Bonesville Mobile Alpha Rev. 2.1a*
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ECU at North Carolina
By
Kevin Monroe East Carolina can defeat North Carolina on Saturday if it performs well in these aspects of the game: GOOD QUARTERBACK PLAY Going back to last season, East Carolina's wins and losses have mirrored the quarterback play. When Dominique Davis played well last year, the entire offense flourished and the Pirates won games. When he struggled, the team struggled and the games invariably ended in losses. This season has been no different. In game one versus Appalachian State, Rio Johnson struggled in the first half and the Pirates were up only 14-13 at halftime. In the second half, Rio played well and the Pirates won by three touchdowns. Last week against South Carolina, bad decisions and poor throws stalled the offense and put the defense in tough positions all day long. Shane Carden will get the start on Saturday and if the Pirates are going to do well, they will have to get a strong performance from their new signal caller. CONTAIN ALFORD It didn’t take long for Southern Miss freshman quarterback Anthony Alford to win the starting job from junior Chris Campbell. Alford was a national recruit coming out of high school in the state of Mississippi, and decided to go to Southern Miss. He is one of the most dynamic players the Pirates will face all seasons. Coming off the bench last week, Alford rushed for 84 yards on just 15 carries (5.6 yards per carry). He was only 1-of-5 passing versus Nebraska, but he has the throwing ability to do big things in the passing game. ECU must keep Alford in the pocket and not allow him to beat them with his legs. WIN THE TURNOVER WAR After last week’s five-turnover effort, I can’t in good conscience change this key. The Pirates have coughed up 7 turnovers in two games, 5 of them interceptions. On the road against a team as talented as the Golden Eagles, the Pirates can ill afford to continue that turnover trend. The play of new starting quarterback Shane Carden will really set the tone in this game. His first series in the South Carolina game ended with an interception. Southern Miss got no takeaways from Nebraska. Offensively, the Golden eagles turned the ball over only once versus the vaunted black shirts defense. BOTTOM LINE The Southern Mississippi-East Carolina series has a long history with the Golden Eagles dominating 27-10. The Pirates won two of the last four meetings and managed to win back-to-back conference championships after those victories. The championship of the East division has often gone to the winner of this game in recent years. It will take a total team effort for ECU to prevail. Taking care of the ball on offense and establishing the running game early will greatly boost the Pirates' chances. Containing Alford and tightening up the passing defense are mandatory parts of a winning formula. Lastly, there is room for improvement on ECU's special teams. The return game was nonexistent against the Gamecocks, and placekicker Warren Harvey has missed the mark on 3-of-4 field goal attempts in his first two games. PAGE UPDATED 09/22/12 03:17 PM. |
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