmaid. It’s particularly vexing when you compare ECU’s facilities, fan base, commitment, and tradition with the rest of its conference brethren.

Many believed this would be the year when ECU would end its C-USA drought. Given the program’s astute coaching staff, talent, and depth, the Pirates were a popular pick to finally win the East Division and land in the league championship game that has eluded them.

That’s still a realistic scenario, but the Pirates have no more mulligans at their expense.

Now the Pirates can’t afford to approach an offensive possession without a sense of urgency. That was visibly displayed only twice Saturday against Virginia, and there haven’t been many times this season when the offense has operated with a cohesive rhythm.

ECU also can’t afford to punctuate important defensive stops with deflating 15-yard penalties. Nor can the Pirates expect the defense to compensate for costly turnovers or one-yard punts.

One of Holtz’s favorite battle cries stresses the Pirates’ need to focus on humility, desire, and to never look past the next opponent on the schedule. East Carolina’s season has now been reduced to a point where it can’t look past the next play.

Virginia showed how costly that can be. If Memphis does, the Pirates can almost officially pencil themselves out of the C-USA race.