Bottom line is the program has taken a big step back. Yes we all know the amount of talent that left the program after last year but nobody thought ECU would be looking at a sub 3 win season and 1-11 very likely looking at the remainder of the schedule. The offense is at the bottom of all the FBS schools and totally inept at this point. Hopefully the fans will see some improvement the remainder of the year, but yesterday's homecoming game was painful and demoralizing to watch, and because of this there was very little enthusiasm and hopefulness in the home crowd yesterday.

It’s not just that the offense is bad, it’s that it hasn’t shown an iota of improvement since the beginning of the season. At least in the dark days of the Coach Mo era, Pirate Nation had the reasonable hope of a turnaround with a new administration; what’s the plan now? When this site features new recruits who accept ECU’s offer over middling FCS programs, that doesn’t sound hopeful. I will give credit to a respectable Pirates defense, and sympathy, too.

Thank you Al Myatt and Kevin Monroe for mentioning in the pregame podcast this week the obvious financial discrepancy between East Carolina and those who are in and who are moving into the power five conferences. It has always been a financial struggle at East Carolina. I do think that in retrospect the town Bank Tower that cost $60 million to seat just 1000 persons was a boondoggle. I, as one lifelong pirate fan will never be able to sit in one of those seats. Now we are faced with a fundraiser for another $60 million for a barn so that our teams can to get out of the rain. Coach Steve Logan once said you don’t come to East Carolina with a weak heart. You come to East Carolina because you want to be a pirate. In my opinion, that $120 million could’ve been and should be better spent hiring and keeping excellent coaching staff, recruiting, and managing today’s image and likeness reality that for better, or for worse, is the reality of division one football

Have the snubs of the power conferences, the transfer portal, and NIL handed ECU a mountain too steep to climb? Are the great days of past football glory now just precious memories?

There isn’t any way to sugarcoat this situation. Charlotte’s defense is rated middle-of-the-pack in the AAC. The Pirate offense made the 49ers look like world beaters. Less than 130 yards of offense. To me, the sorry signature of the season to date came when quarterback Alex Flinn, the most experienced player in the DK system, took a sack at crunch time when any rookie qb should know better. He cost the team some valuable yardage already gained, and a timeout. Did he lose the game for the Pirates, of course not. Hell, he at least through a touchdown that gave the Pirates a chance to get even, or even win. Two missed field goals were enough to provide a win. Early in the contest, the Pirates turned the 49ers over and began what should have been a short drive to the end zone. Instead, the offense looked foolish, and the kicking game provided the exclamation point by missing the chip shot field goal. The defense played well enough, but you can’t keep giving up the edge for 6 -8 yard chunks. Also had some busted coverages, but no back breakers. Seven games played and the Pirates are 1-6. After this latest example of non-performance by the offense, I will be pleasantly surprised if the Pirates win again. Coaches… keep telling us how good the practices have been. Maybe you should rethink your concepts, because the “good practices” aren’t showing up in the games.

Thanks to Al Matt and Kevin today for mentioning the financial disparity between East Carolina, and most every university in the country that is aspiring to be at a higher level. Also touched on today in Bonesbille was the fact that the East Carolina town bank tower was likely miss managed and well over budget with I think some $60 million invested for only 1000 seats. I will never set foot in that stadium in those seats. As will most pirate fans. I am also concerned with the current investment in a large barn for our teams to be playing in on the off field to get out of the rain. We have not had that since the 1930s so I do not understand why when we need money that we are investing in such activities even though perhaps every other college has it. The money could be better invested in obtaining and retaining good coaching staff, as well as enhancing the new image and likeness benefits for players. A barn does not do that much as has the basketball practice facility added much to recruiting as evidenced by the lack of results. Steve, Logan wants said you don’t come to East Carolina with the weak heart and I believe that. You come to East Carolina because you want to play at east Carolina and be a Pirate. I ask that only we reconsider what we are doing financially from the perspective that we have a little money to compete with most schools across the country and will never unless we invest our money wisely instead of buildings that really mean nothing. You win on the field, and nothing less.

