Coaching and quarterback changes were in the forefront as East Carolina finished the 2024 football season with wins in five of its last six games, including a 26-21 Military Bowl triumph over N.C. State in Annapolis on Dec. 28.
The Pirates wrapped up the year with an 8-5 record. The postseason victory was the first for ECU against a Power Four opponent since a 41-19 win over North Carolina in 2018. State had won three straight over the Pirates, who had not beaten the Wolfpack since 2016.
Rahjai Harris ran 86 yards for the deciding touchdown with 1:33 remaining. Harris had 220 yards on 17 carries against the Pack, giving him 1,193 yards rushing in his last college campaign. Harris missed the last half of the 2022 season with a knee injury and surgery.
Pirates coach Blake Harrell, who took over for Mike Houston as coach on Oct. 20, was asked about the manner in which Harris and D’Anta Johnson, a defensive lineman, wh0 was in on four stops Saturday, closed their careers at ECU.
“These two young men have won two bowl games,” Harrell said. “I don’t know how many other guys can say that in the last decade. And just the way they go finish, the way they finish the second half of the season.
“At one point, things didn’t look so bright. But these guys never doubted themselves. We talked about staying together. We talked about making it all about us and just focused on every single day. The only day we’re promised is today, and we’ve made the most of that.
“We didn’t worry about the end of the season. We didn’t worry about the transfer portal. We didn’t worry about graduation. We didn’t worry about what we’re doing next semester. We focused on every single day since October 20th, and that’s how we got the Temple win, and then the FAU win, and then the Tulsa win.
Thoughts on ‘rivalry’
N.C. State coach Dave Doeren said after the bowl pairing was announced that he didn’t consider the Pirates a rival because the teams only played every three years in the current scheduling format.
Harrell seemed to be making a reference to UNC in his remarks after the bowl game.
“I don’t think you can look at our fans and tell them it’s not a rivalry,” Harrell said. “It’s an hour and 15 minutes up the road. There’s a couple of other schools about the same distance. Maybe they should put us on their schedule as well, instead of trying to take our players. That’s what they want — to call our players and take our players. Well, how about we put them on the schedule?
“Let’s don’t call that one a rivalry either. But that’s how I feel. That’s how it is. We’re going to be looked at like a stepbrother. A little stepbrother. It’s fine. But these guys are going to compete. They’re going to take up the challenge. I know we’ve got to go play (N.C. State) again in the next year, beginning of the year.
“We’re going to celebrate this one. … We’re going to focus on this one. But that’s how I feel about rivals. That’s how I feel about in-state rivals. That’s how I feel about college football. I wish it was more localized, and we played locally every year. But it’s a great opportunity for our young man to go compete and play a football game.”
Pirate Nation’s support
Harrell thanked the fan base for their encouragement in Annapolis.
“Wow,” he said. “How about Pirate Nation just showing out and packing the stadium? The Purple and Gold looked good up there. All the energy they brought just set us up from the get-go, set the tempo. We talked to our players about bringing energy, but tonight, the Pirate Nation brought the energy, and our players just fed off that.
“We got off to a real good start in the ball game. We had the lead most of the game. They took the lead there in the fourth quarter. Our guys, the resilience they’ve shown, not just tonight, but all season long. Since October 20th. These guys, these young men, could have turned it in and just said, ‘We’ve had enough.’
“But the way they fought, the way these seniors, the two guys sitting beside me (Harris and Johnson), took charge, and really led this football team — getting us to a bowl game and getting us to a bowl victory over N.C. State. Just huge. Just so proud of them.”
Late-game skirmish
The final minute featured some physical confrontations among the in-state teams.
The unfortunate sequence began with ECU freshman receiver Yannick Smith taking a towel from Cooley, who reacted aggressively.
“Obviously, didn’t like how the last little bit of the game played out,” Harrell said. “No place in sports for that. … At the end of the day, we’ve got to clean that up.”
Bottom line
At the end of the night, the Pirates took some winning momentum into the offseason.
“Just fired up to get a win,” Harrell said. “Fired up for Pirate Nation, and so proud of these seniors.”
Aarrrgh! Go Pirates!!