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Go Pirates! Pack, Heels, too?

By Al Myatt
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The East Carolina football team is focused on preparing to take care of its business in the Conference USA East Division race but the Pirates could possibly use a little help from North Carolina and N.C. State, too.

That's because of the tiebreaking criteria in Conference USA for hosting the league championship game. If the Pirates were to win the division, which likely means winning at Marshall on Nov. 29, and ECU is tied with the West Division winner on its record in C-USA play, then the team with the higher BCS ranking will host the conference championship game on Dec. 7.

The BCS incorporates some rankings into its formula, such as the Sagarin Ratings, which have a strength of schedule component.

The better the teams that the Pirates have played — or will play — perform, the better ECU's strength of schedule will be — and the better chance the Pirates have to be in Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium on Dec. 7.

That wouldn't include losing to the Wolfpack on Nov. 23, but other than that ECU fans should hope State wins at Boston College this week and at home against Maryland on Nov. 30.

North Carolina travels to Pitt this week. Then the Tar Heels host Old Dominion (Nov. 23) and Duke (Nov. 30).

I'm not sure how it would play out for ECU (7-2, 5-1 C-USA) with the ODU-UNC outcome since the Pirates have wins over both, but a Heels win over the Blue Devils could be beneficial for ECU.

Right now, the Pirates are the highest rated C-USA team in the BCS standings at No. 47. Next among the league teams is potential West winner North Texas at No. 55. Rice is at No. 58, followed by Tulane (69), Middle Tennessee (72) and Marshall (75).

The BCS standings are some of that "outside noise" as far as those within the ECU program are concerned.

The immediate focus Wednesday was the next practice for a 2 p.m. league game Saturday at home against Alabama-Birmingham (2-7, 1-4).

"That's been the model of what we've tried to do since I've got here," said fourth-year Pirates coach Ruffin McNeill. "It's how we perform and how we play and making sure we do the best we can each day.

"That will give us the best chance to win the game on Saturday."

Cold front comes in

McNeill said Tuesday's practice was affected by the cold front, which dropped temperatures below freezing by Wednesday morning.

"We got through it and then we did our after meetings inside," said the Pirates coach. "The kids were happy and the coaches were, too. They said, 'Great call, boss.' They ran off the field fast. I've never seen them run that fast, ever."

The front came through during practice so many of the coaches and players had not dressed for the change.

A warming trend is supposed to begin today with a high around 67 degrees in the forecast for game day.

Kicking situation

Anyone who follows the program knows that Pirates kicker Warren Harvey has been struggling. After making eight of his first 11 field goal attempts this season, Harvey has connected on just four of his last 10 tries.

With ECU facing a 4th-and-5 at the Tulsa 23 on its first possession, the last week, the Pirates went for it rather than try a 40-yard field goal. Shane Carden threw incomplete on fourth down.

Late in the 58-24 win over the Golden Hurricane, ECU sent Davis Plowman in for a 19-yard field goal that gave the Pirates a 45-24 lead with 4:56 left to play.

Plowman, listed as a transfer from Texas A&M, also has spelled Harvey at times for kickoff duties. Plowman kicked off twice against Tulsa and was in for the last conversion kick.

Harvey was 6-for-6 on PATs.

"Like we do at each position, we're providing a little competition battle," McNeill said. "Warren has had some struggles but before the game is when we decide when and where to go for it.

"I pull the trigger on fourth down a lot."

McNeill confers with special teams coach Kirk Doll before kickoff to determine a distance for field goal attempts. Against Tulsa, McNeill said, the distance was from "the 20 in." The distance is often determined by how the kickers warm up.

"4th-and-5 is a makeable distance for us," McNeill said. "Outside the 20, we make a decision on fourth down. I have to look at the flow of the game, the time of the game. That's where game management comes in for me. I look at time, where we are and momentum and how they're playing us. ... That's my decision and I tell Lincoln (Riley, offensive coordinator) to go for it or I might tell him 'You've got four downs.' "

McNeill has the offense on channel A of his headset, the defense on channel B and special teams on the third channel.

"I might tell Coach (Rick) Smith (defensive coordinator) that we're going for it or I might tell Linc, 'Just get us in field goal range here' or 'We need three.'" McNeill said. "That sort of thing. There's a lot more strategy than people realize. That's how I do it to make the best-educated guess. ... I listen to all of them."

UAB ground attack

Jordan Howard averages 96.6 yards rushing per game for the Blazers and Darrin Reaves averages 86.2.

"They've got two really good running backs," McNeill said. "Both of those guys can run the football. They've gone to more of a two tight end, three tight end, fullback-type set trying to just ground and pound and run time off the clock.

"We have to be really stout on defense, get off the field on third down and also be efficient on our possessions on offense. We need great play out of special teams."

ECU's defense ranks seventh in the Football Bowl Subdivision against the run , allowing 96.7 yards per game.

Tulsa's Trey Watts became the first back to gain over 100 yards against the Pirates this season as he ran for 120 yards on 27 carries. Watts had 108 yards on 20 carries at the half.

Watts is the son of former U.S. Congressman and Oklahoma Sooners quarterback J.C. Watts.

"He's one of the best backs in the league," McNeill said. "He has a chance to play at the next level. He's quick. We knew that going into the game. We just wanted to corral him as much as possible. We did a good job with adjustments on him.

"The coaches will get a handle on it once they see what's happening."

Attendance

The Pirates may be victims of their own success to an extent in regard to attendance. The Golden Hurricane, at 2-6 coming in, didn't inspire the ECU fan base to get to Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium in capacity numbers last week. The crowd was announced at 44,076.

"I'm expecting 50,000 this week," McNeill said. "I'm going to expect that every week. They provide so much energy for our team. It's Senior Day, a great day to honor our seniors. I'm expecting Pirate Nation to come out in full force."

Seniors

Last year's Senior Day produced a 65-59 win over Marshall in double overtime.

Another group of Pirates will play their last regular season home game on Saturday afternoon.

"They've been a great group," McNeill said. "That's my core. It's a large core. They believe in our foundation. That's no egos, no entitlement, teamwork.

"We've got a lot more work to do, more room to grow, but they've been excellent to work with and it's an honor to be their coach."

E-mail Al Myatt

PAGE UPDATED 11/14/13 04:38 AM.

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