Those repeating false start penalties undoubtedly have a lot to do with the turnstile platooning that they're doing with the Qs in a desperate attempt to find magic. Every Q has his own cadence, and with enough challenges as it is, asking the OL to adapt to a different style every third or fourth possession is just a bridge too far. Yes re the remainder of the season. The Pirates at home are a mere 1 TD favorite over 1-5 UNCC. One would hope that in-state pride alone would motivate them for this one, but I think that we can safely say halfway through the season that there are no guarantees this year.

Couldn’t agree more. I’m willing to allow Coach some leeway in recruiting based on his ultimate success at that level. The “D” has upped its game, overall. The interior defensive line by itself doesn’t scare anyone, but creative schemes and an upgrade in speed has helped. The most notable failure is the offensive line, who are, collectively, lost in space - no pun intended. At this point, one has to wonder if the Pirates will be able to finish off a single opponent in any of the remaining games. Six games played, and stupid penalties still abound. SMU’s defense had multiple Pirate linemen blocking empty space all game long. Whatever is being taught isn’t being absorbed - with unacceptable consequences. As previously discussed here, it doesn’t matter who the quarterback is when the opponent doesn’t respect your o-line. Add to that, all of the usual growing pains inexperienced quarterbacks have, and it doesn’t look good. IMO, you have to change the run game concept. The RPO isn’t working. You need to install a quick-hitting concept, one that simplifies the blocking and directs the backs to go north and south. The line should be instructed to block what is in your lane, and at least achieve a stalemate. The back has to find a gap and hit it. I also think the quarterback should be under center, half and half. There are a few offensive players for whom the light bulb is on 24/7, regardless of scheme. DK should build off of that, go to a play-action concept, and try to jumpstart the offense. Otherwise, we in Pirate Nation have a long six weeks ahead.

"Lewis picked ECU over other offers from N.C. Central, Old Dominion and The Citadel..." God bless Omarion Lewis, and I wish him nothing but the best, but unfortunately I think that there's a relationship between the recruiting factoid noted above and what we are seeing on the field. If ECU finds itself recruiting more at the FCS level, then they should make it official, and step down accordingly.

ECU fans are much like NY Yankees fans this year, wait till next year and hope they can find a qb who can create some type of offense. I questioned why Gardner Webb was on our football schedule, now I know, that may be ECU’s only win this season. Just have to wait for baseball season, which has been ECU’s most consistent sport team through its past history.

NIL has made an uneven playing field. It’s not lack of coaching it’s lack of talent! Talent cos$$$, we don’t have it, end of story. At lease have salary cap to create the illusion that we can compete, ncaa ruined a beautiful thing!

The defense plays hard and is generally effective, but the offense's inability to do anything puts a lot of pressure on the d, and it wilts in the 4th quarter. The OL particularly has been just killing them, and the many play-calls off tackle that are doomed to failure aren't exactly helping, nor, last night, was the play-calling at the end of the 1st half, when ECU had clawed back to within 4, had the ball in a perfect 2-minute drill situation, and they went conservative, playing keep-away, instead of trying to get to at least within FG range. ...and yes, the Q situation is a big piece of the issue, but until the OL gets a lot better, it hardly matters who's under center. Coach rightly praised Sowell after his performance at wideout, but when he says "He’s just a redshirt freshman so he’s going to be here for a long time,” I have to wonder; why won't he leave early, like it seems so many other exceptionally talented Pirates do? The university released Montgomery after three seasons and a .250 winning percentage; when they brought in Coach Houston, they surely envisioned a far cry better than .442 after 5 1/2 seasons in.

Coach knows best. I think he has now determined who will be his steady QB.

Lack of talent

ECU is a 12 point dog; winning this one at home on national TV would go a long way to leaving a poor season start in the dirt.