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BAILEY'S TAKE
ON PIRATE SPORTS
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From the Anchor Desk
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
By Brian Bailey |
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Wounded Pirates forced
to adjust
By
Brian Bailey
©2008 Bonesville.net
All rights reserved.
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Injuries are simply a
part of the game of
football. But that
doesn’t make it any
easier when a star
player goes down.
Quentin Cotton played as
good a first half at the
Louisiana Superdome on
Saturday as any player
has played on defense in
East Carolina football
history.
The Pirate players are
graded on film. Twenty
bonus points is
considered a great game.
Cotton had 38 bonus
points in the first
half. He had the
interception and he ran
that blocked field goal
back for a touchdown.
Cotton had his knee
taken out on a goal line
stand. According to one
of the coaches, the
Tulane fullback came
through the line, missed
his block, had his head
down, and hit Cotton
directly on his knee.
That’s how quick a
season can end.
ECU defensive
coordinator Greg Hudson
was still shaken by
injury on Monday. Hudson
almost got choked up
talking about it at
lunch. He spent time
with Cotton on Sunday.
Coach Skip Holtz says
it’s important to make
sure that Cotton is
still very much a part
of this Pirate program.
“It's just a shame,”
said Holtz. “It's one of
the things that really
breaks your heart in
sports, when you see
somebody who has come as
far as Quentin Cotton
has, and to see all the
positive things he has
done on and off the
field, and to see this
taken away from him.
"He's having a hard time
with it right now.”
The Pirates have pretty
much played with four
linebackers in the first
three games. Holtz says
the challenge now is to
get someone else in
there, and to also
develop more depth.
“We started (Pierre)
Bell, (Jeremy) Chambliss
and Cotton, and then
(Nick) Johnson has been
the swing guy,”
explained Holtz. “He has
come in and taken about
10 plays from each of
those three guys so
Johnson has averaged
about 30 plays per game.
"I'm concerned, not only
in losing Cotton, but
all of a sudden Cliff
Perryman, Melvin
Patterson and Steven
Spence find themselves
in a position where they
might have to turn and
step in the game.”
Offensive lineman
Stanley Bryant was
another key player to go
down against Tulane.
Terrance Campbell and
D.J. Scott will be
called on to lessen that
blow.
Next up is the rivalry
game of the year with
North Carolina State.
State came to Greenville
last year and rolled
over ECU.
The Wolfpack has
struggled thus far this
year, but Holtz says the
records mean nothing in
this game.
"I think we've got to
have a really good focus
this week in order to go
1-0,” Holtz said. “I
think this is a game
that our players are
really excited about
playing. They're revved
up for this one.
"There's a little bit
more energy in these
rivalry and geographic
games. The spirit is a
little bit higher in
practice; the attitude
is a little bit more
upbeat and everybody has
a little bit more pep in
their step and we're
excited about having the
opportunity to go over
to Raleigh and play."
The Wolfpack has dropped
a pair of games against
Clemson and South
Carolina. The Pack did
beat William & Mary and
would like nothing more
then to pull the upset
and wreck the unbeaten
season for East
Carolina.
"(N.C. State) is a very
talented football team,”
Holtz said. “Over the
past couple of years, we
have tried to recruit
most of the players
currently on their
roster. When I turn and
look at their talent and
the game film from last
year, I know that we've
got one heck of a
challenge.
"We certainly have to
play better than we did
last week. I think it's
going to take more of an
effort like we put
together for West
Virginia if we want to
have a chance to go over
there and have a chance
to be successful."
The Pirates escaped what
many felt was a trap
game in beating Tulane
28-24. This time there’s
a wolf set to pounce if
the Pirates don’t play
well.
Rivalries make for great
games, regardless of the
records. That’s the
magic of college
football.
It’s another national
stage for the Pirates on
ESPN. All roads lead to
Raleigh for what should
be another great
atmosphere for football!
BB
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09/22/2008 04:11:12 AM |
Replay
last night's
Brian Bailey Show with guest Donnie
Kirkpatrick. The show, Eastern North
Carolina's longest running sports radio
call-in show, airs every Monday night at 7
p.m. on Pirate Radio 1250-AM and 930-AM.