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BAILEY'S
TAKE ON PIRATE SPORTS
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From the
Anchor Desk
Tuesday,
October 18, 2011
By Brian
Bailey |
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Ruff girds Pirates for triple option
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East
Division |
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SCHOOL |
C-USA |
ALL |
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Marshall
ECU
USM
UCF
Memphis
UAB |
2-1
2-1
1-1
1-1
0-3
0-3 |
3-4
2-4
5-1
3-3
1-6
0-6 |
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West
Division |
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SCHOOL |
C-USA |
ALL |
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SMU
Houston
Tulsa
UTEP
Rice
Tulane |
3-0
2-0
2-0
1-2
1-2
1-2 |
5-1
6-0
3-3
3-3
2-4
2-5 |
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By
Brian Bailey
©2011 Bonesville.net
All rights reserved.
Still smarting a tad after
an embarrassing loss to Houston,
but with newfound confidence from Memphis, East Carolina heads to
Annapolis.
It’s not quite the same
Navy team the Pirates saw last season. But it’s the same offensive
style. That’s the one that caused so many problems for the ECU defense a
year ago.
If you thought Houston was
a devastating loss two weeks ago, it pales in comparison to
the beat down Navy put on the purple
last year. The Middies put a Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium record number of
points on the board, turning that purple into black and blue.
Navy piled up 521 yards of
offense and scored 8 touchdowns in that 76-35 ECU loss at home. Four
third quarter fumbles were the difference. Navy ran downhill all
afternoon in the route.
The Pirates take a 2-4
record to Maryland after
Saturday night’s 35-17 win over a bad Memphis
football team. That same bad Memphis football team
actually led East Carolina after two quarters.
I don’t know just what
panic button Coach Ruffin McNeill pushed at halftime, but something
jumpstarted this Pirate football team. All of a sudden the defense was
creating a turnover, and the offense was making big plays.
Finally, Pirate football
had returned to East Carolina.
Hopefully, Dominique Davis
has some of his swagger back. Davis had a field day last year in the ECU
loss to Navy. He was 43-65 for 413 yards and five touchdowns against the
Midshipmen. It’s hard to believe the Pirates not only lost, but were
blown out.
As for the Memphis win,
McNeill said last week his team needed some success. They got it with a
strong second half.
"I thought it was a great
program win for us Saturday,” said McNeill with his opening comments at
Monday’s weekly news conference. [Replay
press conference audio...] "Our team and coaches were
very excited and enthusiastic for the game. It started last week in our
physical and mental preparation. Both groups, players and coaches, did a
very good job of preparing for the game.
"We've done a great job of
preparing all year I think. Saturday, it clearly carried over into the
game.”
That preparation will need
to carry over again this week. Defending the Navy option is very
difficult. It’s assignment football and discipline will certainly be
tested.
"With this offense, we
have to make sure we have guys focused on each possibility — the dive,
the quarterback and the pitch,” explained McNeill. “It's assignment
football. We'll have to put a special eye on (fullback Alexander) Teich
regardless.”
McNeill mentioned that he
got a call from former Oklahoma coach Barry Switzer, who also has a
Super Bowl ring with the Dallas Cowboys, this week. McNeill agrees with
Switzer that guys have to know their assignments, execute their
responsibilities, and probably most important, tackle well and swarm to
the football.
The Middies are an early
10-point favorite for their homecoming game. It’s always special when
you get to see one of the service academies, knowing that these players
have much more than football on their minds.
East Carolina can
certainly win if it protects the football, preferably even better than
it did in the win over Memphis.
Last year, four fumbles
and a couple of fullback jaunts across Bagwell Field wrecked the Pirate
party.
The ECU defense, which was
dead last in the nation last year, is currently 65th nationally in total
defense. It’s not where Ruffin McNeill wants it to be, but it’s still
light years ahead of last year’s numbers.
But that improved defense will certainly be tested this week by the
triple option.
It’s assignment football.
It’s difficult because it’s different. Preparation will be key if the
Pirates hope to come home from Annapolis with their third win of
the season.
BB
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Brian Bailey Archives
10/18/2011 03:56 AM |
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coach DUANE PRICE. Eastern North Carolina's longest running
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night at 7 p.m. on Pirate Radio 1250 and
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