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�All In�
East Carolina will
attempt to achieve
bowl eligibility
for the seventh time
in the last eight
years when it
takes to the field
in Miami this
evening for a 6
p.m. Conference USA matchup
against Florida
International. On the
opportunity to
qualify for
postseason play, ECU
coach Ruffin McNeill
said, "It's very
important for us to
be bowl eligible.
We've missed it one
time since I've been
here, but I haven't
missed it many times
during my coaching
years, personally, but more it's more
important for the
team and the
university. That is
one of our goals."
To get there, the
Pirates must remain
focused and not
encounter letdown like they
encountered
three
weeks ago in New
Orleans. "If you
can get the team to
grasp their vision,
goals, what we've
decided on as a
group, and if
they're all in, then
they don't lose
sight of that,�
stated McNeill
earlier this week. �As
long as we keep our
eye on that, then
they know the
importance of having
a great day of
practice ...
in order to have
success on
Saturday."
Execution of the
game plan is key. The Pirates have
been emphasizing
making routine plays
and finishing each
down, play, quarter,
half and game.
FIU coach Ron Turner
announced Tuesday
that sophomore E.J.
Hilliard would start
at quarterback
against the
Pirates instead of
redshirt junior Jake
Medlock. "I just
want him to go out
there and execute
the offense," said
Turner. "Play
within himself, have
great eye
discipline, run the
offense the way it
is supposed to be
run.�
The switch is
Turner�s attempt to
give his 1-6
Panthers a spark. �Football�s a team
game. You can�t have
one phase playing
really, really well
and the other two
not getting the job
done," he said.
Turner commented on
the good and bad of
the Panthers' 23-7 loss to
Louisiana Tech last
week. �Defense
got turnovers," he
said. "Played hard, fast
and physical and did
everything we asked
them to do. Offense,
we didn�t do
anything. We didn�t
execute. Special
teams didn�t
execute. We didn�t
make a play.�
Turner's
observations
remind me of onetime Tampa Bay coach
John McKay's remark
following a
Buccaneers loss in
one of their early seasons.
Asked what he
thought of his
team's "execution,"
McKay replied, "I'm all
for it."
Both teams will
strive to
make routine plays
and execute. But if the
Pirates are "all
in,"
it could be a long
night for FIU.
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