The value of a bowl triumph on the magnitude of East Carolina’s 23-17 Military Bowl victory over Pittsburgh on Saturday at Navy-Marine Corps Field in Annapolis is not what it used to be.

When the Pirates topped Ohio, 37-20, to win the Beef O’Brady’s Bowl in St. Petersburg and complete a 10-3 season in 2013, Blake Harrell was finishing a stint on the staff at Lenoir-Rhyne.

It was a very different time. There was not a national signing date in December. Shane Carden was the quarterback, and he would be back in 2014, along with most of his teammates who had remaining eligibility.

Lincoln Riley stayed on as Ruffin McNeill’s offensive coordinator.

Most importantly, transfers had to sit out a year and NIL was nil.

After the bowl win in 2013, the focus shifted to completing the recruiting class for the signing date the following February.

While a bowl win could be savored to a degree a dozen years ago, Harrell has a great many more variables to juggle in today’s college football world.

The transfer portal, which opens on Friday this week, represents a battle on two fronts. The Pirates need to retain as much talent on the present roster as possible and there are voids to fill, particularly on offense, from a pre-bowl exodus.

Running back Parker Jenkins, who slipped down the depth chart in 2025 after arriving from Houston, reportedly is in the portal again. With London Montgomery already gone and Marlon Gunn Jr. having completed his eligibility, T.J. Engleman Jr. is the most experienced returning back — if he doesn’t get itchy feet.

All-conference selection Jimarion McCrimon and Emmanuel Poku from the offensive front are also leaving, according to reports.

One wonders how the 2026 season opener at Alabama might impact decisions. Some players might welcome the challenge. Others might prefer an alternative to the national stage against an iconic power such as the Crimson Tide.

ECU can’t let the matchup at Alabama set the tone for the season as a 30-3 loss at eventual national champion Michigan did when the Pirates went 2-10 in Mike Houston’s last full season in 2023.

The financial guarantee from the Tide and the exposure are positive factors. The process of building an indoor practice facility for football and funding a NIL collective has stretched fan base contributions thin.

The Military Bowl win is a positive outcome that will encourage donations.

It seemed as though everything was happening at once for the Pirates after a 42-3 win at Florida Atlantic to close the regular season on Nov. 29.

Quarterback Katin Houser announced he was transferring. Wide receiver Yannick Smith and tight end Jayvontay Conner saw greener grass elsewhere.

Offensive coordinator John David Baker returned to Ole Miss and defensive coordinator Josh Aldridge departed for South Florida.

Harrell appears to have made a solid hire in bringing in Jordan Davis from North Texas. Davis was calling plays as the Mean Green outscored San Diego State, 49-47, in the New Mexico Bowl.

Davis inevitably will be compared to Baker in terms of early success in the portal as Baker attracted quarterbacks Jake Garcia from Missouri and Houser from Michigan State before he even got settled in Greenville.

The Pirates will need a quarterback transfer. Chaston Ditta did an admirable job under the circumstances in the bowl win over Pitt, but he still is relatively inexperienced and does not appear to be the answer for the challenges at hand in 2026.

Harrell has not hired a defensive coordinator. I think it would be beneficial for him to be given a chance to hire a linebackers coach. Let Harrell continue in the dual roles of head coach and defensive coordinator — with a pay bump, of course. He certainly handled both responsibilities well in Annapolis.

Harrell definitely seems capable of multi-tasking. It’s part of the job in college football today.