The East Carolina homecoming game is scheduled for Oct. 10 against Rice.

Every game will have a homecoming feel for former Greenville Rose running back Michael Allen, who transferred to ECU from Marshall in January.

He projects as an important component in the Pirates’ running dimension in 2026.

As a senior for the Rampants in 2021, Allen ran 158 times for 1,173 yards and 18 touchdowns. He had 38 catches for 610 yards and eight scores.

Rose made a playoff run after a 6-4 regular season that included an 0-3 start in which the Rampants were outscored, 139-68.

That team finished 11-5 under former ECU receiver Will Bland, from Havelock. Greensboro Dudley dealt Rose a 69-40 loss in the state 3-A final at Kenan Stadium in Chapel Hill.

The winding road

Allen began his collegiate journey at N.C. State and played two seasons for the Wolfpack. He made the ACC Academic Honor Roll his first semester. He ran for 208 yards on 53 carries as a true freshman with 11 catches for 97 yards and a TD.

In 2023, he made three starts at State, playing in 10 games. He had 317 all-purpose yards with a 37-yard scoring run against Marshall.

His skills resulted in 24 missed tackles in two seasons with the Pack.

Allen was at Nevada-Las Vegas for a portion of the 2024 season, announcing on Sept. 24 that he would redshirt the remainder of the year. A dissatisfaction stemmed from lack of playing time. He had 19 carries for 108 yards, 5.7 yards per rush.

Allen said he did not receive any NIL money at UNLV. The Rebels were 3-0 at his departure and went 11-3.

At Marshall last year, Allen made four starts and saw action in eight games. He ran for 385 yards on 77 carries, an average of five yards per rush, with four scores. He caught 12 passes for 139 yards with one TD.

Marshall was 5-7 overall and 3-5 in the Sun Belt Conference under first-year head coach Tony Gibson, who was defensive coordinator at State when Allen was there.

Allen’s offers

Allen had offers from ECU, Duke, Central Michigan and Western Michigan when he opted to leave Marshall.

Allen, who is listed at 5 feet, 11 inches and 206 pounds, had multiple offers while at Rose.

Those included Appalachian State, Arkansas, Charlotte, Coastal Carolina, Duke, Louisville, N.C. State, Old Dominion, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vanderbilt, Virginia and Wisconsin.

By the numbers

Allen wore No. 4 at Rose, when he was listed as the No. 20 running back nationally and No. 6 in the state. He was rated a 4-star recruit.

He will wear No. 21 for the Pirates.

Allen was No. 24 at NCSU. He wore No. 26 at UNLV and had No. 2 at Marshall.

The running back room

There is a lot to be determined about how new offensive coordinator Jordan Davis will attack. Former OC John David Baker emphasized a high tempo.

The Pirates ran on roughly 56 percent of their snaps during a 9-4 season in 2025 that culminated with a 23-17 win over Pitt in the Military Bowl.

Davis supposedly did not call plays at North Texas as OC until coach Eric Morris had departed for Oklahoma State. That was before Davis called the shots in a 49-47 win over San Diego State in the New Mexico Bowl.

The Mean Green ran approximately 52 percent of the time in 2025.

Davis brought running back Ashton Gray with him from North Texas. An accomplished quarterback at Marion High in Arkansas, Gray had a breakout bowl performance, carrying 16 times for 157 yards with two TDs.

Gray had 58 totes for 377 yards and five scores as a sophomore during a 12-2 season for the Mean Green.

T.J. Engleman Jr. is ECU’s top returning rusher with 59 attempts for 313 yards and one score as a second-year player.

London Montgomery, who transferred to Florida, and Marlon Gunn Jr., who completed his eligibility, combined for 1,353 rushing yards for the Pirates last year.

Julian Griffin, who came to ECU from California-Berkley, is ECU’s first-year running backs coach.

Allen, Engleman Jr. and Gray look to be the components of the running back rotation.

Offensive line

The offensive line, of course, will provide the rushing lanes.

Left tackle Bryce Weaver is the top returner within the program. ECU has added Brandon Best, an All-Conference USA selection from Kennesaw State, at center. Right tackle Hayes Creel came in from Southern Miss and right guard Ethan Kramer made 29 starts at Northern Arizona.

Alex Huettel will be in his first year as offensive line coach after serving in that capacity last season at Old Dominion and helping the Monarchs to a 10-3 season that included a bowl win over South Florida.

Hunter MacKay enters his third season as tight ends coach at ECU and will be working with some new personnel.

Quarterback competition

Whoever emerges from the quarterback competition between Texas Tech transfer Mitch Griffis and Emory Williams from Miami will impact the ground game.

Griffis has more to offer in terms of running ability while Williams is essentially a pocket passer.

Immediate challenge

The Pirates open the season on Sept. 5 at noon at Alabama, which went 11-4 last season and made the College Football Playoff.

The Tide have four starters returning on defense and have added some players through the portal.

The Tide allowed 126.9 yards rushing per game last season, which ranked 37th nationally.