Austin Richardson was just a fifth grader when he first encountered Michael Hertz, then an assistant football coach at Porter Ridge High School. Hertz had already coached two of Richardson's older brothers and was looking forward to Austin joining the Porter Ridge program as a freshman in 2014. But instead, Hertz and Richardson would go their separate ways, only to be … [Read more...]

Although the linebacker positions weren't necessarily a priority in East Carolina's recruiting Class of 2018, the Pirates smartly didn't pass up the opportunity to land two good ones. ECU snared a quality outside linebacker prospect back in early June when Gerard Stringer from Nansemond River High School in Suffolk, VA, chose the Pirates over offers from Army, Navy and Ohio … [Read more...]

Early in the 2014 season, South Iredell was clinging to a lead in the fourth quarter of a non-conference game against Hickory. But the Vikings' defense had its back against the wall, facing a first-down-and-goal situation with several of its defensive linemen on the sideline suffering from leg cramps. With no other linemen available, South Iredell's defensive coordinator … [Read more...]

Donovan Noel didn't realize when East Carolina offensive line coach Geep Wade invited him to the school's football camp in June that it was for an audition. Noel, a 6-foot-4, 265-pound offensive lineman from Raleigh's Millbrook High School, displayed enough talent and technique during the one-day affair that he left Greenville with a scholarship offer. A follow-up visit to … [Read more...]

Nolan Johnson and Jaren Rainey have been playing football together since the sixth grade, so it came as no surprise when choosing a college team they both picked East Carolina. The Southwest Guilford High School combo made verbal commitments to the Pirates within 11 days of one another, Rainey announcing his intentions on June 20 and Johnson following on July 1. Johnson … [Read more...]