View from the East Friday, February 22, 2013 By Al Myatt

One more season in C-USA

By Al Myatt
©2013 Bonesville.net
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Football membership in the Big East for East Carolina was sort of like reaching a promised land.

It represented the culmination of efforts over the years to improve facilities and performance in a range of sports. Hopefully, the invitation will evolve into a home for all Pirate programs as the Big East redefines itself with the pending exit of seven basketball-oriented Catholic schools.

But as that situation goes forward, ECU still has a tour of duty in Conference USA for the 2013-14 school year. As this winter's strength and conditioning program gives way to spring practice in football before returning to summer workouts under Coach Jeff Connors and then the outset of preseason camp in August, ECU likely will emerge as a favorite in the new East Division lineup of C-USA.

Gone will be defending East Division champion Central Florida. Memphis also will join the Knights in the Big East in 2013. The Tigers' departure takes away the premier basketball program from C-USA as well as a developing football entity in the division.

ECU's division loses those two programs and adds three for next season. The newcomers include Florida Atlantic, Florida International and Middle Tennessee State for a total of seven teams in 2013. Alabama-Birmingham, Marshall and Southern Miss return.

In the West Division, Houston and Southern Methodist are moving to the Big East. The additions are Louisiana Tech, North Texas and Texas-San Antonio. Rice, Texas-El Paso, Tulane and defending division champion Tulsa will be back.

That's 14 possibilities for the C-USA championship game on Dec. 7. ECU's focus is much more immediate but there is a mindset in place to be playing that Saturday.

"The Big East move is there and it's in front of us," said ECU coach Ruffin McNeill. "But we only think about things we can control and that's the here and now. Right now, we're in preparation for spring."

The Pirates are scheduled to open spring practice March 25. The spring game is set for April 20.

Assuming a favorite's role in C-USA is some way down chronologically on the Pirates' to-do list.

"We always have expectations and goals for our team," McNeill said. "We always have that vision for our team. One of the most important things that can be overlooked and normally is overlooked is the process — making sure the players and coaches and everybody involved, managers, sports medicine — everybody involved in the football program understands that the process is the most important thing.

"The goals and the vision they are there but what we're emphasizing right now is the process toward those goals. ... The way that we'll handle any expectations is that none will be higher than ours. What comes right behind that is making sure that we understand the process and embrace it. That's where we are with that."

The Pirates are scheduled to open that 2013 season at home on Aug. 31 against Old Dominion, which joins C-USA in 2014. The matchup with the Monarchs will be the first of four with teams ECU has never played in football. The three former Sun Belt teams — Florida Atlantic (home, Sept. 7), Middle Tennessee (away, Oct. 5) and Florida International (away, Nov. 2) — present an element of the unknown. It's a little different than facing opponents where there may be some continuity from year to year in terms of schemes and personnel.

ECU didn't meet a team it had not faced in its football history during an 8-5 season in 2012.

"It's always different when you have a new opponent on your schedule," McNeill said. "Just as they are new to our coaches and our program, it's the same for us. We'll be new to them as well. In the offseason, we'll try to get as much film as possible on each team. ... We'll make sure we have as much knowledge as we can."

ECU's new defensive coordinator, Rick Smith, will be a source for research for the programs the Pirates will play.

The intelligence files on the opposition only go so far in terms of the factors that produce success. The bulk of the process comes from within.

"We'll do our due diligence as far as the film study and preparing that way," McNeill said. "The primary emphasis will be making sure we are as focused as we can be and understand that it's going to take a sustained effort and focus to make sure we really dive in and embrace the process. That's the biggest thing right now."

ODU, Florida Atlantic, Middle Tennessee and Florida International will all get their share of attention from ECU as the 2013 season unfolds. There may be some role reversal for the Pirates, who have been the up and comers in many instances during their football journey. McNeill said there will be plenty of chips to go around.

"We welcome the new teams into the conference," McNeill said. "We've always played with a chip on our shoulders here. I think maybe the conference has as well. We'll all have that chip on our shoulders. It won't just be East Carolina. ... We'll just keep worrying about ourselves and making sure we do all the things we can do every day to make sure we're the best we can be and that we improve each day."

Opportunities to learn, support and socialize

McNeill has been involved in coaching since he finished playing at ECU in 1979. He'll be sharing some of the wisdom his coaching experience has produced at a Nike clinic in St. Louis today.

McNeill is scheduled to speak specifically on linebacker play. He always tries to pick up some information in addition to that which he imparts in such settings.

"If you go to a clinic and learn one item, you really have advanced yourself," McNeill said. "You're always trying to expand your knowledge and your craft if you can."

The Pirate staff is in demand as speakers. Connors will be doing a clinic in Indiana, near the NFL combine. Offensive coordinator Lincoln Riley spoke recently in Charlotte. Running backs coach and special teams coordinator Kirk Doll has a pending engagement in South Carolina.

McNeill plans to attend the funeral of Sam Hardy, the father of outstanding receiver Justin Hardy, on Saturday.

"That's been a tough deal," McNeill said. "Unexpected. ... That's some of the family part, not the business part like the Nike deal."

The ECU coach and wife Erlene will soon be making a circuit of Pirate Club gatherings throughout the region.

"We look forward to those travels and those engaging conversations that we always have at each stop," McNeill said.

Competition designed for development

As spring ball approaches, there is not a wide open, four-man battle for the quarterback position in the works such as the one which characterized the sessions a year ago.

But competition remains very much an element in the overall design for improvement.

"We want to create competition every day at every position," McNeill said. "That's the goal of recruiting and of offseason development. It's very important that we continue to increase competition. The better the competition, no matter the position, whether it's the quarterback or the offensive line or linebacker — the more competition at each position makes that position better because they keep trying to outperform themselves each day and whoever is competing against them."

Spring also will be an integral part in the maturation process of the next ECU football team.

"I'm looking forward to spring," McNeill said. " ... I'm looking forward to getting around the kids on the field. ... Every team is new. Every team is different. I'm anxious to see this team's personality begin to develop in spring. ... It's got a chance to be a special group."

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PAGE UPDATED 02/22/13 06:55 PM.