GREENVILLE — The play came early in Emanuel Davis's career at East Carolina. He put a hit on Patrick Pinkney as the former Pirates quarterback was going into the end zone in a Purple-Gold spring game. It was a statement about Davis's competitive mindset. That aggressiveness has served him well in his ECU career.

Davis and his fellow seniors played their last football game in Eastern North Carolina on Saturday night. Davis has played quite a few going back to his days growing up in Manteo.

His stint in purple and gold has spanned an era at East Carolina that included Conference USA championships his redshirt freshman and sophomore years in 2008 and 2009.. The program went through a coaching transition before his junior season in which Skip Holtz left for South Florida and ECU alumnus Ruffin McNeill arrived from Texas Tech to take charge.

"The transition was a smooth one," Davis said. "Probably as smooth as it gets. Getting used to a whole new coaching staff is kind of hard but the new coaching staff came in here and they made everybody feel important. No job was bigger than another man's job. ... It made it real easy."

The 2010 season was not a good one for the Pirates defensively as the unit was among the worst in the nation statistically.

The unit underwent schematic changes in spring practice before Davis's senior season. ECU's defense has shown improvement in 2011 but the Pirates needed a win on Senior Night against Central Florida to keep alive the possibility of a bowl trip for a sixth straight year.

Davis's parents, R.V. and Julie Owens, were there for Senior Night, just as they have been throughout his career. One of Davis's first memories is a football his dad gave him. He said he used to take it everywhere and he still has it.

"I think that got me on the right path," Davis said.

His greatest thrills have related to the general experience of Pirate football, not his two league championship rings or individual accomplishments.

"Just getting to play in front of so many people, so many fans who are dedicated week in and week out," he said. "And just building a bond with the guys since I got here. All five years since I've been here. That's a bond you're going to have the rest of your life."

Davis is a communications major, which may put him on the other side of the postgame interview at some point in his life. He is on the NFL's radar but is focused in on the close of his college career at the moment.

"It crosses your mind but I try to throw it to the back of my mind," he said of the possibilities on the next level. "I've got a task at hand. That's trying to win a bowl game. I haven't been able to do that since I got here. That's something I want to do."

ECU's bowl eligibility hinges on a successful trip to Marshall next week.

"It's a must-win for us," he said. "Just like every game is a must-win for us. I'm sure they're going to prepare. We'll go up there and see who executes the most."

Davis felt the Pirates got some momentum for the trip to Huntington, WV, with the 38-31 win over Central Florida.

"Guys fought to the very end on all three sides of the ball," he said. "Offense, defense and special teams pulled together."

Davis has come back from a suspension for the season opener with South Carolina after a drinking-related episode downtown during the summer.

"I want to say that every time I did get in trouble, I manned up and accepted the responsibility for it," he said. "I want people to remember me as somebody who just kept fighting. Every day is not a bright day and every day is not a bad day. You've just got to keep moving forward."

Pirates coach Ruffin McNeill loves his players, even if it sometimes has to be tough love.

"I was proud of Emanuel," McNeill said. "He's done a great job with me. Some deals happen but I'm very proud of Emanuel and how he's been a leader for me. He's done whatever I've asked him to do. He said one thing when he hugged me tonight. 'Thank you.' I go, 'Hey, thank you more.' "

Davis grew up in Manteo about two hours east of ECU. He was a two-way standout in football for the Redskins. He initially signed with North Carolina but reconsidered and opted for the Pirates after the Tar Heels dismissed former coach John Bunting.

Davis had some good offensive numbers in high school.

"They recruited me as an athlete," Davis said of former coach Skip Holtz's staff. "Coach Rick Smith (former secondary coach) knew I was aggressive so he wanted me on the defensive side of the ball. The older guys just stayed with me after practice, teaching me stuff about the secondary. I just kind of got used to it."

Davis also was a basketball standout at Manteo and a state 1-A champion in the triple jump. He said he can still play hoops.

"It's like riding a bike," he said. "Once you've got it, you've got it."

Davis played football under Walt Davis at Manteo.

"He was a big influence," the ECU boundary corner said. " ... He kept my head on straight. ... I owe him a lot."

Davis knows some of the current players at Manteo. The team is still alive in the playoffs.

"Every time I go home I see them around the recreation center and things like that," he said.

Davis left the surface of Bagwell Field for the last time as a player after teammate Damon Magazu stopped UCF's final threat with an interception at the goal line.

"My last thought leaving the field was that we did it on the defensive side of the ball," Davis said. "We took a lot of criticism last year. It just felt good going out there on that last series. The fans were chanting, 'Defense, defense.' That's something that I haven't heard since we won those conference championships."

Davis had a Knights pass go in and out of his hands the play before the decisive pick by Magazu. Davis and Magazu had a quick helmet-to-helmet pep talk after Davis was credited with a pass breakup.

"He was just telling me you can't miss that opportunity," Davis said. "I could have sealed the game. He also told me he was going to get him one and he got it at the end."

Pinkney was a star in the program when Davis jarred him in that spring game years ago on a play when most defenders would have pulled up rather than hit a star quarterback as he went into the end zone.

"E. Davis," Pinkney said afterwards."I'm going to remember him."

So will a lot of Pirate fans.