If winning is the primary factor that underscores those schools known for
a football culture, East Carolina is in serious danger of losing its very
special niche.
Though the program is steeped with pigskin pride, the Pirates already
face the harsh reality that they no longer are the flagship football team in
a state known widely as a hardwood haven.
Now, after dropping 15 of their last 16 games, the Pirates have entered
the most critical period in their athletics history. At a time when it can
least afford to struggle in its marquee sport, East Carolina has stumbled to
one of its worst stretches in history and the consequences thus far have
been severe.
Last year, ECU was denied a bid to the Big East. The Pirates, once a
fixture on ESPN, have been exiled from national TV. Traditionally touted as
an underdog opponent feared by even the biggest football bullies, East
Carolina has become a media punchline.
All three were overwhelming themes in Louisville's 59-7 rout of the
Pirates.
"I think this was a bad performance against a very good team," Pirates
coach John Thompson said. "But I think things are moving forward.
Absolutely."
Truthfully, it's difficult to identify a single area in which the Pirates
improved Saturday. And for the most part, any incremental progress over the
past two seasons has been trumped by the inability to sustain a level of
consistency.
One week it's poor tackling. The next, it's turnovers. Then it's back to
tackling.
About the only consistent storyline for East Carolina has been the weekly
records shattered by opponents.
Saturday belonged to Eric Shelton, who tied the Louisville single-game
mark for rushing touchdowns with five. He joined West Virginia running back
Kay-Jay Harris and Wake Forest quarterback Corey Randolph, each of whom
enjoyed Heisman-caliber performances against ECU this year.
To a certain extent, it's tempting to attribute the Pirates' current
misfortunes to a lack of talent. After all, ECU certainly appeared
overmatched against the mighty Cardinals.
However, subscribing to the "no talent" logic would be a complete
oversight when you evaluate the program's past.
By and large, East Carolina has never won because its roster was stocked
with superior personnel. At no time has Dowdy-Ficklen stadium been a
sanctuary for blue chip talent.
On the contrary, the historical formula for winning at ECU can be
attributed more towards its philosophical approach. A clever scheme, along
with blue-collar players developed with astute coaching that maximizes
talent had been the secret to sustained overachievement.
Whether or not Thompson possesses the ingredients to mix that proven
recipe is still unknown. So far, the results haven't been favorable.
With new athletics director Terry Holland now on the job, the pressure to
turn the corner quickly has increased. Thompson now is employed by both a
chancellor and AD whose legacies aren't tied to his hiring, so the mulligans
could be at a minimum.
At this stage it is paramount that Thompson keep the fans enthused and
players focused. In the end, that could sway the jury when any decisions are
made on his long-term fate.
But for now, Thompson and the ECU program find themselves in an unstable
position.
Thompson has reached a point where he must prove himself capable of
steering the ship. The Pirates desperately need to show they can return to
the level at which they once existed.
In both cases, the proof must be punctuated by wins.
A hot topic following the Pirates' loss to the Cardinals was the
comparison of the defenses of Cincinnati and Louisville. The Pirates were
dormant against both the Cards and Bearcats, yielding a combined ten sacks
and 23 tackles for losses in the two games.
When asked which was better, ECU players all agreed Cincinnati.
"By far, Cincinnati has probably the best defense that we've played
against," Pirates tight end Sean Harmon said. "They have guys up front that
fly around. The linebackers fly around.
"Louisville didn't have a Trent Cole, or a (Andre) Frazier, or an (Jamar)
Enzor. Cincinnati has a very good defense. That's by far the toughest
defense that we've played so far."
Pinkney, who was tossed around by both like a hot potato in the middle of
July, didn't flinch when asked to compare the two.
His assessment? Louisville's defense doesn't quite stack up to what he
saw against Cincinnati.
"Not by a long shot," Pinkney said. "(Louisville) did everything that we
were ready for. We just... I don't know. I compare (Louisville) to West
Virginia."
Harmon was quick to credit the U of L's stingy defense, but said
Saturday's numbers should be attributed more to the Pirates' lack of
execution.
"They're a good team, don't get me wrong," Harmon said. "We just didn't
execute. We could play with them. You saw that in the first half. We played
good. It just blew up on us."
To date, Louisville has surrendered only 28 points in four games.
Saturday, UAB torched Cincinnati for 30.
So much for that debate.
No doubt, the bright spot in the Pirates' blowout loss to Louisville was
the play of Harmon. The junior college transfer had his best performance to
date, snaring four passes for 39 yards and a score.
Harmon credited the touchdown a 20-yard toss from Pinkney to the
astute play-calling of offensive coordinator Noah Brindise.
"Coach called a perfect play," Harmon said. "A scissors route. Three
receivers rubbed my guy and I popped wide open. I was fortunate enough to
score. It was 7-7 at that time and I thought we could hang with these guys."
Thompson was pleased with the effort from his rookie tight end, but
disappointed that ECU relinquished momentum following the touchdown catch.
"He had a big day, big catch down there," Thompson noted. "We get
momentum... but our defense just gives it right back up.
"That's an issue that for some reason for two years that has stayed that
way. We've got to get a handle on that."
