East Carolina's first winning record and bowl bid since 2014 had a lot to do with improvement on defense. The recruiting Class of 2022 will offer some immediate assistance in continuing that trend in addition to providing some developing talent for the future. The Pirates were among the American Athletic Conference's worst defensive units in 2020, finishing 10th in scoring … [Read more...]
VIEW FROM THE EASTRookie D’Ante Smith makes Pirates proud
Cincinnati left tackle D'Ante Smith is having a special rookie season. Smith, 21, is a second teamer on the depth chart as the Bengals take on the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium in Super Bowl LVI (56) in Los Angeles on Sunday at 6:30 p.m. (NBC). Smith made 30 starts during his career at East Carolina. He played one game in 2020 — the season opener — a 51-28 loss to Central … [Read more...]
Class of 2022 Offensive Report CardHelp is on the way for blocking corps (update 3)
Numbers can often tell a story, and that certainly applies to East Carolina offensive recruiting for the Class of 2022. Of the 11 players who inked a national letter of intent with the Pirates in December or during Wednesday's traditional signing day, six of those are offensive linemen. The additions spoke to a program's need for depth, experience and immediate assistance … [Read more...]
VIEW FROM THE EASTAAC steps up on bowl expenses
Besides the disappointment of the cancellation of the 2021 Military Bowl due to a COVID outbreak in the Boston College program, East Carolina faced significant expenses for traveling to the Washington, DC/Annapolis area before the Dec. 27 contest was called off the previous day. ECU athletic director Jon Gilbert is breathing easier this week after the American Athletic … [Read more...]
American Athletic Conference RecruitingBearcats lead AAC’s early signing push
Cincinnati's rise to national prominence and overall strength of the American Athletic Conference attracted an array of impressive new talent to East Carolina's major foes last Wednesday during college football's early signing period. Both the Bearcats and Central Florida signed prospects that earned them spots among the top 50 classes in the nation, which marks just the … [Read more...]