Austin Richardson was just a fifth grader when he first encountered Michael Hertz, then an assistant football coach at Porter Ridge High School. Hertz had already coached two of Richardson’s older brothers and was looking forward to Austin joining the Porter Ridge program as a freshman in 2014. But instead, Hertz and Richardson would go… [ Continue Reading ]

Although the linebacker positions weren’t necessarily a priority in East Carolina’s recruiting Class of 2018, the Pirates smartly didn’t pass up the opportunity to land two good ones. ECU snared a quality outside linebacker prospect back in early June when Gerard Stringer from Nansemond River High School in Suffolk, VA, chose the Pirates over offers… [ Continue Reading ]

Early in the 2014 season, South Iredell was clinging to a lead in the fourth quarter of a non-conference game against Hickory. But the Vikings’ defense had its back against the wall, facing a first-down-and-goal situation with several of its defensive linemen on the sideline suffering from leg cramps. With no other linemen available, South… [ Continue Reading ]

Donovan Noel didn’t realize when East Carolina offensive line coach Geep Wade invited him to the school’s football camp in June that it was for an audition. Noel, a 6-foot-4, 265-pound offensive lineman from Raleigh’s Millbrook High School, displayed enough talent and technique during the one-day affair that he left Greenville with a scholarship offer.… [ Continue Reading ]

Nolan Johnson and Jaren Rainey have been playing football together since the sixth grade, so it came as no surprise when choosing a college team they both picked East Carolina. The Southwest Guilford High School combo made verbal commitments to the Pirates within 11 days of one another, Rainey announcing his intentions on June 20… [ Continue Reading ]

East Carolina’s passing game has most often featured a receiver from the area of the state affectionately referred to as “Down East.” The exact boundaries of “Down East” are often varied. Some consider it anything east of the state capital of Raleigh, while others include all parts east of the Neuse River in the reference.… [ Continue Reading ]

Kendrick Pollock was still just the offensive coordinator at Jacksonville’s Northside High School in the spring of 2015 when returning players informed the coaching staff of a transfer arriving from Florida. “Some of the kids knew about him,” said Pollock, who was elevated to Northside’s head coach in 2016. “He’s from a military family, so… [ Continue Reading ]