RALEIGH — Ryan Finley finished his career at N.C. State 1-1 against East Carolina, the win coming Saturday at Carter-Finley Stadium in dominating fashion, 58-3, as the transfer from Boise State completed 32 of 44 passes for 409 yards and three touchdowns.
Finley threw a rare interception to Daniel Charles late in the first half as showers began to fall on the nonconference rivalry.
The Wolfpack improved to 9-3 with the help of the package that Finley provides in terms of consistency, leadership and talent.
His loss to the Pirates came in his second game for State in 2016, when a final Wolfpack drive came up short in a 33-30 loss in Greenville.
Since then, Finley has provided a generally stable influence for the Wolfpack offense. East Carolina, in contrast, has had a revolving door at the quarterback position.
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Philip Nelson, Gardner Minshew, Thomas Sirk, Reid Herring and Holton Ahlers have all made starts for the Pirates as Finley has been guiding State.
Former Pirate defensive back Kevin Monroe said on the Bonesville Pregame Podcast that Ahlers gave ECU “a 30 percent chance” of a win in Raleigh on Saturday with his run-throw package. But the left-handed true freshman, dinged up in a 56-6 loss at Cincinnati last week, did not put on his pads for the final game of the season.
Herring tried to fill in but was ineffective behind an offensive front decimated by injuries. Herring went out with a shoulder injury in the third quarter. Kingsley Ifedi came in but his only pass resulted in a pick-six for the Wolfpack.
Down to fourth-stringer
Fourth-string walk-on Caiden Norman finished the game at quarterback for ECU. Norman was directing the attack when the Pirates avoided a shutout with a game-ending 46-yard field goal by Jake Verity. The boot was set up by a 53-yard run by Anthony Scott, who scored the winning touchdown against the Pack in 2016.
“Obviously, not a good day,” said defensive coordinator David Blackwell, who served as coach with the dismissal of Scottie Montgomery on Thursday.
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The Pirates were 3-9 for the third straight season since Ruffin McNeil was fired. The teams ECU beat in 2018 (North Carolina, Old Dominion and Connecticut) had similar degrees of inexperience among their quarterbacks.
Out of minus yards
Scott’s late explosion play got the Pirates out of negative numbers in rushing. Herring was eight of 22 for 69 yards with one pick. Norman completed one of two for four yards.
When Finley wasn’t flinging, he was giving the ball to senior back Reggie Gallaspy, who ran for 220 yards and two touchdowns.
State led 32-4 in first downs and 655-104 in total yardage with Ahlers in a spectator’s role. Once again, the Pirates trailed in turnover margin. This time, it was minus-2.
“Defensively, we got wore down,” Blackwell said.
Situation with Ahlers
Ahlers said after the Cincinnati game he expected to play against State. He was dealing with a right knee ailment and a hurt non-throwing hand as he practiced on Wednesday.
“”He was not 100 percent,” Blackwell said. “That’s not who we are. We’re not going to put him out there if he’s not ready to play. Obviously, it impacts you. I thought Reid did some good things. He missed on some throws, but it was obvious he was a little rusty. He hasn’t played a lot. When we lost Reid, it really affected us.
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“When you’re down two quarterbacks with the injuries you have on the offensive line, it’s very challenging offensively. It kind of magnified and caught up with us in the second half — our inability to get first downs and keep the defense off the field.”
Scoring streak continues
The Pirates have not been shut out since a 56-0 loss at Syracuse on Oct. 4, 1997. ECU managed to continue the ninth longest scoring streak in the Football Bowl Subdivision.
Verity was given an opportunity in a 4th-and-14 situation to close the game.
“Why not?” Blackwell said. “He’s the best kicker in the country. Why not give him a chance?”
Verity had some history on his side. There has never been a shutout in the series State leads, 17-13. Both programs have four wins this millennium.
Blackwell addresses negativity
Some elements of the fan base had been calling for Montgomery’s ouster and seemed pleased to see him go. Blackwell, an ECU alumnus, shared his thoughts on general negativity toward the program.
“I challenge our fans and fan base to get behind whoever the next coach is,” Blackwell said. “Get behind the program and get in the stands. Let’s be proud of our university because it’s our university. It’s my university. When I was at Clemson, after every game, the first thing I did was see how East Carolina did. When I was at Pitt, the first thing I did was see how East Carolina did.
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‘It’s my university for the rest of my life, good and bad, and it always will be. The one thing that I will always be is a Pirate. I care about this university. Our fans and our people, we’ve got to lose some of the negativity around our university. … We’ve got to come back together as a fan base.”
McGhin shares feelings
Senior captains Garrett McGhin, an offensive lineman, and Cannon Gibbs, a linebacker, appeared in the postgame interview session following Blackwell.
McGhin voiced optimism about the future of the program despite the dire circumstances of the present.
“There is a light at the (end of the) tunnel,” McGhin said. “There’s guys who are doing the right thing on and off the field. There’s good character guys in that room. There’s no doubt in my mind that ECU will be back up to the standard which we hold for ourselves.”
