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East Carolina 2010 Defensive Analysis
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Prologue
Friday, July 2, 2010
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By Ron Cherubini
Staff Feature Writer |
→ LINEBACKER →
- Melvin Patterson (RS-SR): As a freshman,
Patterson showed great promise as a safety and actually garnered a start
that season en route to collecting 20 tackles. He was moved to
linebacker heading into his sophomore season to bolster the position and
packed on the muscle. His sophomore season started out well but then he
was injured early in the season and missed the balance. He has since
found his way to the middle linebacker position and is battling Steve
Spence for the position. While it is not likely he will win the
position, it is very likely he will play a lot of football for the
Pirates this season as a reserve middle linebacker, giving the Pirates a
strong 1-2 punch in the middle. Between Patterson and likely starter
Spence, the two have played in 49 combined games.
- Dustin Lineback (SR): Lineback is a gritty
backer who has grown himself into a solid outside backer. The best news
for the defense is that he finished his junior campaign incredibly
strong, averaging more than 5 tackles a game in his final four games. He
has seen extensive action in his two years in the program, garnering 3
career starts in getting playing time in 24 total contests. He appears
to be ready for a season on the front line after a strong, consistent
spring. He should be comparable to departing OLB Jeremy Chambliss.
- Wes Pittman (SR): Last season, Pittman
emerged as a Special Teams hitman, showing that he played with no fear
and loved to hit. His hard work in the spring paid off in terms of
getting him on the defensive staff’s radar screen. He earned the top
spot on the depth chart at one of the OLB positions, but conventional
wisdom says that Pittman will likely find himself down on the depth
chart by the time September 5 roles around. He will likely remain a
special teams’ ace and get some spot time as a reserve at linebacker.
- Steve Spence (RS-JR): If there is a clear
cut stud in the linebacking corps who was ready for prime time even a year
ago, Spence would be the man. He left little doubt in the spring that he
is primed to be the middle linebacker for the Pirates, stepping into the
role held for the past two seasons by undersized and over-smart Nick
Johnson. Spence saw plenty of action in a reserve role last season,
collecting 15 tackles (2.5 for loss) and a pair of sacks in 13 games
played. He has seen action in 24 games in his career so far. He is big,
fast, and smart and is more of a prototypical college MLB. He should add
to what should be a pretty strong presence up the middle for the
Pirates.
- Cliff Perryman (RS-JR): After an
outstanding RS freshman campaign, Perryman got a little lost in the
shuffle last season after the emergence of Chris Mattocks at outside
linebacker. Part of Perryman’s backstep in 2009 was likely attributable to his
shoulder injury which he was playing through. Off-season surgery cost
him the spring which he spent rehabilitating. Still, he brings 20 games
of experience — four starts included — to the fold. Perryman should be in
the mix for an OLB position in the fall and if not a starter, he will be
a solid reserve backer.
- Matt Thompson (RS-JR): Thompson is coming
off a strong 2009 season where he collected 20 tackles (2.5 for loss) in
7 games last season (2 starts) before a season-ending injury. He is
healed up and was having a good spring before being forced to miss the
remainder due to a legal issue. As a result, Thompson will have to not
only have to work his way up the depth chart in the fall, but also into
the coaching staff’s good graces. From a talent perspective, Thompson
should be in the mix for a starting role on the outside in the fall.
- James Craig (SO): A relative unknown in the
program, Craig had a solid spring and garnered enough attention to find
himself on the depth chart coming out of spring. Craig was a stud in
high school at Mills Godwin in Richmond, VA, though he garnered no top
tier offers. Still, that walk-on experience may prove enough to get
Craig into the linebacking picture for the long term, not just as a
spring camp star.
- Kyle Tudor (RS-FR): As a freshman in 2009,
Tudor turned heads with the previous coaching staff in his first spring
camp after enrolling early in school. There was much talk about the
possibility of not redshirting him last season, but it was not
necessary and the extra year of eligibility was preserved for the promising young backer. With a second
camp under his belt, Tudor finds himself as primary backup in the depth
chart behind Lineback. Though low on game experience, Tudor is high on
preparedness.
- Ty Holmes (RS-FR): Holmes was quite a get
for the Pirates and after a redshirt season, he is ready to make a run
at playing time. He earned a spot on the linebacker depth chart, but is
likely to spend this season trying to get some on-field experience in a
reserve role.
Position Analysis
– Where last season’s linebacking corps had experience and good talent, this
year’s corps may actually have more pure talent, but lacks the deep
experience. Relative to last season, the corps may have actually improved.
Spence in the middle is an absolute beast of a middle backer and Lineback is
a gamer on the outside with plenty of experience. Perryman is very talented
and has shown flashes as a hybrid edge rushing end last season. Patterson
could be this season’s Chris Mattocks. There is clearly talent in the unit,
but with a brutal early season schedule, it may show if the unit takes a
while to come together. The future of the unit is on the rise, but it may
take some time this season to establish itself.
Next
Page:
Cornerback
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07/02/2010 05:11:15 AM
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