The continued rise in prominence of American Athletic Conference football in 2020 was reflected in the recruiting classes signed by the league's 11 schools in December and February. And in some cases, those classes surpassed ones signed by prominent programs in higher profile leagues. For example, Cincinnati, which won the AAC title and finished ranked eighth in the final … [Read more...]
ECU Recruiting Evaluation, Part 2Defensive report card: Pirates lure experience
Experience is one significant characteristic among the defensive signees in East Carolina's recruiting Class of 2021. Five of the seven players who signed a national letter of intent with the Pirates by February 3rd had a season or more of post-high school experience at either the prep school level, junior college ranks or are graduate transfers from other Football Bowl … [Read more...]
ECU Recruiting Evaluation, Part 1Offensive report card: Skill positions reinforced
Editor's note: The "TIGHT END/H-BACK" section of this article has been updated since the original publication date. The COVID-19 pandemic had a dramatic impact on the 2020 college football season and recruiting for the Class of 2021. With summer camps and visits to campus all but erased due to virus outbreak, coaching staffs had to get creative in pursuit of talent. Zoom … [Read more...]
ECU Football Recruiting - Early EvaluationPirates fortify secondary
The number wasn't as large as the first two years of recruiting under coach Mike Houston. But the additions were significant Wednesday as East Carolina's football program picked up 16 new players during the first day of college football's early signing period. The total fell shy of the 18 Houston landed in his first recruiting class during the early period and far off the 25 … [Read more...]
Football RecruitingPirates land lineman with ‘nasty attitude’
Richard Pearce might well have developed into a star defensive lineman at another school. But when Pearce joined the storied program at Hueytown High School in Alabama the depth at that position led him in another direction. The 6-foot-4, 300-pounder turned instead into an offensive lineman, where the skills he’s displayed over the last two varsity seasons earned him … [Read more...]