McGhin characterized the disappointment of his final season at ECU.
“Imagine taking everything you worked for and somebody just ripping it out of your chest and throwing it on the ground,” McGhin said. “It almost makes you feel like you don’t even matter. It’s been one of the hardest things to ever go through. I pray that nobody in that locker room ever has to go out the same way that I did.
“I just want this university to get back to where its standard is because it’s done so much for me and it’s been a blessing to me. I’m truly thankful to be able to be a Pirate.”
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Return to Raleigh imminent
ECU will open the 2019 season against State at Carter-Finley Stadium.
“No knock on anybody, but we’re out there with our fourth-string quarterback,” Gibbs said. “That’s tough. … We’ve got another opportunity, the young guys, to come back up and change it. … It was awful. It’s not the standard here at ECU.”
The Pirates had won their last three matchups against State. This year’s game was an addition to the schedule after both teams missed games on Sept. 15 due to Hurricane Florence.
“I’m definitely excited to see those guys compete, fresh, no injuries hopefully,” Gibbs said. “Be able to compete and get some revenge.”
ECU’s administration provided the fuel for the dumpster-fire that Compher lit on the way to the bank to pick up his $1.2 mil check. Scottie can also buy a lot of marshmallows to roast with his $800K. I wonder where old Staton is at with his $500 million dollar campaign? Apparently not far enough not to pass on the balance of his incompetence to the students. I hope that the business school is utilizing this administrations exploits as a teaching tool of what not to do. It seems that my Alma Mater has strayed from its roots by hiring outsiders who know little of the schools history or the demographics of the population it serves. I think of Coach Jerry Moore, after being asked about the prospect of App St. moving up to D1a , who said something like, “Bigger is not better. ‘Better’ is better.” In my opinion, our problems on the football field go way beyond athletics and after this humbling experience, I hope we can all get some perspective and focus back to our motto of service and get ‘better’.
Also, I wonder if we could sell “the house that Cecil built” after he pulls the ripcord on his golden parachute? We could use the profits to pay off some of debt he created. And perhaps next time, we could find someone to run the University who won’t be embarrassed to live in that lovely house on 5th street.
If you go back to Ruffin’s last year, we’ve had eight QB’s since Shane Carden graduated in 2014. Add Blake Kemp, James Summers, and even though he never made a start for us, Kurt Benkert, who transferred to UVa, when Scottie decided to go with Nelson after his first spring practice. That’s nine in the mix since Shane. You can’t win if you don’t have consistency at the QB position. I hope our next coach builds his team and offensive philosophy around Ahlers abilities. Go Pirates, Kirk Edgerton
ECU is fortunate that Holton Ahlers is a homeboy; otherwise, he too would probably be a fight risk, and who could blame him? Hopefully Verity stays, and hopefully they get another year of eligibility for Harvey.
Speaking of Ahlers’ future, whoever’s the next guy sure as hell first and foremost better be thinking about that OL; mercy, what a travesty, though I know injuries had a lot to do with it. …and the secondary, too, speaking of dumpster fires.
…but after all, and above all, I have to hand it to Garrett McGhin’s classy statement about the university after three miserable seasons a reminder that adversity doesn’t build character; it defines it.
Ahlers would have been great at NCSU. It would have been a perfect opportunity for him to be developed properly around players of his ilk with solid coaching. He would definitely have had a redshirt year and would likely start next year. I am glad he chose ECU for selfish reasons, but under our current circumstances, If I were his father, I would have encouraged a different choice. When I saw him on the sidelines yesterday, I could not help but wonder if anything like that flashed through his mind.
Do keep in mind that Dave Doeren has not started a quarterback that he recruited as a freshman during his entire tenure at NCSU. All have transferred in as upperclassmen, including the quarterback that is currently projected as starter for next year. NCSU has also had several OC’s to go with the different quarterbacks, as is with the current OC-quarterback package that both came from the same school, and results have been mixed. We may be able to question if NCSU can actually “develop” a quarterback, but there is no question that the programs are currently moving in opposite directions. Supportive AD, no AD. Coach that made it through the struggle, coach fired during the struggle. Fans at cold rainy game, few fans on a warm sunny day! We can change direction by starting with getting rid of this wasteful rebranding effort to be called ECU. We are already known as ECU, but be proud, and supportive of East Carolina University!
If the articles are true we now have a “Real Deal” Coach in Houston. Also we have an AD that Dave Hart has a deep relationship with and I’m sure approved of the Houston hire in his talks with Hart. Things in one day have gone from murky to much clearer. Which is very exciting. I know there is much work to do but I think this is the type of hire and day that we could look back on as a game changer. Ahlers is our future and will now get the attention and development he deserves. I truly believe we have better players than we think. Also think the recruits we have will recognize this as a great hire for the University and for them. It’s a good day to be a Pirate after a three year funk.
GO PIRATES!!!!!!