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

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

VIEW FROM THE EAST
Pirates (No. 73?) open preseason camp

August 3, 2022 By Al Myatt Leave a Comment

Tweet
Share
Share
Pin

East Carolina is scheduled to start preseason camp at 9:40 this morning and conclude the initial workout at 11:50 a.m.

“I expect us to look like a really good football team day one,” said ECU coach Mike Houston last week. “There’s really no excuses not to. The guys that are going to be on the field in the two-deep are guys that have played a lot of ball. They’ve been in the system. They’ve been in our program. So, we expect to be playing at a pretty high level right out of the gate.”

Coach Mike Houston talks to the team at the conclusion of spring practice last April. (Al Myatt)

The Pirates will go from 9:40 to 11:50 every morning but Sundays with a pair of scrimmages on Saturday, Aug. 13, and Saturday, Aug. 20, beginning at 9:40 a.m. The scrimmage on Aug. 20 is scheduled to end a little early for the Meet the Pirates promotion from 11:30 a.m. to noon.

There will be a day off on Monday, Aug. 22, for the first day of classes for the fall semester. That will mark the transition to afternoon practice, which will run from 4:05 to 6:05 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 23.

The season opener is at home on Saturday, Sept. 3, at noon against N.C. State. The Wolfpack, coming off a 9-3 season, was ranked No. 11 nationally in ratings of all 131 Football Bowl Subdivision teams published on the CBS Sports website on Tuesday.

ECU was rated No. 73 after going 7-5 overall and 5-3 in the American Athletic Conference in 2021, its first winning season since 2014. The Pirates are currently 10-point underdogs in their first game.

Ahlers has new targets

ECU has added transfers Isaiah Winstead (Toledo), Jaylen Johnson (Georgia) and Jarrett Garner (Duke) to its receiving corps, giving veteran quarterback Holton Ahlers some new targets — who are actually advanced in terms of experience. Camp is an opportunity to refine the quarterback/receiver relationships. (View ECU’s 2022 incoming transfers and traditional recruits.)

“It’s always important to have chemistry with receivers,” said Ahlers on AAC media day Thursday. “Obviously, we’ve got some new guys coming in that are going to play big roles for us. That’s what the offseason is for though. They’ve played a lot of snaps in college football. Just because they haven’t (played) here, doesn’t mean they haven’t played a lot of snaps in general.

“So, they’re pretty experienced too. Just getting a feel for them, what they like, where they like the ball to be on certain routes, how they like to look. Just the little things, through the offense, through the routes, that we can connect on, just timing.”

Ones vs. Ones

Before Ahlers probes a Pack defense that returns 10 starters, he will face an improving ECU unit on a daily basis.

“We go for a straight month practicing pretty much every single day, against full competition with our defense, one versus one,” Ahlers said. “So a lot of that will come then. I mean, during the off season, you just try to work on timing, anticipation. Just try to, kind of like I said, just get a feel for where they like the ball. Do they like the ball on their back shoulder? Do they like to catch it on the run? And just little things like that.”

Best friend, running game

ECU averaged 162.6 yards rushing last season and 270.8 passing. Ahlers talked about how the ground game augments the air attack.

“It helps a ton,” Ahlers said. “I mean, we’re returning most of our guys too. … We’re returning two of the top running backs in our conference (Keaton Mitchell, Rahjai Harris), really in the country. I mean, I would take those guys over anyone. So, I mean, the running game is the quarterback’s best friend.

“It’ll just only help me out, and they help the offense out, and the team out. So, any time you can just hand the ball off and let those guys go to work, we’re going to. I mean, they’re the workhorses of our offense. So just excited to see those guys work and compete this year, and open things up for the passing game.”

‘Iron sharpening iron’

Senior Myles Berry talked about the challenges the ECU offense presents.

“It’s very tough going against Holton,” Berry said. “I’ve been going against Holton for years now. So sometimes we’re kind of cheating off each other, because he knows some of my tendencies and I know some of his.

“Same with Keaton and Rahjai. Keaton is a shiftier back. So, me as a linebacker, I have to be at a certain level of discipline. And I have to really focus on my technique when tackling him. Rahjai is a physical, shifty, downhill runner, also. So, I make sure I have to bring my stuff when I’m tackling him. But it’s iron sharpening iron. And with that, with that competition every day, that’s going to lead us into having a great season this year, because we have to work every day and we’re constantly making each other better.”

Tuning out the hype

The Pack-Pirates matchup was rated No. 7 among season openers in college football and will be shown on ESPN. ECU must keep elements like emotion and focus in proper perspective.

“We’re not really paying attention to the hype,” Berry said. “The hype, it can be negative if you’re paying attention to it too much. … Our primary focus is having a great camp. And then once we get through camp, then all our attention will be on N.C. State.”

Potential

With the experienced talent that is returning, the Pirate program appears poised to continue the success of 2021.

