East Carolina is getting ready to play one of its oldest opponents for the first time at a neutral site. The Pirates played at Appalachian State in 1932, the first year that the institution, now known as ECU, had a football team. The Mountaineers won, 21-0 as the Pirates were 0-5 in that maiden season. Appalachian won the first 10 meetings in the series before ECU broke … [Read more...]

Holton Ahlers has been taking the first-team snaps at quarterback at East Carolina since the latter part of his freshman season in 2018. As the start of his fourth season in the program approaches, his performance, obviously, will be a key as the Pirates look for better things after six straight losing campaigns. Donnie Kirkpatrick is going into his third season as … [Read more...]

As students returned to campus this weekend, the scenery was much the same for those in the East Carolina football program — ample time on the fields at the Cliff Moore Practice Facility, position meetings in the Ward Sports Medicine Building, some lifting in the Murphy Center and a short trip to Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium on Saturday for the second and final scrimmage before lining … [Read more...]

Mike Houston wasn't sure what day it was when he talked about East Carolina's preseason football practice on Thursday. There is a quality of similarity to the morning sessions as the Pirates prepare for the 2021 season. "Whatever day of practice," Houston said. "Thursday? That is the deal with camp. You get in these things. It's the same schedule no matter what day of the … [Read more...]