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| Receiver
Justin Hardy talks with the media after
smashing the FBS career receptions record in
ECU's
win over Tulane on Saturday. The senior
from Vanceboro caught 9 passes on the day to
boost his career total to 355, six better
than previous record holder Ryan Broyles of
Oklahoma who finished his career in 2011.
(Photo by W.A. Myatt, ©Bonesville.net) |
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Audio: Brian Bailey
Show |
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 The
Brian Bailey Show
airs on Pirate Radio
1250 on Mondays at
6:30 p.m. Brian's
guest this week was
ECU director of high
school relations
Harold Robinson:
Replay
show... |
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MULTIMEDIA |
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Audio: Coach Ruff Weekly
Presser |
 ECU
coach Ruffin McNeill spoke
with the media at his weekly
press conference on Monday
as the Pirates prepare to
visit Tulsa for a Friday
night matchup (courtesy of
Pirate Radio 1250):
Select
clip... |
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American Football
Scoreboard |
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SATURDAY |
UCF 53, SMU
7 (ESPNN)
Houston 38, Tulsa 28 (ESPN3)
ECU 34, Tulane 6
(ESPN3)
Memphis 31, USF 20 (ESPNN)
Cincinnati 41, UConn 0 (CBSSN) |
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BASKETBALL |
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Green Bay tops ECU |
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ESTERO, FL — Short-handed
East Carolina opened play in
the Gulf Coast Showcase at
high noon on Monday and was
dealt a 66-49 setback by
Green Bay. The Pirates were
without versatile senior
wing man Paris
Roberts-Campbell due to a
knee ailment and post player
Marshall Guilmette because
of a hip flexor injury. ...
More... |
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'Deuce' becomes No. 1 |
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GREENVILLE — "Deuce" is how East
Carolina football coach Ruffin
McNeill refers to senior inside
wide receiver Justin Hardy. It's
because Hardy wears uniform No.
2. "Deuce" became No. 1 on
Saturday, moving ahead of former
Oklahoma receiver Ryan Broyles
for the most career catches in
Football Bowl Subdivision
history. ...
More from Al Myatt... |
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HISTORY IN
THE MAKING:
A mammoth
banner was
unfurled
from the
Murphy
Center soon
after senior
wide
receiver
Justin Hardy
made his
350th career
catch during
East
Carolina's
34-6 victory
over Tulane
on Saturday
at
Dowdy-Ficklen
Stadium. The
play pushed
Hardy past
the previous
NCAA FBS
career
receptions
record set
by
Oklahoma's
Ryan Broyles
in 2011.
Hardy hauled
in nine
passes for
104 yards
against the
Green Wave
and finished
the day with
355 career
receptions.
[W.A. Myatt
photo. ©Bonesville.net] |
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View W.A.
Myatt's
gallery from
Thursday
night's
game... |
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FOOTBALL |
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Kevin's Keys to the Game |
The Pirates
will take on a challenge
from Tulane today in their
first appearance in
Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium in a
month. It will also be East
Carolina's last Saturday
home game this season.
...
More from Kevin Monroe... |
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BASKETBALL |
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Transfers pace Pirates |
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GREENVILLE — Florida
State transfer Terry
Whisnant made four
of seven attempts
from behind the
3-point line and
scored 16 points to
lead East Carolina
to a 92-51
nonconference
basketball win over
Virginia-Lynchburg
at Williams Arena in
Minges Coliseum on
Thursday night. ...
Story, photos and
audio... |
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Pictured: The East
Carolina bench
reacts after walk-on
Peyton Robbins
scores a basket in
the final minutes of
the Pirates' 92-51
victory over
Virginia-Lynchburg
on Thursday night at
Minges Coliseum.
Thirteen ECU players
scored in the rout,
five of them in
double figures.
(Photo by W.A.
Myatt. ©Bonesville.net) |
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By
Brian Bailey
©2014 Bonesville.net
All rights reserved.
View ECU's
2014 football schedule
VIEW MOBILE VERSION OF THIS PAGE
What a thrill it was to be on the sideline on Saturday when Justin Hardy
set the all-time NCAA FBS record for career receptions.
The former West Craven standout needed just four catches to break the
all-time mark. His first three grabs came rather quickly, setting up the
record breaker.
As was the case in many of the receptions through the years, it wasn’t
all that spectacular. In typical Justin Hardy fashion, he made the
catch, returned the football to the closest referee, and went about the
business of the next play.
Always humble, Hardy met the army of reporters afterwards with his same,
low key attitude.
"Never let anybody tell you that you can't be anything," Hardy said.
"Not really having any D-I offers and coming here as a walk-on, I earned
my scholarship, earned my playing time."
He then went out and earned the respect of the entire college football
nation.
Give the Pirate brass credit for honoring Hardy in a great way. At the
appropriate time the game was stopped momentarily for a short
presentation. That presentation included a giant banner that hung from
the Murphy Center.
Hardy may know when the ball is coming, but he had no idea that the
banner was in the game plan.
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Story
continues after the following picture... |
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A mammoth
banner was unfurled from the Murphy Center soon after
Justin Hardy made his FBS record-breaking 350th career
catch during
East
Carolina's
34-6 victory
over Tulane
on Saturday. |
“It was breathtaking and I wasn’t expecting it,” Hardy said. “I was just
thinking, ‘I got the catch, we’ll take a couple of pictures and go back
and play.’ But it was great!”
Pirate coach Ruffin McNeill was most emotional after the game when
talking about “Deuce.”
He then touched on the topic again on Monday.
“He symbolizes what we want our program to stand for,” said McNeill. “He
symbolizes that in so many ways as a team first, team last, team always
player with a total commitment and dedication to the team while
embracing his role, which is a high-priority role, but also finding ways
to make the team better. Justin does that, (after) working his way from
a walk-on to one of the greatest receivers in the history of college
football.
"It’s something someone
could make a movie or write a book about. His teammates absolutely adore
him. He will be the first to tell you that his teammates are the reason
he was able to achieve the record.”
“I would never want to be anywhere else,” Hardy added. “East Carolina
has done a lot for me, and I’m going to continue to do a lot for them.”
Next up, East Carolina hits the road for the ‘Black Friday’ matchup with
the Tulsa Golden Hurricane.
The Pirates are still on the outside looking in as far as a shot at the
American Athletic Conference title is concerned. Memphis, Central
Florida and Cincinnati have just one conference loss. The Pirates can
give UCF their second. The trick is that the other two teams have to get
to two losses for any chance. The Bearcats still have Temple and
Houston. Memphis wraps up its season with UConn this weekend.
Still, the Pirates will be bowling this postseason and another win gets
them that much closer to back to back 10-win seasons, something to
really hang the helmet on.
You know the likes of Shane Carden and Justin Hardy want to finish
strong.
Happy Thanksgiving and save some leftovers for Friday night football
featuring the Pirates and Tulane. Hopefully, the Pirates can feast on
the Golden Hurricane.
BB
