Bonesville: The Authoritative Independent Voice of East Carolina

News & Features from ECU, the AAC and Beyond

  • Home
  • News & Features
  • Recruiting
  • Photos
  • Audio
  • Roundup
  • Comments
  • Legacy Archives

• ECU 2022 Football Schedule
• ECU 2022-23 Hoops Schedule
• ECU 2023 Baseball Schedule

— Recruiting Thumbnails —
Football: 2023 • Hoops: 2023-24

Insights from Brett
Houston’s rebuilding job off to modest start

December 2, 2019 By Brett Friedlander 1 Comment

Tweet
Share
Share
Pin

Success is a subjective pursuit.

There are no numbers to measure it or set standards to validate it.

Rather, success is a standard each of us define in our own individual terms. It means something different to everyone.

As such, beauty is in the eye of the beholder when it comes to East Carolina’s 2019 football season.

Looking at it strictly from a won-loss perspective, it would be hard not to classify the Pirates’ body of work as a success, since their four victories surpassed their total from each of the three previous years.

There are some, however, who have a hard time celebrating a season in which their team finished four games under .500, posted two of its four wins against FCS opponents and another against a now former conference rival that leaves the American Athletic Conference on an 19-game league losing streak.

It’s obvious how those inside the program classify their results in Mike Houston’s first season as ECU’s coach.

“Is (the program) in better shape today than it was a year ago? Yes,” Houston said after Saturday’s 49-24 loss to Tulsa. “Anybody that doesn’t see that or doesn’t say obviously is not paying a whole lot of attention.

“At the same time are we where we want to be? Not even close. We have very high expectations for East Carolina football. This is a great place. I think that we can win here. There’s no doubt. And we will get there.”

Despite the promise of Houston’s winning history — his teams finished first or second in their conference seven out of his eight previous seasons as a head coach — nobody realistically could have expected him to walk right in and fashion an immediate turnaround.

He’s a coach, not a miracle worker. And he was left a significant mess to clean up.

ECU head football coach Mike Houston (File photo by Al Myatt)

But even with the understanding that these things take time, there is a certain element of disappointment to the Pirates’ now-completed 2019 campaign because of how much better it could have been.

A pick six against Cincinnati here or a muffed kickoff at Southern Methodist there and we might be looking at things in a much different light right now.

Then there’s what happened at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium on Saturday.

Facing a Tulsa team that came in at 3-8, ranked 10th out of 12 teams in the AAC in scoring offense, all the ingredients were in place for ECU to finish on a high note that would invigorate both the players and a still-skeptical fan base going into the long offseason.

Instead, the Pirates gave up 338 yards rushing and 669 yards overall in a 25-point loss that was in many respects, hauntingly familiar to some of the defeats suffered during the tenure of former coach Scottie Montgomery.

If nothing else, Saturday’s defeat called attention to some of Houston’s top priorities between now and Sept. 5 — when Marshall comes to Greenville for ECU’s 2020 opener.

In addition to getting his players bigger, stronger and faster in the weight room and closer to graduation in the classroom, Houston and his staff need to hit the recruiting trail hard with an emphasis on deepening the program’s pool of defensive talent.

There’s also more work to do in changing the culture and raising the expectations among those already on the roster — an area in which significant strides have already been made.

Saturday’s result notwithstanding.

“I feel good about the culture in the locker room,” Houston said Saturday. “I am disappointed in the way we competed today. At the same time sometimes, I look up and there are so many freshmen in the huddle and the reality is we are playing against much older kids. So, we have to continue to do a great job of developing our young kids.

“We’ve got to recruit and we’ve got to continue to grow the program. We have said it many times — it didn’t get this way overnight and it’s not going to get fixed overnight. It’s going to take time to get the program back where we all want it to be.”

With that in mind, let’s chalk 2019 up as a success. A modest one, but still a success — one that comes with the understanding that the definition of the term will change next season and beyond as the bar continues to be raised.

ECU 2019 FOOTBALL SCHEDULE
HOUSTON’S REBUILDING EFFORT OFF TO MODEST START
TULSA SWAMPS PIRATES IN SEASON FINALE
AUDIO: MIKE HOUSTON POSTGAME
GAME DAY PHOTO GALLERY
DUKES DOWN ECU, 99-89
AUDIO: BONESVILLE PREGAME PODCAST
PIRATES PROGRESSING, HUNGRY FOR WIN NO. 5
THINGS I’M THANKFUL FOR AROUND PIRATE NATION
HELP IS ON THE WAY FOR ECU RUNNING GAME
PIRATES LOOK TO BUILD ON LATE-SEASON TREND
FATEFUL PLAY SECURED MILESTONE FOR GORE, ECU

Related

Tweet
Share
Share
Pin

Filed Under: News & Features

Comments

  1. Dwight J Flanagan says

    December 2, 2019 at 9:47 am

    Well done Brett . Balanced and fair. Lot of work and long hours ahead for everyone associated with this football program. Thank goodness some of our fans do not play as they would bail out on their coaches and teammates and would never show up for the next game on the schedule. Years ago when Coach Randle got the program moving the question was asked of a former player as to what happened ? The response was “attitude”. Our attitude is the one thing we as fans can contribute to keep turning this football program in the correct direction. We do not block and tackle thank goodness, but we have an attitude that can help the process. thanks Dwight

