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GAME DAY WEATHER |
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THE CHILL FACTOR:
The temperature for East
Carolina's American Athletic
Conference football game
with visiting Central
Florida tonight will be 45
degrees at the 7:30 kickoff
and will drop into the upper
30s during the course of the
contest, which will be shown
on ESPN. Humidity will range
from 49 percent at the
outset to 55 percent. Winds
will be North from eight to
10 miles per hour, blowing
across Bagwell Field at
Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium toward
the Pirate sideline. There
is a zero chance of
precipitation under partly
cloudy skies. All three
league losses for the AAC
foes have come under chilly
conditions. ECU dropped
games at Temple and
Cincinnati while the Knights
were topped 37-29 at
Connecticut on Nov. 1 when
the temperature was 43
degrees at kickoff and winds
were 10 mph out of the
north. (Filed by Al Myatt) |
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American Football
Schedule |
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THURSDAY |
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UCF at ECU, 7:30 pm
(ESPN) |
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SATURDAY |
Houston at Cincinnati,
12 pm (ESPN)
SMU at UConn, 12 pm (CBSSN)
Temple at Tulane, 7:30 pm (ESPN2) |
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FOOTBALL |
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Kevin's Keys to the Game |
 The bowl-bound East Carolina
and Central Florida teams
will clash tonight in the
regular season finale for
both squads. The challenge
presented by the Knights
will be one of the toughest
of the year for the Pirates.
...
More from Kevin Monroe... |
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BASKETBALL |
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FAU spurts past Pirates |
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BOCA
RATON, FL � Florida Atlantic
made 52 percent of its field
goal attempts and used an
18-2 first-half run to take
control in a 72-63
nonconference win over
visiting East Carolina on
Wednesday night. The Pirates
(4-4) outrebounded their
opposition (33-26) for the
first time in a loss this
season ...
More... |
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FOOTBALL |
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Saying goodbye is never easy |
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 Nineteen
East Carolina seniors will dress for
the final time at Dowdy-Ficklen
Stadium on Thursday night. It�s a
stellar group, one that trusted a
brand new coach enough to help start
his program at his alma mater. ...
More
from Brian Bailey... |
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Audio: The Brian
Bailey Show |
  The
Brian Bailey Show
airs on Pirate Radio
1250 on Mondays at
6:30 p.m. Brian's
topic this week was
the N.C. high school
football playoffs:
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
host Central Florida on
Thursday night (courtesy of
Pirate Radio 1250):
Select
clip... |
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BASKETBALL |
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Ziggy perfect in Pirates win |
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GREENVILLE � Michel-Ofik
"Ziggy" Nzege made all nine
of his field goal attempts
to score 18 points and lead
host East Carolina to a
74-59 win over Central
Connecticut State on Sunday
afternoon. ...
More... |
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Ruff post-game audio |
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 ECU
coach Ruffin McNeill
spoke with the news
media after
the
Pirates defeated Tulsa
on Friday night
(recorded by Al Myatt):
Select audio clip... |
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View Mobile Alpha version of this page.
By
Kevin Monroe
�2014 Bonesville.net
All rights reserved.
View ECU's
2014 football schedule
The
bowl-bound East Carolina and Central Florida teams
will clash tonight in the regular season finale for both squads. The
challenge presented by the Knights will be one of the toughest of the
year for the Pirates.
Just
one year removed from losing first round draft pick Blake Bortles to
the NFL, UCF is right back on top. Coach George O'Leary's outfit is
trying to earn a share of the American Athletic Conference title for
the second year in a row.
Sophomore QB Justin Holman has done a credible job in succeeding
Bortles, throwing for 2,387 yards and 19 touchdowns. Offensively the
Knights are good, but not great. Defensively they have been great,
and it�s this defense that has led them to an 8-3 overall record,
6-1 in the league. UCF ranks in the top 10 in the country in 8
defensive categories.
This
game will most likely be won or lost based on the matchup of ECU�s
high-powered offense against the Knights' brick wall defense. It
won�t be easy for the Pirates, but they can win if they follow this
script:
OFFENSIVE RHYTHM AND PACE
Anyone that has watched East Carolina�s offense play this year knows
it functions better when it moves at a very fast pace and gets into
a rhythm. If the pace starts flowing, as soon as one play finishes
the unit gets right back to the line of scrimmage, ready to run the
next play. This keeps the defense from substituting and the rapid
pace will tire out the defenders. The rhythm aspect comes from a
steady mix of run and pass that keeps the defense guessing and
allows ECU�s playmakers to make things happen. Quarterback Shane Carden is at his best when the offense is steadily moving the
chains.
STRETCH THE FIELD
The
Knights have super-fast athletes on defense. The way to take
advantage of a fast defensive unit is to keep it off balance. The
Pirates will try to mix in some screens and draw plays to offset the
heavy pass rush. Running the ball from sideline to sideline with
stretch plays and sweeps will make UCF play the entire width of the
field. Wide receiver screens to the sideline will keep the Knights
from stacking the middle of the field (the box). Once the Pirates
have stretched them width-wise, it will be time to take some shots
downfield. Receiver Cam Worthy has been the deep ball threat all
year long, but Justin Hardy, Isaiah Jones and Davon Grayson all have
the ability to catch passes down the field and loosen up the
aggressive UCF defense.
PROTECT THE QUARTERBACK
UCF
has recorded 28 quarterback sacks and 72 tackles for a loss. The
numbers rank tops in the American. It will be imperative for ECU to
protect Carden. The offense will not be effective if Shane doesn�t
have time to throw the football. Not only are the Knights good at
rushing the passer, they are good in the secondary as well. They
have 16 interceptions and 52 pass breakups on the season. That means
that Shane has to be quick in his decision making and accurate when
he throws the pass.
BOTTOM LINE
East
Carolina faces a very good � but beatable � team tonight. The
Pirates have the home field advantage and should have a great crowd
on Senior Night to send off two of the best players in school
history in Hardy and Carden. All of my keys were offensive for ECU
because it is important for the Pirates to solve the UCF defense to
win this game. It's a game that ECU can win if it runs a fast-paced,
effective offensive scheme, stretches the field with the run and the
pass, and protects Shane Carden. Get your popcorn ready... this
should be a great one.
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