 |
| Lincoln
Riley communicates over the headset during a
game in 2012, a year which would prove to
mark the mid-point of his productive
five-year tenure as East Carolina's
offensive coordinator. The 31-year-old
former Texas Tech assistant has agreed to
transplant his hybrid version of the Air
Raid offense back in Big 12 territory, where
he learned it under Mike Leach. Oklahoma
coach Bob Stoops announced on Monday that
Riley will be the Sooners' offensive
coordinator. (Bonesville archive photo by Al
Myatt) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
BASKETBALL |
|
Lebo on AAC: 'Quite a jump' |
|
 Jeff Lebo had no delusions
about what membership in the
American Athletic Conference
would mean. 'We've moved up
two notches in basketball,"
said Lebo of the competitive
upgrade. ...
More from Al Myatt... |
|
|
|
|
|
FOOTBALL RECRUITING |
|
Pirates 'steal' sack artist in
Olenga |
|
 Emmanuel
Olenga is short on football
experience, but long on
talent and potential. And,
oh yeah, he's 6-foot-5 and
250 pounds of talent and
potential. That was more
than enough to create a
ripple of excitement in the
East Carolina football
program on December 22 when
Olenga made a verbal
commitment ...
More from Sammy Batten... |
|
|
|
|
|
BASKETBALL |
|
Bearcats down ECU |
|
CINCINNATI � East Carolina
was held to 27 percent
shooting in a 69-48 American
Athletic Conference loss at
Cincinnati on Tuesday night.
The Bearcats went ahead 3-0
on a shot from behind the
arc by Troy Caupain with
18:02 left in the first half
and led the rest of the way.
...
More... |
|
Next: ECU vs.
Houston | Wed, Jan.
14, 7 pm
TV: ESPNU |
The Season |
|
|
|
|
|
FOOTBALL |
|
Final thoughts from
Birmingham |
|
 There
will be no storybook ending for
these Pirates seniors, again. After
a Central Florida �Hail Mary� ruined
Senior Night in December. East
Carolina�s final attempt to give the
seniors a victorious sendoff fell
just short in the Birmingham Bowl.
The Pirates had plenty of chances,
but problems in the red zone meant a
different and most disappointing
ending. ...
More
from Brian Bailey... |
|
|
Audio: The Brian
Bailey Show |
  The
Brian Bailey Show
airs on Pirate Radio
1250 on Mondays at
6:30 p.m. Brian's
guest this week ECU
assistant coach and
recruiting
coordinator Donnie
Kirkpatrick:
Replay
show... |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Past intersects with present on
pick |
|
BIRMINGHAM, AL � East Carolina's
lack of production in the red
zone ultimately led to a 28-20
loss to Florida in the
Birmingham Bowl at historic
Legion Field on Saturday.
The final opportunity for the
Pirates (8-5) came on a drive
that started with 3:28 left in
the game from the ECU 42 with
the Pirates needing a touchdown
and a two-point conversion to
tie the score. ...
More from Al Myatt... |
|
|
|
|
|
Ruff & players post-game
audio |
|
  East
Carolina coach Ruffin
McNeill and seniors
Brandon Williams, Justin
Hardy and Shane Carden
met with the media after
Saturday's game
(recorded by W.A.
Myatt):
Select audio clip... |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
By
Brian Bailey
�2015 Bonesville.net
All rights reserved.
View ECU's
2014 football schedule
VIEW MOBILE VERSION OF THIS PAGE
OOOOk-lahoma, where the wind comes sweepin' down the plain,
And the wavin' wheat can sure smell sweet, When the wind comes right
behind the rain�
East Carolina offensive coordinator Lincoln Riley is singing a new tune
today. Riley has departed the ECU program and will join Oklahoma Sooners
coach Bob Stoops in Norman.
Oddly enough, Riley reportedly turned down Stoops� brother Mark at
Kentucky when that job was open last month.
The news first broke on Sunday night when a television reporter in
Oklahoma said his sources told him the deal was done. Confirmation on
the East Carolina end didn�t come until shortly after noon on Monday.
The Lincoln Riley era ended on a rainy afternoon in Greenville.
Riley
came to Greenville at the ripe old age of 26, as the youngest
coordinator in all of Division I football. The �boy wonder� quickly went
to work shaping an up-tempo offense that looked to throw the football.
The running game proved to be equally as important in the Riley offense,
which set school records from the very first day.
Riley leaves an East Carolina program that he led to the five best
single-season passing marks in school history. Four of the five top the
total offense list for the school. The Pirate offense amassed almost
7,000 yards in 2014.
Riley had said on a number of occasions that he was very happy at ECU
and that he would only leave if a �life-changing� opportunity opened up.
It looks like that life-changer came in the form of the offer from Bob
Stoops.
Pirate head coach Ruffin McNeill had this to say about the move in a
prepared statement from East Carolina:
"We're excited for Lincoln and believe this opportunity is both a
testament to our program and his leadership. It's difficult to say
goodbye to a loyal friend and brother who has been with me through
success and adversity, but I�m confident Lincoln's move will bring him
one step closer to his goal of becoming a head football coach. The
Pirate Nation will miss Lincoln and we wish him and his family nothing
but the very best.�
McNeill is now in the market for Riley�s replacement.
On the current ECU staff you would have to think that both Donnie
Kirkpatrick and Dave Nichol would be considered.
Kirkpatrick has head coaching experience and has always been the
straightest of shooters with fans and the media. Nichol, like Riley, is
considered a great, young offensive mind.
Running backs coach Kirk Doll also has a wealth of experience on that
side of the football.
Continuity on the coaching staff has been a key to this program�s
success. The last time Ruffin McNeill needed a coordinator he went with
veteran Rick Smith to replace Brian Mitchell. Smith has done a great job
in improving the Pirate defense.
Ruff took his time in hiring Smith and I suspect he won�t rush into
anything this time out, either.
As for Lincoln, the boy wonder was always thinking of ways to push the
envelope to move the football down the field.
The move is reminiscent of the time when Mark Richt left Art Baker�s
staff to become the offensive coordinator at Florida State. Richt
parlayed that move into the head coaching job at Georgia years later.
There is no doubt that Lincoln Riley is on the fast track to a head
coaching job.
Like Coach Ruff, I wish him and his family the very best. It was a great
five years, but I expect the Pirates will continue to be good on
offense.
Lincoln Riley, Shane Carden and Justin Hardy all leave together, and all
leave behind great memories on offense.
Here�s looking forward to spring football practice, where we will get
our first glimpse of this changing of the guard.
BB
Mondays
at 6:30 p.m. Brian's
guests this week
were
ECU assistant
basketball coach Ken
Potosnak (right) and
Farmville Central
football coach Scott
Gardner (left):
