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Game No. 11: ECU 38, UCF 31 |
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Game
Slants
Saturday, November 19, 2011
By Denny O'Brien |
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Dominique Davis, winner
By
Denny O'Brien
�2011 Bonesville.net
All Rights Reserved.
GREENVILLE � You couldn�t have
painted a better backdrop for Dominique Davis�s Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium debut.
Sunny skies, 80-degree
temperatures, ESPN cameras, and a standing-room only crowd awaited the
Pirates quarterback that day. He responded with a performance worthy of an
encore, one that will forever be imprinted in the memories of those who
witnessed it.
His final heave as time
expired in the 2010 season opener applied the final touches to one of the
more dramatic finishes in program history. Thirty-three yards and a few
seconds later, Davis had ushered the Pirates to an improbable
comeback victory over Tulsa and
immediately raised the bar for a position that has been the centerpiece of
the program.
The setting and details for
his home finale hardly matched that memorable September day. But the result,
a 38-31
Senior day victory over Central Florida,
delivered more satisfaction.
�There�s not a better feeling
than winning your last game as a senior here in this stadium,� Davis said.
�This is a game that I�m going to remember for the rest of my life.
�Everything that we�ve been
through and all the negative things that we�ve gone through, just coming up
with this great win is breathtaking. When I took that last knee, when I knew
it was over, I couldn�t do anything but break down.�
Given the ebb and flow of
Davis�s senior year, you can certainly understand the emotion. His
inconsistency has been met with a level of fan scrutiny perhaps unrivaled in
ECU's football past.
For sure, Davis bears some of
the responsibility for his decline in production this fall. Even he admits
that many of his 16 interceptions this season can be traced to poor judgment
and panic in the pocket.
But to some degree you have to
recognize that his struggles also are the product of a reduction of weapons.
Receivers Lance Lewis, Justin Hardy, and Justin Jones each have missed
considerable action during the season, as has running back Reggie Bullock,
the starter for the season opener.
Depleted depth at running back
has reached a point where offensive coordinator Lincoln Riley has given the
Pirates� rushing attack a complete overhaul. Zico Pasut, recruited by the
previous staff to play tight end and converted by the current regime into a
receiver, suddenly finds himself as ECU�s second rushing option.
You also can�t overlook the
numerous injuries that have taken the ECU offensive line by hostage. With so
much attrition within that unit, untimely false starts and protection
breakdowns have become the rule.
In the gutsy victory over the
Knights, the offensive front didn�t make a miraculous turnaround, nor did
the Pirates suddenly find themselves with an abundance of options on the
perimeter. Davis also didn�t make a sudden return to early 2010 form or
register a statistical gem.
But none of that seemed to
matter to Davis on this chilly November night. On a night when he threw for
a modest 203 yards, his will and determination more than his right arm kept
the Pirates� bowl hopes alive.
You could see that each time
he tucked and ran, sprinting at a seemingly higher gear. You could see it
when, after an 18-yard dash down the sideline, he gave the crowd a series of
fist pumps.
Many of those who cheered that
very moment lobbied for his benching following an interception. Maybe that�s
because they aren�t aware of the intangible value Davis brings to the
huddle.
�Dominique is a great person,
he is a great leader,� McNeill said. �He�s a great student and he loves East
Carolina. He loves being here.
�He has a lot of pride about
him. He is as humble as any individual I�ve met. Coach (Jeff) Connors, who
is one of the most heavy-handed taskmasters that I�ve ever been around, he
called Dominique one of the hardest workers he�s ever been around.�
Without Dominique Davis, East
Carolina surely wouldn�t have beaten Tulsa in the 2010 season opener. The
Pirates also wouldn�t have beaten Central Florida on Saturday or several
opponents in between.
Because of Davis�s leadership
and emotional play, the Pirates remain in bowl contention and can probably
count on a postseason spot with a win next Saturday at Marshall. But
regardless of what happens next weekend, Davis was fortunate enough to open
and close his home career with wins.
Not many quarterbacks in ECU
history can say that.
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11/20/2011 06:16:05 AM |
