AL MYATT | Getting past the big pick [fb-080312]

East Carolina defensive back Damon Magazu (above) and Pirates head coach Ruffin McNeill spoke with Bonesville's Al Myatt at last week's Conference USA Media Day in Dallas. View the Bonesville Bytes audio page to select and replay their remarks.

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I had a teammate in my basketball playing days at Wake Forest, Phil Perry, who made the winning shot in overtime against North Carolina in the ACC Tournament in 1973 as a sophomore.

Eddie Payne, who coached basketball at East Carolina for four seasons beginning in 1991-92, coincidentally had the assist on the play.

It was kind of like Don Larsen's perfect game in the World Series in 1956 or Lorenzo Charles' closing dunk in Albuquerque in the NCAA final in 1983.

The hoop against the Tar Heels sort of evolved into Perry's athletic identity. He was that guy. He capped the upset of North Carolina.

He aspired for respect as a player in a more complete sense but that one shining moment came to define him seemingly for the remainder of his career. He had averaged 25 points a game on the freshman team and felt capable of bigger contributions on the varsity level but he became known for finishing one fast break at Greensboro Coliseum.

When I see ECU defender Damon Magazu, I generally think of his game-ending interception in overtime to preserve a 33-27 win against N.C. State his true freshman season in 2010. I figure I'm not alone in that regard.

Magazu busted into the consciousness of the Pirate Nation with the vibe of a visit from Publisher's Clearing House. On that one play, he read scrambling Wolfpack quarterback Russell Wilson and moved in front of rerouted receiver Jarvis Williams. Bold as Blackbeard, Magazu turned a tense situation into an amazing euphoria before the largest crowd in Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium history.

"People remember me from that one play," Magazu said last month at the Conference USA media day in Dallas. "Personally, I don't want to be remembered for one play. I want to be remembered on a career, not only as a football player but as a student at ECU and as a person."

Magazu seemed as willing to talk about a summer school 'B' in his business marketing major as the upcoming football season. He has been a Dean's List and Honor Roll student at ECU.

Being the bookend on the win over the Wolfpack was indeed special despite higher expectations of himself.

"It feels good to kind of be put in ECU's history on one play," he said. " ... It was really nice. I got a lot of calls from friends and everything like that, which was greatly appreciated."

Magazu played in all 13 games as a freshman, starting — and finishing — against NCSU at free safety. He had a team high 14 tackles on special teams in 2010. He made six tackles against State, three in the fourth quarter.

He stepped up as a full time starter as a sophomore with 50 solo tackles and 60 assists. He made four interceptions last season on a much-improved Pirate defense.

The ECU media guide describes Magazu well — " ... an energetic, assignment sound and well-schooled defender who continues to enjoy a fast-track rise, now climbing from a starting role to honors candidacy."

Magazu has displayed a focus, a maturity and an understanding that belie his youth as a Pirate, a quality no doubt enhanced by football genes.

"He's a CK," said ECU coach Ruffin McNeill in explanation of Magazu's exceptional football IQ. "A coach's kid."

Magazu's father, Dave Magazu, is offensive line coach for the Denver Broncos. His older brothers, Anthony and Dominick, played at Kent State and Appalachian State, respectively.

Magazu was born in 1991 in Terre Haute, IN, when his dad was offensive coordinator at Indiana State.

The older Magazu even did a stint in Conference USA at Memphis as the Tigers' offensive coordinator in 1997-98.

The family was sufficiently settled when Dave Magazu was offensive line coach for the Carolina Panthers for Magazu to earn all-conference honors for three straight years at Charlotte Providence. Magazu has added significant muscle to his 5-foot-11 frame since signing with ECU. He's currently listed at 203 pounds. His Bonesville thumbnail when he committed to the Pirates in 2010 had him at 175.

It said something about the family's respect for McNeill and staff as coaches when Magazu chose the Pirates despite interest from ACC and SEC programs. Coaches like Dave Magazu have a heightened perception when it comes to evaluating college programs.

"I've been blessed not only to have a great father but a great coach as a father," Magazu said. "I respect him in both manners, as a father and a coach. He would kind of give me two rundowns after the games in high school. He would give me the father's point of view and then the coach's point of view.

"He'd kind of mend those together — the good, the bad and the ugly. He'd praise me and he'd tell me what I needed to work on. I think that's helped a lot. I feel like a lot of parents only tell their kids the good things, but as a player you need to know the bad things so you can work on them."

Seeing his son play at ECU is not as easy for Dave Magazu as when he was working for Coach John Fox in Charlotte.

"He tries to get out on their bye week and come out and see a game," said the Pirates' No. 11. "He'll usually fly that week to come see me play. When he's in hotels, he gets one of his video guys to make sure they can get the games on the computer so he can see a little bit or as much as he can."

Denver's open date this season comes after a Monday night game at San Diego on Oct. 15. The Broncos don't play again until a Sunday matchup at home against New Orleans on Oct. 28. Dave Magazu may be able to shift his focus away from protecting Peyton Manning long enough to see ECU play at Alabama-Birmingham on Oct. 24.

Damon Magazu (11) gets a pat on the back from senior Bradley Jacobs (3) as he leaves the field following his decisive interception in a 38-31 Senior Night win over Central Florida in 2011. Magazu had a career-high 12 tackles in the Nov. 19 Conference USA contest. (Photo: W.A. Myatt)

The interception against N.C. State in 2010 was a high point for Magazu in particular and the Pirate defense in general. The unit had one of the worst afternoons in program history in a 76-35 home loss to Navy later that season. ECU's defense wound up at or near the bottom of several NCAA statistical categories that year.

McNeill and defensive coordinator Brian Mitchell retooled for 2011, making schematic adjustments and bringing in personnel to improve the talent level. The injury bug didn't bite as severely on defense and the overall numbers were much better in Magazu's sophomore season.

Most everyone, including "Mags," sees the potential for even better defensive play in 2012.

"I think we definitely have more talent and more depth," he said. "I think the main thing that we've done is we've run to the ball. That's something that we preach every day in practice. We do drills specifically to make sure that we run to the ball. If a hole opens up and nobody is running, then someone is going to get through the hole. But if everybody is running to the ball, the hole is going to squeeze up real quick. Turnovers are created by running to the ball, whether it's on purpose or by accident. Fumbles will happen. If you're running to the ball, you can fall on it. Same with interceptions. ...

"I think running to the ball has been a big component of our success last year."