It looks like Houston is definitely lightening up on the reigns as regards HA tucking it, thereby increasing the offense by a 3rd dimension, a very good thing which paid big dividends last night. The defense has improved, the run game has improved, the compete level is high, and it's looking like the self-belief factor needle is moving rightward, also. ECU is doing quite well by Houston.

Logan used to say that you needed 30 points to win a game, he was usually right. I would love to see us be able to count on the offense for 30 points each night. We would only have one loss right now if we had followed his advice. We caught UCF, SC and Houston on a year where 30 points would have beaten all three. Good win. Go Pirates!

Baba Booey, Baba Booey

Congrats to the team for a getting the win on a short week, with bad weather, and overcoming another "less than stellar" start of the game. The overall effort displayed by the Pirates continues to be a mark of improvement within the Houston era. No question about it, if you can't give your all on this team you probably won't see the field. I'm not sure the defensive effort, overall, was as good as last Saturday. Certainly, the outcome was better. The Houston game was a high point for that unit - going back several years. So far, I think the defense has been the highlight of the year. Still, some loose tackling technique to clean up by a few players. I am beginning to expect a solid perfor-mance by the defense each time out. I know the weather/field conditions were tough, but if we don't cure the fumbling... heartbreak will replace Pee Dee as this team's mascot. A solid strike from a helmet on the ball is hard to overcome, but runners and receivers have to know when to get down to save possession(s). Coach said the o-line did a great job, and I'll take him at his word. However, on the goal line qb sneak, I've never seen a line blown so completely off the scrimmage line - so much so that it caused a fumble on the qb/center exchange. Is it just me, or was the staff blindsided by Jake Verity going pro? I'm a spoiled fan, and I know it. Still, I can't believe the Pirates couldn't find a kicker with a stronger leg. Better sharpen up on the k/o unit. The bumpy ride will continue. 4-4. Already better than 3-9, yet so much has been left on the table. The Pirates won a game they should have won, and without playing a solid 60 minutes. I consider the glass half full... and on to the next game.

Our D in the second half was the best defensive effort by ECU in many years. Great to see it, lets keep it up. The offensive play calling leaves a lot to be desired. We all want a strong rushing attack and most great programs have that ability, but we are not anywhere near that level yet. For this program to become a winning program again we have to do as historically ECU has always done....mold the team to the talent we have and utilize them at their strengths. As a program we have to learn how to win again after the deep deep hole left from the Montgomery fiasco.

You could be right... but Ahlers didn't come to ECU pretending to be a pocket passer who occasionally scampered out from the backfield. And he performed as advertised. So, is this a case where the coaches don't know how to - or won't - scheme the best scenarios to use his natural talent. He can clearly play at the D1 level. Maybe the DC and the Coach should acknowledge the o-line isn't quite what it needs to be to run "their" offense, and do as the Marines do - adapt and overcome.

I tend toward thinking that Ahlers just lacks that clutch ability that is hard to define but you know it when you see it, or in this case don’t. He doesn’t shine in the final moments of games. He has just enough talent to be a starter, but not a winner.

101% agree w/ the comment on HA, with one additional related point, which I've said before in this column, and that is that the "coaching out" of him of his natural proclivity to tuck the ball and go has tended to make him overthink, and in sports, when you think, you stink. ...not that HA stinks, but there have been a number of occasions this year in which he definitely seemed tentative behind the line, and I'd get the sense that a lot of it had to do w/ his talent for running being largely taken off the table. I totally get Houston's insistence on cultivating a traditional run game; it is simply indispensable, including to allow the pass attack the space it requires, but I think that he has overbaked it a little. All that said, the Pirates are fortunately to have him; they just need to learn to start closing these deals, being a handful of plays away from being 6 - 1. ...also agree that in college D1, you need to kick off into the ez on a regular basis, though the kid is a pretty decent FG man.

