After East Carolina's 37-10 win over Marshall on Saturday, Pirates football coach Ruffin McNeill drew some criticism from a West Virginia writer. McNeill was linked to his former boss at Texas Tech, Mike Leach, who was labeled by the story as "a jerk."

The rant questioned McNeill's sportsmanship after the Pirates had gone for a fourth down on offense in the fourth quarter and backup quarterback Brad Wornick had thrown several passes as he saw his first significant playing time of the season.

The article is linked under the East Carolina news on the left side of Greg Vacek's Web Roundup on Bonesville for Oct. 26, 2010. It's under the headline, "McNeill was true to roots in low class."

The piece incorrectly stated that Leach works for ESPN. He is an analyst for CBS College Sports. No mention was made of the moment of silence that was observed on Saturday for those killed in a plane crash on Marshall's return trip from a football game at ECU in 1970 — a tragedy which transcends school allegiance in its profound magnitude. The Pirates' subsequent sportsmanship was questioned.

McNeill said he hadn't seen the article.

"I don't like reading that kind of mess," said the ECU coach. "I hate that anybody would feel that way. Our second team guys work hard. When (offensive coordinator) Lincoln (Riley) asked to insert them, we inserted them with nine minutes to go in the fourth quarter. I know a lot of people remember — I know I do because I've followed the Pirates a long time — the GMAC Bowl down there in Mobile."

The Pirates led Marshall 38-8 at halftime of that 2001 bowl game but lost, 64-61, in double overtime.

"I've also been a part of major comebacks, but we didn't think about that," McNeill said. "We played our second team guys. We had our third team running backs in there. Our fourth team running backs, they played."

McNeill also said that backups played on both the offensive and defensive fronts.

"I don't think it would have been right for me to ask those guys to not play hard or not go out and execute," said the Pirates coach. "I was proud of their execution. Doc (Holliday, Marshall coach) and I shook hands after the game and Doc didn't say anything. I wasn't trying to run up the score on 'em. That's just what we do. I thought it was the perfect time to get some young kids some playing time and give them a chance."

The Pirates had not really had the chance to see Wornick to any degree in six previous games. Wornick played briefly against Memphis in the second game of the season, completing one of two passes for eight yards in a 49-27 win over the Tigers.

"Our non-conference schedule (Virginia Tech, North Carolina, N.C. State thus far — and Navy at home on Nov. 6) is not a patsy, where you could get a big lead on somebody and play those young guys," McNeill said. "At Texas Tech, we played a team that we beat pretty badly and we could get some young guys in. Here, we play one of the toughest non-conference schedules around and there's not much time to get young guys work.

"We felt fortunate and blessed to be able to get some young kids in there (in the Marshall game) for two reasons. One, to get them better but also to help team morale. Those kids work hard and you should have seen those guys on the sideline pulling for those guys on the field and vice-versa. There's two reasons for that — getting those guys reps and getting them ready to play but even more important is team morale.

"I hate the young man felt like that but I've got to coach my team. I've been hired to do that. I'll let him make his opinions and that's O.K."

ECU didn't score against the Thundering Herd after Dominique Davis, the starting quarterback, hit Mike Price for a 10-yard touchdown with 12:59 left in the game. That completed an 89-yard drive that started in the third quarter.

McNeill didn't question the opposition's class when North Carolina scored with 49 seconds left in Chapel Hill for a 42-17 win earlier this season. The Tar Heels were in position to take a knee and let the clock run out but instead added another score on a 13-yard run by Shaun Draughn.

"It's our job to stop 'em," McNeill said after that game. "We had guys there and it's our job to stop 'em. If we get in that situation, it will be the other team's job to stop us. My hat's off and I told (North Carolina coach) Butch (Davis), 'Good job.' "

The fact is the Pirates didn't run up the score against the Herd and they got some young guys some overdue playing time. They got a look at Wornick, who completed 5 of 7 for 53 yards, and freshman running back Michael Dobson, who ran three times for 21 yards. No one should have a problem with that.

Long-awaited showdown imminent

East Carolina's 3:30 p.m. game on Saturday at Central Florida has been projected as a crucial contest in Conference USA ever since the 2010 football schedule was released. Both programs have lived up to expectations with the Pirates at 4-0 in C-USA and the Knights riding a 3-0 league mark. Both teams are 5-2 overall with three-game winning streaks.

"The more you win, the better you do, the bigger the games get," McNeill said.