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recent News & Features

ECU Recruiting News
Towering lineman Neolian still honing skills

Basketball News
Pirates top SMU, 77-72

VIEW FROM THE EAST: NORTH TEXAS
The new American

Basketball News
ECU rally falls short

ECU Recruiting News
More help is on the way to ECU secondary

Basketball News
Porter leads Shockers past Pirates

VIEW FROM THE EAST: FAU
The new American

Basketball News
Pirates rally past Tulsa to snap losing streak

ECU Recruiting News
Portal delivers blue chipper RaRa Dillworth

VIEW FROM THE EAST: CHARLOTTE
The new American

More News & Features

ECU Schedules

  • ECU 2021 Football Schedule
  • ECU 2020-21 Basketball Schedule
  • ECU 2021 Baseball Schedule

ECU Recruiting

  • Football Recruiting Class of 2021
  • Football Recruiting Class of 2020
  • Football Recruiting Class of 2019
  • Football Recruiting Class of 2018
  • Football Recruiting Class of 2017
  • Hoops Recruiting Class of 2021-22
  • Hoops Recruiting Class of 2020-21
  • Hoops Recruiting Class of 2019-20
  • Hoops Recruiting Class of 2018-19
  • Hoops Recruiting Class of 2017-18
  • Hoops Recruiting Class of 2016-17

Past Football Schedules

  • ECU 2020 Football Schedule
  • ECU 2019 Football Schedule
  • ECU 2018 Football Schedule
  • ECU 2017 Football Schedule
  • ECU 2016 Football Schedule
  • ECU 2015 Football Schedule
  • ECU 2014 Football Schedule
  • ECU 2013 Football Schedule
  • ECU 2012 Football Schedule
  • ECU 2011 Football Schedule
  • ECU 2010 Football Schedule
  • ECU 2009 Football Schedule
  • ECU 2008 Football Schedule
  • ECU 2007 Football Schedule
  • ECU 2006 Football Schedule
  • ECU 2005 Football Schedule
  • ECU 2004 Football Schedule
  • ECU 2003 Football Schedule
  • ECU 2002 Football Schedule
  • ECU 2001 Football Schedule
  • ECU 2000 Football Schedule
  • Historical Schedules

Past Basketball Schedules

  • ECU 2019-20 Basketball Schedule
  • ECU 2018-19 Basketball Schedule
  • ECU 2017-18 Basketball Schedule
  • ECU 2016-17 Basketball Schedule
  • ECU 2000-2015 Basketball Archives

Past Baseball Schedules

  • ECU 2020 Baseball Schedule
  • ECU 2019 Baseball Schedule
  • ECU 2018 Baseball Schedule
  • ECU 2017 Baseball Schedule
  • ECU 2016 Baseball Schedule
  • ECU 2015 Baseball Schedule
  • ECU 2001-2014 Baseball Archives

Recruiting Class Profiles

ECU Recruiting News
Towering lineman Neolian still honing skills

ECU Recruiting News
More help is on the way to ECU secondary

ECU Recruiting News
Portal delivers blue chipper RaRa Dillworth

Class of 2023 Early Signing Review (UPDATED)
Pirates tap transfer portal for more talent

AAC Early Signing Review
New members dive into AAC recruiting wars

Class of 2023 Early Signing Review
First wave of recruits just the beginning

ECU Recruiting News
Brown finds way to ECU through portal

ECU Recruiting News
Transfer safety McDaniel destined for ECU

ECU Recruiting News
Pirates land coveted Spartanburg quarterback

ECU Recruiting News
Swift ECU recruit ‘in a class of his own’

ECU Recruiting News
Pirates win out for Georgia prep linebacker

ECU Recruiting News
Linebacker with pedigree charts path to ECU

ECU Recruiting News
Pirates find a gem in Palmetto State receiver

ECU Recruiting News
Official visit swayed North Mecklenburg star

ECU Recruiting News
Physical Georgia receiver poses tough matchup

ECU Recruiting News
Pirates project lineman Durant as center

ECU Recruiting News
ECU spotted potential in Conley lineman

ECU Recruiting News
ECU lands fleet-footed Georgia defensive back

ECU Recruiting News
‘Football town’ helps draw Short to Pirates

ECU Recruiting News
ECU targets edge rushers

ECU Recruiting News
Pirates aim high for interior line talent

ECU Recruiting News
Well stocked Pirates enter fray for O-linemen

ECU Recruiting News
ECU faces uphill battle in hunt for tight ends

ECU Recruiting News
Pirates cast wide net for wide receivers

ECU Recruiting News
Loaded Pirates still courting running backs

Recent Web Roundups

GREG VACEK'S WEB ROUNDUP
Monday, February 6, 2023

GREG VACEK'S WEB ROUNDUP
Sunday, February 5, 2023

GREG VACEK'S WEB ROUNDUP
Saturday, February 4, 2023

Writer Archives

  • Bonesville Staff
  • Brian Bailey
  • Sammy Batten
  • Bethany Bradsher
  • Brett Friedlander
  • Al Myatt
  • NFF
  • Greg Vacek
  • Danny Whitford

Recent Web Roundups

GREG VACEK'S WEB ROUNDUP
Monday, February 6, 2023

GREG VACEK'S WEB ROUNDUP
Sunday, February 5, 2023

GREG VACEK'S WEB ROUNDUP
Saturday, February 4, 2023

GREG VACEK'S WEB ROUNDUP
Friday, February 3, 2023

GREG VACEK'S WEB ROUNDUP
Thursday, February 2, 2023

GREG VACEK'S WEB ROUNDUP
Wednesday, February 1, 2023

GREG VACEK'S WEB ROUNDUP
Monday, January 30, 2023

More Web Roundups

Copyright © 2023 Bonesville.net · Website by Seaport Webworks. · Log in · Privacy Policy