Kudos to everyone for coming out after a prolonged delay and competing from start to finish. That is a statement in itself. 1) Overtime didn't have to happen, but it did. I don't think the play-calling was all that great. If you couldn't produce a decently consistent running game for 60 minutes, what epiphany gave the OC and Coach reason to believe the o-line would do it in OT? Shouldn't you take your shot with what works BEST at the moment? Coach said the defensive call was perfect. Given the overall perfor-mance of the defense, I believe him. So I'm thinking the edge rusher from the secondary who blitzed into empty space wasn't part of the script. It happens, and on a 25 yard field, seldom ends well. Unfortunately, the O couldn't bail out the defense on this one. 2) Offensive problems continue holding the team back. You can't ask our defense to carry this team - every game - while you sleepwalk through half of the game. Penalties, really stupid penalties, questionable play-calling, and poor decisions make for a toxic brew known as inconsistency. Wanting to be an offense that is known to line up and play smash-mouth football on command is an excellent goal, but one that must be earned each time you play. This requires discipline and toughness to keep getting the 3-4 yard gains which are the benchmark (particularly when playing tough defenses, like UH). When you commit dumb errors and penalties you seldom have the luxury of playing short-yardage offense. Those exciting, back-breaking "gash" plays come when the defense knows you can line up, execute, and punch them in the mouth at ANY time to get a first down, forcing the defense to adjust to YOUR game. At present, we can't do that. Also, this directly and negatively affects the passing attack. So what do you do overcome this problem? I believe part of the problem is many teams no longer fear HA as a meaningful part of the running game. They know that he can still do it, but they also know HA has been conditioned to "not run". Our coaches, instead of building upon his natural instincts, have practically destroyed the innate ability HA brought with him to ECU. He just seemed to know when to tuck it and go. He didn't need a script. Teaching him how to refine his running (to include "when to get down") would have been far more productive than hobbling his instincts. The o-line can't protect HA well enough to exploit a truly vertical passing game. Opponents know this and generally lock down the 5-10 yard passing game the Pirates rely upon. So move the pocket some. Let HA do play-action roll outs (with or without a protector), and make a play. This would always allow him to be a run threat for which the defense must account, and give the receivers time to get separation. Given our newfound athleticism at the TE position, I think this would provide several passing options for HA to exploit. Let's take advantage of the skills we have now, and don't wait for what we "want to be", but cannot achieve. When the o-line can provide a consistent level of protection, then you can keep the quarterback between the tackles. 3) Special Teams Pleased with the punting, not the decision to kick to one of the best returners in the nation. Can we please get someone who can provide consistent kickoffs into the endzone? Daffer is a decent placekicker. He IS NOT a kickoff specialist. We don't have the best kicker/kick coverage team combina-tion in college football, and it cost us. 4) Defense BEST EFFORT to date! Well done, stud puppies! OVERALL - Helluva effort, but much to do - and not much time to do it.

Well said!! Go !!Go Pirates

The team has improved on both sides, no doubt, particularly the d, and is a couple of plays away from being 5 - 1. No doubt that continuing to build the run game is crucial on the o side, but I'm a little mystified by the play-calling vs. UCF. Snead is the Pirates single best, most consistent playmaker, and was barely involved vs. UCF. Maybe her was subpar. Anyway, they will need to bring everything they have in order to compete w/ UH tomorrow.

Wow, couldn't have said it any better. I also want to say that we need to give Coach Houston all the support we can. He is arguably the highest calibre Coach we have ever had, I mean all the way around. We are starting to see his recruits come through. I truly think that he wants to buld his own legacy here at ECU and I hope that the successed he brings us makes him want to stay here and not chase the stars, using us as a stepping stone. He can be a star right here. That is what has hiurt us in the past. Having great seasons and losing our coach to larger schools. Coach Houston is smart and has young kids he does not want to drag all over the country for a year here and a year there. I think Skip and others will tell you that the grass is rarely greener in the other stadium and with our growing Medical, Dental and other awesome schools within ECU can pay him what he is due to keep him. We need toget out of the coaching change cycle. We have a great opportunity here with Coach Houstan and we need to make sure we give him whatever he needs. He will make ECU a class act and I think he will stay.` We need fans in the seats for South Florida whether we beat Houston or not. A bowl would be great, but 5-5 would be a lot better than we have been. Alsom keep using the Old Gold and Purple colors, so much better than the yella we have dealt with for years, plus merch will sell ten times better.

Wow, couldn't have said it any better.

The Pirates must eliminate the big offensive mistakes which give teams extra possessions. Also, the O needs to play four quarters with urgency and consistency. Too many three-and-outs, which put extra pressure on a defense which has its' hands full on any given weekend. The defense has definitely stepped up its' game this so far this year. Still, not making signature stops when needed have cost the Pirates at least two games. On the positive side, we had players in position to make a play - a definite improvement over recent years. The big negative has been defenders not being in control when arriving at the point of contact. On all facets of the game, don't try to be the hero. Just do your job the way you've been coached. In the end, that will produce a full four quarters of performance. I think this will happen - this year! I'd love to see it start in Houston.

Too many empty seats. Should never have gone to 50K. It embarrasing to watch on TV and see a stadium that has so many empty seats. It doesnt look like big time football