Some of the biggest strides by the East
Carolina football team in Skip Holtz’s first season on the job have been
made in the defensive backfield.
The Pirates surrendered an average of 223.5 yards per game through the
air in 2004, but have improved that figure to 175.6 this season with one
game to play. The transformation is a credit to the new coaching staff
and an indication that there’s some quality talent manning those
secondary positions.
Even though three players who played
significant roles in that success graduate after the 2005 season —
strong safety Zach Baker, free safety Mickey McCoy and cornerback
Demetrius Hodges — the Pirates won’t find the cubbard bare in ’06. In
fact, some of the program’s best young talent resides in the secondary,
as well as some excellent rising seniors like strong safety Kyle Chase,
free safety Pierre Parker, cornerback Erode Jean and cornerback Kasey
Ross.
But even with that experienced quartet
returning next fall along with a host of skilled underclassmen, the
Pirates won’t be neglecting those positions in recruiting for the Class
of 2006.
ECU has offered several players at the
safety and cornerback positions, and has its eye on two secondary
performers who belong to one of the state’s top 4-A program.
The Pirates were one of the first
schools to offer safety Alex Frye from Jack Britt High School in
Fayetteville. Frye’s teammate, cornerback Mychael Johnson, hasn’t been
offered yet, but he’s begun receiving serious interest from ECU and
others since being chosen to the North Carolina squad for this year’s
Shrine Bowl All-Star game against South Carolina. Frye was also named to
the Shrine Bowl squad.
The pair helped the Buccaneers roll to
an 11-3 record in a season that finished up last Friday with a
third-round state playoff loss against New Bern.
Frye, a 6-foot-3, 190-pounder with
4.5-second speed in the 40-yard dash, has received scholarship offers
from the Pirates, Duke, Maryland, Virginia and Wake Forest. Jack Britt
coach Richard Bailey said Maryland, Virginia and Wake Forest are Frye’s
leaders.
“I think it’ll probably come down to
those schools, but you can never tell,’’ Bailey said.
Frye was two-way star for Jack Britt
this season, making 40 tackles and two interceptions as a safety on
defense during the regular season and making 16 receptions for 353 yards
and three touchdowns at wide receiver on offense.
The 5-10, 175-pound Johnson also played
on both sides of the ball for Jack Britt, but did his best work on
defense. Playing cornerback, he made 43 tackles and had four
interceptions during the regular season.
Bailey said Johnson has been receiving
attention locally from ECU, Duke, Maryland and Wake Forest, and from as
far away as Notre Dame.
“He’s been drawing a lot more interest
lately,’’ Bailey said. “I think Mychael is extremely serious about East
Carolina. I think if they would offer, he’d probably go. And I think
East Carolina would be crazy not to offer him, in my opinion.’’
Although Frye and Johnson are better
known as defensive backs, Bailey believes they could help the Pirates on
either side of the football.
“Mychael is also a very good return
guy, as good as I’ve had here,’’ Bailey said. “He’s returned a kickoff
and three punts for a touchdown, and taken back an interception, all in
the same year. That doesn’t happen a lot.
“The thing about Mychael and Alex is
you can’t go wrong. You’ve got people who can play on either side of the
ball and both could play special teams right away. It’s a win-win
situation for whatever team gets them.’’
Two other defensive back prospects are
also on ECU’s recruiting radar. They are:
• Tyrell
Broughton, a 6-1, 195-pounder attending Georgia Military College.
Broughton is originally from Huger, SC, and is the younger brother of
Green Bay Packers tight end Luther Broughton. He has offers from ECU,
Baylor and Middle Tennessee. Broughton, who has 4.5 speed in the 40, has
already made an official visit to Baylor (Nov. 18) and plans to come to
Greenville sometime in January.
• Myke
Compton, a 5-8, 195-pounder with 4.4 speed in the 40 from Tucker, GA.
Compton is an all-around athlete who played defensive back, tailback and
returned kicks for his high school team. He’s been offered by ECU,
Akron, Ball State, Kent State, Maryland, Memphis and North Carolina.
