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Chip
goes both ways
East Carolina, winner of six
of its last seven
games, will try to
make it five in a
row for the first
time since 1999 and
2-1 against Atlantic
Coast Conference
schools
this season. Things
haven�t gone so well
for the opponent,
N.C. State, which
has struggled this
season and will not
be in a bowl game
for the first time
since 2009. NCSU
hasn�t had a winless
ACC season since
1959 and N.C. State
has never lost to
Duke, UNC-Chapel
Hill, Wake
Forest and ECU in
the same season.
Both are
distinctions first
year NCSU head coach
Dave Doeren would
like to avoid. He
talked about the
opportunities for
his team to gain
some positives as
the season winds
down "� since
we won�t be in a
bowl game. We want
to enjoy those 12
days and do
everything we can,
as a coaching staff,
to have our seniors
finish the right
way. That�ll be our
goal. I know one
thing and I told our
team the same thing,
every obstacle
that�s put in front
of us is put there
for a reason and
you�re judged by how
you deal with those
obstacles. We have
had a lot of them.�
The teams have split
the eight games they
have played since
1996, with each
winning the last
game at home in
overtime � ECU in
2010 and N.C. State
in 2008.
Pirate coach Ruffin McNeil and
staff have worked to
keep the
emotions of their
players grounded. �I think
keeping the vision
in perspective," is
the way McNeill
describes his team's
game to game
approach. "I
can�t tell you how
proud I am of our
kids and coaches who
are grasping this
concept. If you can
watch the film from
the game with me,
you can see them
play that play the
best they can. I use
this phrase: �All
you got, best you
got, ball til� you
fall on that play,
and go to the
next one.� With that
in mind, that keeps
it grounded.�
About the rivalry
with NC State,
McNeill said, �I
know Dave and I have
a lot of respect for
their program.
They�re all big
games right now. We
have to make sure we
play well. It�s a
big game for Dave
and it�s a big game
for us.�
Doeren also
grasps the importance
of today�s rivalry
game for both teams. �We have a
lot to prove and we
want to play well
for our seniors and
we want to finish
the season the right
way. We are playing
a very good football
team. � I know what
we�re going to get
from their team and
I know the history
of this game. A lot
of people have told
me about it. I
understand what
we�re going into in
this football game.�
Doeren added,
�I have been on that
side of it in the
MAC, you�re playing
a Big Ten team when
you are in the MAC
and an ACC team in
their (ECU�s)
situation. I
understand what is
going on in their
campus, their locker
room and in their
meetings. It�s a
chip on your
shoulder game, for
us and them.�
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