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Eye patch symbolizes blind spots

By Al Myatt
©2014 Bonesville.net
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Pirates go into season opener lacking clarity about NCCU schemes

Season openers have provided some special moments in the career of East Carolina football coach Ruffin McNeill.

In his first start at strong safety for the Pirates at N.C. State in 1977, he made a touchdown-saving tackle in the final seconds of a 28-23 win.

"It was a back and forth game," McNeill said. "Johnny Evans was the (N.C. State) quarterback. A lot of us got our first start. Leander Green, Theodore Sutton. Mike Brewington. ... My roommate, Charlie Carter. Willie Holley. Billy Ray Washington. It was an exciting game."

In his first game as ECU head coach in 2010, a Hail Mary pass from Dominique Davis to Justin Jones produced the winning score in a 51-49 victory over visiting Tulsa.

"It was our first game here as a staff and we were able to pull it out," McNeill said. "Those two games stand out to me."

Game week began Sunday leading up to the 2014 season-opening football game with North Carolina Central at 8 p.m. Saturday at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium.

"The kids are excited," McNeill said Wednesday. "Like everyone across the country, they've trained hard all summer. Fall camp was very competitive. They've approached it well so far.

"We still have Thursday, Friday and Saturday to go to get ready for the game. It's progressing according to plan right now."

ECU, coming off a 10-3 season that concluded with a 37-20 bowl win over Ohio, has been more focused on streamlining its own systems because getting a handle on the Eagles under new coach Jerry Mack has been a speculative proposition.

"It's similar to what it was last year with Old Dominion," McNeill said. "Everybody has new wrinkles. (NCCU) has a new staff and they come from different places. It's always a little difficult to anticipate what they will do. Eventually, they'll settle down into a pattern."

The Pirates will be prepared to make adjustments on the fly.

"That's one reason we focus on East Carolina first and do what we do," said the ECU coach. "In games like this, that's where it's even more important. In a game with new coaches, it's even more imperative that we focus on East Carolina."

The Pirates have been looking at South Alabama tape, where Mack was wide receivers coach last year.

"You look at that but also all his coaches and where they've been, too," McNeill said. "That's a part of it."

That eye patch the Pirate mascot wears might be especially appropriate this week.

ECU may be blind as far as getting ready for specific schemes from the Eagles, but McNeill has seen good things from his guys.

"It's what we began from day one," McNeill said. "There's a commitment to the team. There's also a commitment to the focus and the mission. It's very important that we keep that.

"I like the fact that they understand that process, being committed to the team, embracing your role, doing everything you can to make the team better.

"The vision is to approach each day. I know the game is Saturday but what's more important is today. Today is even more important than the game right now, not just the day but within the day, having great reps during practice. Everything, from meetings to focus. This team will be defined by commitment to the team, commitment to the mission and the vision."

The Pirates plan to make the relatively late kickoff work for them.

"We welcome it because of how we approach and prepare with film," McNeill said. "We'll also give them a chance to sit back and relax and maybe watch some games of the day. We have a plan for that as well as early games.

"We're always tightening the screws. The hay is never in the barn for us. We'll use that day, every minute and every second we can to prepare."

McNeill expressed confidence that ECU can overcome personnel losses on the offensive line, in the secondary and at running back.

The Pirates will have a new adornment on their uniforms, an "A" logo stitched on to the jerseys representing ECU's new membership in the American Athletic Conference.

It's time for all of the offseason work and preseason preparations to come together.

"All three sides of the football jelling will be key," McNeill said. "The fourth side, our sideline, being very enthusiastic and supportive.

"Execution is always important on all three sides of the ball. Substitutes need to do their job and we need to make routine plays. It always comes down to blocking and tackling.

"In simple terms, we have to block well and we have to tackle well — in all games — but especially in first games."

Billerman to quarterback Eagles

Quinn Billerman is expected to start his first game at quarterback for NCCU after transferring from New Mexico Military Institure. He is the son of Kevin Billerman, a two-time team captain for the Duke basketball program, who averaged 10.2 points per game during his Blue Devils career from 1973 to 1975. Kevin Billerman coached Florida Atlantic for four seasons from 1995 to 1999 and has since been the varsity boys basketball coach at Ravenscroft High School in Raleigh, where his son played on the prep level.

The younger Billerman passed for 2,962 yards and 34 touchdowns at NMMI last season, both school records. His best game produced 494 passing yards and six scores against Scottsdale Community College.

ECU transfer Blake Kemp quarterbacked host Mesa Community College against Billerman's Broncos last season. Kemp completed 48 of 67 for 445 yards with five TDs and two interceptions in a 48-31 Mesa win on Nov. 2.

Billerman was 17 for 44 for 185 yards with two TDs and an interception.

NCCU has return threat

Adrian Wilkins will provide a threat for ECU coverage teams to contain. Wilkins took three kickoffs back for touchdowns last season as a sophomore and also returned a pair of punts for scores.

The Eagles averaged 26.5 yards per kickoff return in 2013, which led the Football Championship Subdivision.

Ruff has history with historically black colleges

McNeill was recruited by N.C. Central when he was in high school at Lumberton.

"The first school to recruit me was Bill Hayes at North Carolina Central," McNeill said.

The Pirates coach has more connections to historically black colleges.

"My dad (Ruffin McNeill Sr.) is in the hall of fame at Johnson C. Smith," he said. "My mom was one of the top students at Barber-Scotia College, up in Concord. My parents attended great schools and they trained us well.

"My first attention came from North Carolina Central. After basketball practice, they were waiting on me and I met Coach Hayes, Bill Hayes. He's a good ball coach. He was the first one to come see me."

Movie under review

Part of the Pirates pregame routine is a movie on Friday night.

"We're still looking at it but I might go see 'Lucy,' " McNeill said. "That's supposed to be an exciting movie but we're still pondering a little bit on it."

The main character in "Lucy" has exceptional power through full use of her brain, according to the previews.

"That's the reason I like that one a little bit," McNeill said. "It has some action. Anything with action, I'm always good. The kids will enjoy it."

E-mail Al Myatt

PAGE UPDATED 08/28/14 04:47 AM.

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