|
BAILEY'S TAKE
ON PIRATE SPORTS
-----
|
From the Anchor Desk
Tuesday, August 11, 2008
By Brian Bailey |
 |
Holtz gets to the
point with the press
By
Brian Bailey
©2009 Bonesville.net
All rights reserved.
Media Day 2009 at East
Carolina was one of the
most informative I have
ever attended.
This is normally a day
to preview the upcoming
season. The coach gives
an overview of what to
expect and the players
talk about their
individual and team
goals.
Coach Skip Holtz knew
going into this year’s
media day that there
were questions that had
to be answered. That’s
exactly what the coach
did.
Emanuel Davis, Doug
Palmer, Jonathan
Williams and Norman
Whitley are all
reinstated. Palmer has a
shoulder injury, while
Whitely is nursing a bad
hip. Both are in the
middle of rehabilitation
assignments and won’t be
available for a while.
I’ve followed the career
of Jonathan Williams for
several years now, first
at J.H. Rose High School
and now at East
Carolina. Williams is on
his last leg with Holtz
and the staff. Holtz
knew going in that
Williams could be a
problem and he has been.
Williams is back, but
he’ll have to fight his
way up the depth chart
from the third unit. He
is a great talent, but
this team won a
Conference USA title
without him last year.
“My legal stuff and all
of that is completely
behind me now,” said
Williams. “I could have
gone somewhere else, but
I want to be a Pirate.
I’m thankful that Coach
Holtz is giving me
another chance.”
I asked Jonathan if he
thought some of his off
the field problems were
about maturity, and
staying out of a bad
situation.
“I have to,” he said.
“This is it for me. I
just want to work hard
and get better.”
Coach Holtz also
announced Rob Kass’s
move to tight end or
H-back. Kass asked to
get a chance to play.
“This is my last year,
and I want to get on the
field,” said Kass. “I
want to contribute to
this team any way that I
can.”
Holtz said that he and
the staff will evaluate
Kass at tight end and
the overall quarterback
position early in camp
and make adjustments as
needed.
On defense Cliff
Perryman moves to the
defensive slot. You’ll
see him anywhere and
everywhere, much like
the role Zach Slate
played for the Pirate’s
defense last season.
In his fifth year Coach
Holtz has all of his own
players in this program.
It’s a team loaded with
experience. Add in the
continuity on the
coaching staff and
expectations are high
for this season.
“We are crossing every
'T' and dotting every
'I', said Holtz. “I
think this coaching
staff has done a
phenomenal job in doing
what we've had to do
every step along the way
to make sure that this
football team is
prepared and not taking
anything for granted.
We're going to need
every day between now
and September 5th in
order to get this team
ready to play in the
opening game against
Appalachian State.”
“I feel really good
about the experience and
the maturity returning,"
Holtz continued. "When
you look at the juniors
and seniors who we have
the ability to play with
it is exciting. But I
also believe we have an
awful long way to go
when you look at the
depth concerns.
"There are going to be
many guys who are going
to play significant and
contributing roles on
this team who need to be
developed. Many
questions still have to
be answered.”
Thankfully, Holtz has
very few questions about
who will lead this team.
Patrick Pinkney was
granted that extra year
of eligibility by the
NCAA. Pinkney has a very
quiet confidence, but
hopes to be more of a
vocal leader this
season.
“I think it's huge,”
said Holtz. “When you
look at a guy like
Patrick, he is a guy who
has been in that arena
and atmosphere. You know
how he's going to react.
I think it's a huge vote
of confidence for the
players. A lot of these
guys have been there
with him and been in
that huddle. It's not
only comforting for
Coach (Todd) Fitch and
the offensive coaches,
but also for the
players.”
“We have a lot of
experience in every
position,” said Pinkney.
“We’ve got weapons all
over and we’ve got some
depth.”
I think one of the big
keys for the season is
keeping Patrick Pinkney
healthy. Pinkney played
like an All-American at
times, but ankle
injuries really slowed
him down during the
season.
Depth is still the main
concern for Holtz during
this first week of camp.
Coach Holtz sent out a
twitter message earlier
yesterday morning saying
that he is very pleased
with the competition at
camp.
Competition always makes
everyone better, so that
depth concern could be
easing a bit. This
Saturday’s scrimmage
will answer some of
those questions.
That’s what the summer
is all about. The dog
days of August are used
to formulate the final
product. Two-a-days are
a big drag, but the
reward is another
chapter for Pirate
football in 2009.
Opening day is just 25
days away and
counting...
BB
E-mail
Brian Bailey.
Brian Bailey's archives.
08/11/2009 02:04:20 AM |
Replay
Monday night's
Brian Bailey Show with guests SKIP
HOLTZ and JIMMY BASS. Eastern North Carolina's longest running sports
radio call-in show airs each Monday night at 7
p.m. on Pirate Radio 1250-AM and 930-AM.