“Potential is nothing unless you turn it into production,” Ahlers said. “We have experience coming back to know that, to know how to get through a fall camp, how to get better, and get prepared for the season.

“And we’ve been in those close games, and games that we should’ve won, and some games that we have won. So just all that experience coming back definitely helps us in getting through camp and preparing ourselves for the first game and the games after that.”

Defensive outlook

ECU opponents scored 25.8 points per game last season, which ranked fourth in the 11-team AAC. Defensive coordinator Blake Harrell has seven starters back going into his third season with the Pirates.

“The guys on defense just have a certain level of confidence that we really never had before,” Berry said. “And now, it’s not just knowing your position, and knowing the roles and responsibilities of your position, but now we’re learning everybody’s position. So, we’re all working on the same platform.

“We’re all working like a fine-tuned machine. And I feel like that will definitely carry over into this season. You saw it the second half of last season, defense was rolling strong. And we’re going to carry that momentum into this year, to camp.”

The Pirates had four straight wins in 2021 before closing the year with a 35-13 loss at home to No. 4 Cincinnati.

Hometown boy matures

Ahlers knew the expectations would be high for him coming out of nearby D.H. Conley.

“I knew when I committed here, when I was 17 years old, that there was going to be a lot of pressure here, but I wanted it to be on me and no one else,” Ahlers said. “Coach Houston came in and has developed a great culture here, a great team culture, to really counter that.

“It’s been really good to be a part of it. And I think this year, I mean, he said it, too, and our players have, too. It’s the best team overall that we’ve had. We’ve been in the games. We’ve been close there. And I mean, I think that this year, we just go out there and play the way that we know we can play, and the rest will take care of itself.”

Final seasons at ECU

This will be the last time around as Pirate players for Ahlers and Berry.

“I am going to enjoy it as much as I can,” Ahlers said. “There’s going to be a lot of lasts for me this year, as for Myles, really. … Just taking it one game at a time, one practice at a time.

“It starts with camp and just getting the team as close as we can be to being ready for that first game, and then going out there and playing good the whole season.”

ECU 2022 FOOTBALL SCHEDULE
ECU FOOTBALL RECRUITING CLASS OF 2023
ECU FOOTBALL RECRUITING CLASS OF 2022
PIRATES (NO. 73?) OPEN PRESEASON CAMP
OFFICIAL VISIT SWAYED NORTH MECKLENBURG STAR
HOUSTON LOOKS AHEAD ON AAC MEDIA DAY
PHYICAL GEORGIA RECEIVER POSES TOUGH MATHCHUP
PIRATES CONTINUE DEVELOPMENT
PIRATES PROJECT LINEMAN DURANT AS CENTER
SCHWARTZ ADDS TO HOOPS STAFF
ECU SPOTTED POTENTIAL IN CONLEY LINEMAN
PIRATES SHOULD CHALLENGE IN AMERICAN
ECU LANDS FLEET-FOOTED GEORGIA DEFENSIVE BACK
PIRATES FACE FAMILIAR FOE IN OPENER
‘FOOTBALL TOWN’ HELP DRAW SHORT TO PIRATES

Related

Tweet
Share
Share
Pin

Filed Under: Football, News & Features

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

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

Recent News & Features

THE SPORTS OBJECTIVE: ABSOLUTE EMPOWERMENT
Jeff Connors with Vonta Leach

ECU Recruiting News
Class of 2024 starts with prized receiver

Baseball News
ECU completes sweep

Baseball News
Pirates take series with walkoff win

Baseball News
Godwin passes Godwin

VIEW FROM THE EAST
Pirates have work to do

Baseball News
Pirates nip Tribe, 6-5

Baseball News
Seahawks top No. 10 ECU

ECU Recruiting News
Late pitch lures lineman with pedigree

Baseball News
ECU takes doubleheader for series sweep

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
Class of 2024 starts with prized receiver

ECU Recruiting News
Late pitch lures lineman with pedigree

Recruiting Evaluation Part 2: Defense
Report card: Quality talent fills big holes

Recruiting Evaluation Part 1: Offense
Report card: Pirates reload at skill spots

ECU Recruiting News
Towering lineman Neolian still honing skills (updated)

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

Recent Web Roundups

GREG VACEK'S WEB ROUNDUP
Monday, March 20, 2023

GREG VACEK'S WEB ROUNDUP
Sunday, March 19, 2023

GREG VACEK'S WEB ROUNDUP
Saturday, March 18, 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, March 20, 2023

GREG VACEK'S WEB ROUNDUP
Sunday, March 19, 2023

GREG VACEK'S WEB ROUNDUP
Saturday, March 18, 2023

GREG VACEK'S WEB ROUNDUP
Friday, March 17, 2023

GREG VACEK'S WEB ROUNDUP
Thursday, March 16, 2023

GREG VACEK'S WEB ROUNDUP
Tuesday, March 14, 2023

GREG VACEK'S WEB ROUNDUP
Monday, March 13, 2023

More Web Roundups

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