Coaching transitions are sometimes a sign of success. The pursuit of personnel from unsuccessful programs is limited.
East Carolina, coming off a 9-4 season, has moved on from its previous era of coordinators as John David Baker and Josh Aldridge had left the Ward Sports Medicine Building before the Military Bowl on Dec. 27.
Baker, the offensive coordinator, returned to Ole Miss, which was experiencing some coaching transition of its own.
Aldridge, the former defensive coordinator, opted for similar responsibilities at South Florida, which will visit ECU on Friday, Nov. 6, making for a compelling subplot in that American Conference contest.
ECU adjusted well with running backs coach Rodney Freeman II calling the plays in Annapolis and Coach Blake Harrell reverting to his role as defensive coordinator. Harrell’s unit produced five turnovers in a 23-17 triumph over Pitt.
Jordan and Jordon
Pirate Nation is putting together names, faces and schemes as a new staff works with a significantly remade roster in spring practice.
The Purple-Gold game on April 18 will provide an opportunity for a public preview of the 2026 version of ECU football.
Harrell has rebooted his staff with new offensive coordinator Jordan Davis from North Texas and Jordon Hankins from Memphis as defensive coordinator.
Davis has put together a new group of offensive assistants, and the attack will differ somewhat from the style that Baker utilized.
Freeman is now the running backs coach at Duke.
Hankins has joined a defensive-minded head coach and has sought to fit in with what has been working rather than introduce sweeping change. He is working with assistants who were in place with the exception of Tarron Williams, cornerbacks coach.
Williams helped with cornerbacks previously at ECU, leaving after the 2020 season. He was involved in developing former Pirate standout Ja’Quan McMillian, now a standout for Denver in the NFL.
Davis’s take on QBs
Davis is working with a quarterback room that includes Texas Tech transfer Mitch Griffis and Emory Williams from Miami of Florida. One is expected to emerge as the starter for the season opener at Alabama on Sept. 5.
Davis has had one scrimmage to see the duo in game situations.
“Emory and Mitch have done some really good things,” Davis said. “Kind of splitting them up with the ones (first team) each and every day, switching them off. I think the biggest thing with those guys is, they’ve played a lot of football and the offenses that they’ve come from — it’s not the same, but there’s a lot of similarities. …
“They’re both very smart guys. Maybe a little bit different. I mean, you see Emory, he’s six-foot-five. He can kind of stand, see really well in the pocket and rip the football. He’s a natural thrower of the football.
“And then Mitch, he’s also a natural thrower, but he’s a little different. He can make some stuff happen when it breaks down. Some stuff you really can’t coach that’s going to get us out of some jams at times.
“Both doing some really good things and I think it’s going to be a really good battle.”
Mean Green Player of Year
North Texas had the American Conference Offensive Player of the Year last season.
Former walk-on Drew Mestemaker threw for 4,379 yards and 34 touchdowns. He had 57 keepers for 233 yards with five scores.
The Mean Green had a unique staff structure. Davis was offensive coordinator and worked with wide receivers. Sean Brophy was passing game coordinator and quarterbacks coach. The run game coordinator and running backs coach was Patrick Cobbs.
Former head coach Eric Morris, now at Oklahoma State, reportedly called the plays.
After Morris left the Mean Green for the Cowboys, Davis called the offense in a 49-47 New Mexico Bowl win over San Diego State.
Ray Ray
Harrell and Davis have had favorable comments on wide receiver Ray Ray Joseph, a former 4-star recruit who had 487 all-purpose yards in portions of three seasons at Miami.
“If you just watch the scrimmage, the obvious one is Ray Ray,” Davis said in regard to skill people. “He’s a guy that you’ve got to find a million different ways to get him the football on some option type stuff.
“He’s different when he has the ball in his hands. He can take it the distance anytime.”
Clarifying tempo
Davis wants to be able to play fast as he explained his thoughts on the up-tempo style that characterized Baker’s approach.
“Tempo is definitely a huge component of what we do,” Davis said. ” … I definitely believe in tempo. At the same time. I also believe in dictating the tempo and switching it up a little bit, not a thousand percent every single play.
“I think it’s a little bit of a feel thing when you’re calling plays, too. Sometimes, you’re going really fast because you have an explosive play. You get a first down and that kind of gets you in rhythm.”
Davis said ECU will retain some of Baker’s tendencies.
“I definitely think there’s some similarities on how we operate,” Davis said. “Get lined up fast and have some one word calls to get lined up. There’s some similarities.”
Hankins unites with Harrell
The new defensive coordinator sees Harrell as a resource. He has communicated with the ECU coach for a long time.
“All the way back to when he was at Kennesaw and I was at different places,” Hankins said. “We always kept in touch. Both of us are defensive guys. And I always look at it as an opportunity.
“I’m 45 years old now. I’ve been a coordinator for years and got the opportunity to call plays. Getting with another guy and having another soundboard — no matter what you are or what your job is, another opportunity to learn something else.
“There’s some things (ECU) does differently than (Memphis) did, and things like that. I get to understand the why, especially coming into the building every day and I’ve got a guy to walk in his office and say, ‘Okay, why do we do it this way?’ “
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