UCF is coached by George O'Leary. His resume with the Knights includes a C-USA title in 2007. The Pirates have won the last two league championships. O'Leary coached Georgia Tech from 1994 to 2001. He has been directing the UCF program since 2004.

"He's adapted to his personnel offensively," McNeill said. "They're very flexible. They spread it but they're also able to ground it and pound it with two tight ends, a fullback and a tailback. They'll run it right at you. They have a dual threat quarterback in Jeff Godfrey."

Godfrey has completed 69 of 104 passes for 847 yards with four interceptions and two touchdowns. His 68 rushes have produced 388 yards and five scores.

Defensively, the Knights are first in C-USA for fewest points allowed per game (13.9) and are first in least total yardage allowed per game (259.7).

"They have a front four that can get four-man pressure on you," McNeill said. "We have to be able to defend and protect (quarterback) Dominique (Davis). They try to cover you with seven so it will be a great test for our offense as well. Their special teams are very solid so all three sides of the ball, we have to go to another level and keep improving."

Homecoming for Davis and Florida Pirates

ECU quarterback Dominique Davis is from Lakeland, FL, about an hour southwest of Orlando. As a redshirt freshman at Boston College in 2008, Davis started the ACC championship game in Tampa. Davis and a number of teammates will be returning to the Sunshine State for the matchup with UCF at Bright House Networks Stadium.

"I think he's excited," McNeill said. "He came by Monday and said, 'Coach, I'm going home.' He was getting ready to go watch film on his own. He's always over here on his own. He brings his lunch over. He's been a great player to be around, a great person."

Linebacker Melvin Patterson (Alachua), offensive lineman Jordan Davis (Fort Walton Beach), offensive lineman Dalton Faulds (Ponte Vedra Beach), offensive lineman Grant Harner (Jacksonville), offensive lineman Doug Polochak (Ponte Vedra Beach), offensive lineman D.J. Scott (Green Cove Springs) and cornerback Travis Simmons (Tallahassee) are also from Florida.

"I think we're all looking forward to it and making sure we go down to Orlando and play well," McNeill said.

Travel plans as routine as possible

Where were the Pirates going after the win over Marshall? Well, not to Disney World, even though they'll spend the bulk of the weekend in the Orlando area. Although the business at hand is the Central Florida game, the trip won't be all work and no play. Coach McNeill, staff and players see a lot of movies.

"We try to keep things routine, week to week, home and away, as much as possible," McNeill said. "Antonio (Huffman, director of football operations) does a masterful job at that. We have chapel before we leave. For home games, it's two o'clock. On away games, we have chapel at 11 (a.m.). We'll have a special teams meeting before we take the plane."

The Pirates fly out of Kinston. The players bus to the airport with staff members. The coaches drive their own cars. Upon arrival in Orlando after the Friday afternoon flight, the team will check into its hotel. Then there are offensive and defensive meetings, walk-throughs and film sessions.

Then it's supper and off to the movies. There are more team meetings after the movies.

"Then I put 'em to bed with a snack," McNeill said.

Following breakfast, the Pirates get into their pregame regimen.

"It's a routine," McNeill said. "It doesn't change much for us as coaches or players."

One thing that does change are the movies that the Pirates see.

"We have about two or three movies and Antonio brings the movie list by," McNeill said. "It's according to time. We try to see the newest movies. We'll give 'em two or three options but it'll be based on time. If it's an early game, we try to make sure we don't do anything late. Since we play at 3:30 on Saturday, it can be a little later movie. I'm always in there. We always have a coach and a blackshirt (staff member) in every movie. The kids seem to enjoy it quite a bit."

McNeill says he hasn't missed a movie in 20 years of coaching. He almost missed one when he was Texas Tech's interim coach for the Alamo Bowl in San Antonio before taking the post at ECU in January.

"I had some speaking engagements," McNeill said. "I had the Texas Rangers with me. I said, 'Guys, we're not missing this movie.' I did the speaking engagement and got back and caught a movie. I've never missed one."

The theaters in San Antonio were jammed during the holidays.

"Every movie was packed except 'Alvin and the Chipmunks, II,' " McNeill said. "For the Rangers to escort me and provide security, that was the only movie we could fit into. We watched it with a bunch of little kids and it turned out pretty fun."

McNeill watched "The Hereafter" with Matt Damon before the Marshall game last week. A possible Friday night selection would be appropriate for the Halloween weekend.

"The kids usually talk me into going to see something," McNeill said. "(Defensive tackle) Josh Smith, I don't know why I listen to him — he's so crazy — but I might go see 'Saw' in 3-D. It's a scary movie, but I might go see it."