“Experience really helps in an environment like Tuscaloosa and Bryant-Denny (Stadium),” Griffis said Monday. “We were fortunate to play some loud games last year. We played in the Cowboys’ (AT&T) stadium indoors. … That place was really loud.

“Played at Utah, which was a super underrated loud stadium. That was one of the loudest places I’ve played. Experience definitely helps you kind of understand what to expect when you’re out there.”

Griffis explained how the decibel level impacts an offense.

“Understand that communication is super, super important to the running backs, offensive line, receivers and tight ends,” he said. “It technically takes a little bit more effort and detail throughout the week, but experience definitely helps that.”

Noise has been a feature at Pirate practices. Griffis has crowd noise on his headphones.

“The music at practice helps,” Griffis said. “When I’m walking through my plays by myself, I’ve got crowd noise in my ear. When I’m visualizing the plays, I got crowd noise in my ear. I try to make it as hectic as I possibly can because it’s going to be hectic on Saturday.”

The Pirates want to be as prepared as possible.

“We’re definitely not chasing comfortability at practice,” Griffis said.  “So I appreciate the crowd noise out there. I think if you look at a guy like Patrick Mahomes or guys like Joe Burrow or Josh Allen, those guys are really, really good under high pressure situations, under stressful situations, when a pocket breaks down or a receiver busts or whatever.

“Something could happen to the football. People are going to make mistakes. So I think I’ve definitely been more comfortable with that. And you’ve just got to expect it to happen. You’ve got to expect no one’s going to be perfect and it’s playing an SEC football team. It’s good competition.

“So be ready to make plays when they present themselves and just do your job. … Let me shout out to the scout defense. They do a great job of giving us a great look. They play hard. They play fast.”

Taking advantage

Griffis will be looking to make plays when they’re there.’

“It’s just creating explosives,” he said. “Be yourself and try to stay on schedule. We see Alabama-East Carolina on the ticker. So you see what the spread is. You see we’re big underdogs, but that’s what you love, man. That’s why you go do it. What an awesome opportunity for us. It’s a blessing to go play in Alabama.”

Going to compete

Griffis indicated the Pirates won’t just be going through the motions.

“We’re going there to compete,” he said. “We’re not going there just to have fun and check a box. We’re going there to compete and play some football. So we’re really excited for that.

“I’m really confident in our football team. If there’s a team to go in there and upset somebody, it’s the Pirates. We’ve done it before. We’ve got a really good football team. We’ve got a really good defense. I think we’ve got a really explosive offense.

“We’ve got guys that believe. That’s the most important thing. If you don’t go into the game with the belief that you can win, you might as well not show up.

“I think in our minds we can go and do it and that’s the most important thing. We’ll see what happens on Saturday. But I believe in our guys and I’m really excited to go compete with them.”

DeBoer on ECU

Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer has done his homework on the Pirates, as evidenced by comments at his Monday news conference.

“Looking forward to facing a good East Carolina team,” he said. “The last couple of years, you continue to see them win in bowl games, 9-4 last year.

“Coach (Blake) Harrell brought in some new coordinators (Jordan Davis, offense; Jordon Hankins, defense) that have done some good things. A lot of transfers in the program. A couple of guys that have returned, a lot of upperclassmen.

“I’ve talked to our team about that, and we’ll continue to work on the game plan that we started last week.”

Transfers extensiveECU

Harrell went over the 2-deep depth chart Monday and transfers significantly outnumber returning starters. A number of ECU players are back and ready for expanded roles.

Here’s what the offensive personnel looks like:

Griffis has been named starter at quarterback with Emory Williams expected to play. Both are transfers. Running back Ashton Gray joined the Pirates from North Texas and will split time with returning ECU player T.J. Engleman.

At the outside receivers, Tyler Johnson came from Penn State in 2024 and Jeremiah Melvin is a new arrival from Wake Forest. Their back-ups are Dillon Lorick, who played in five games for ECU in 2025, and Dawson Quarterman, a true freshman.

Brock Spalding is a returning starter in the slot and Miami transfer Ray Ray Joseph will rotate with him.

Ismael Smith Flores, who came from Texas Rio Grand Valley, is the starter at tight end. Back-ups are Mason Brown, who is in the ECU program for the fourth year, and Kanen Hamlett (Appalachian State).

The offensive line starters include Marleo Neolien (ECU, fourth year) at left tackle with Bryson Esser (Garden City Community College) backing him up.

Bryce Weaver, in his fourth season with the Pirates from D.H. Conley, will go at left guard with Jeremiah Williams (Hutchinson Community College) and Kendall Walton (ECU, second year) backing him up.

Brandon Best, an all-conference performer at Kennesaw State, will get the nod at center with Karson Jones (ECU, fourth year) supplying depth.

Ethan Kramer (sixth year, Northern Arizona) is the starter at right guard with Tre Hardison (ECU, fifth year) backing him up.

Hayes Creel (fifth year, Southern Miss) will be at right tackle with Peyton Reeder (ECU, second year) providing depth.

Defense

Preston Carr is a returner at nose guard for the Pirates and is expected to split time with Torin Brazell (ECU, third year).

Rion Roseborough (ECU, fourth year) and Miles Parker (ECU, third year) are set to rotate at defensive tackle.

Jasiyah Robinson will go at defensive end. He began his college career at Michigan State before joining ECU in 2021. Kieran Davis (ECU, fourth year) will back Robinson up.

Julien Davis (ECU, fourth year) and Kendrick DuJoer, who transferred from Sam Houston State after the 2024 season, will man the outside linebacker position.

The Mike linebacker spot will feature D.J. Johnson (ECU, fourth year) with Cade Law (Memphis, fifth year) as his back-up. Law played baseball at Vanderbilt before transferring to North Carolina to play football.

His brother, Crews Law, will start at Will linebacker after playing at UNC and Memphis. Jackson Barker (ECU, fifth year) is listed as back-up.

The nickel position will see Kevon Merrell (ECU, third year) backed up by Christian Peterson (Central Florida, third year).

Ashton Levelle-Mitchell (sixth year) last played at Florida International and is the first teamer at the boundary corner with Rae’mon Mosby (Louisville) listed on the 2-deep.

The field corner personnel includes Angelo Ross (ECU, second year) and Jalen Bowden (Minnesota, fourth year).

Starting safeties are listed as Zyeir Gamble (Appalachian State, fourth year) and DeMarius Hines (ECU, third year) with Ayden Duncanson (UNC, fourth year), Myles Pollard (Michigan, fifth year) and Kamaurri McKinley (ECU, fourth year) set to provide depth.

Special teams

Specialists are set for the Pirates with Andrew Conrad winning the place kicking job. Noah Perez will back him up.

Tomas O’Halloran will punt with Elliott Huether in a reserve role.

Conrad and O’Halloran have filled their respective responsibilities for ECU in the past.

Huether or Kyler Pearson will hold on place kicks with Everett Scott on the depth chart as holder. Scott will do kickoffs.

Long snappers include Blake Shirley (Wofford) and Cole Walker.

Joseph and Pearson are slated for punt and kickoff returns.