2011 South Carolina Gamecocks Intelligence Report: Checking in on the East Carolina Pirates

by Gamecock Man on May 29, 2011 6:31 PM EDT in South Carolina Gamecocks Football

This post begins a series checking in on next season's opponents. The goal is to have gathered useful information about each opponent prior to the beginning of the season. Today, we're talking about the East Carolina Pirates.

Last Season

After winning nine games in each of Skip Holtz's final two seasons, the Pirates took a step back last year under new coach Ruffin McNeil, going 6-7 and losing to Maryland in a blowout in the Military Bowl. The Pirates opened the season fairly successfully, winning games against Conference USA stalwarts Tulsa and Southern Miss, beating a good N.C. State team, and working their way to 5-2. However, things fell apart quickly at that point, as ECU struggled to perform down the stretch and lost five of its last six.

Key Losses

The Pirates' key losses include four of five starters on the offensive line, leading receiver Dwayne Harris, and the team's top two linebackers.

Offensive Prognosis

McNeil came to ECU from Texas Tech, where he coached under Mike Leach, and he has instituted Leach's Air Raid at ECU to great success, as the Pirates fielded a prolific offense last season, led by returning senior QB Dominique Davis, who threw for nearly 4000 yards last season. ECU returns a talented group of receivers who will help Davis reproduce ECU's offensive success. Replacing the graduate offensive linemen is the biggest question mark.

Defensive Prognosis

Although McNeil was a defensive coordinator at Texas Tech and had a lot of success in Lubbock improving the Red Raiders' defense, his first defense at ECU failed miserably, often giving up 40 and 50 points per game and ranking dead last in the nation in total defense. The Pirates return some talent on the defensive line and cornerback but have some spots to fill at linebacker and safety. In addition to improving on equally horrible numbers against the run and the pass, the Pirates will look to create more big plays on defense, as they were also one of the nation's worst in turnover ratio and tackles for loss.

Keep reading after the jump.

Game Significance

This is an OOC game against a team Carolina should be able to handle without too much trouble, so it's not a hugely important game in terms of this season. I'd compare it to last season's game against Southern Miss., with the difference being that we should be heading into the game with less uncertainty than we had last year. East Carolina is a team with a bit of a history of knocking off major competition (remember their big win against Virginia Tech a while back?), but they're not at their best right now, and if we're anywhere near as good as we're supposed to be, we shouldn't have any trouble with them.

If everything goes as planned in that regard, the main thing I'll be interested in seeing in this game is how our secondary plays. ECU is a fairly adept passing team, and it will provide an early test for our maligned pass defense. If the defense can clamp down on ECU's passing game and hold the Pirates to under 20, that will a sign of success.

One interesting thing about the game is that it's being played at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte. Therefore, this game is a good opportunity for the Gamecocks to put on a good showing in an area that we'd like to be able to recruit more effectively. With UNC possibly on the outs due to the possibility of impending sanctions, this is a good time to work our way into the good graces of the NC recruiting circles.

Prediction

We should win this game by three or four TDs. Expect plenty of offensive fireworks from Marcus Lattimore and Alshon Jeffery.

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Comments

Great analysis

and looking forward to this series, GM. Some thoughts:

1. Our secondary is going to get an early test. If Dominique Davis is throwing well early – and we revert to late-season 2010 form – then ECU will be in the game.

2. If McNeil is a good “D” coach – then expect to see improvement there from the Pirates.

3. Don’t think for a second that this is just another opener to ECU. ECU lives to beat USC. Setting aside their C-USA goals, ECU’s sworn enemies list, in order, is (a) UNC; (b) NC State and ( c) USC. Don’t believe me? Ask a Pirate fan. They will be praying to take our scalps all summer. They’ve done it before and they can do it again. If we look past them to Georgia, they can win this game; the talent level may ebb and flow in Greenville, but East Carolina always plays with big heart. Almost all of them are top athletes who got passed over for ACC and SEC schools for tip-top guys and they want to show everyone – Spurrier, Davis, O’Brien … Heel, Cock, Pack fans … just how wrong they were -especially since many of them have grown into studs. I never underestimate anyone who plays with a chip on their shoulder, and ECU usually shoulders a redwood log instead of a mere chip.

4. Why we’re playing them at a neutral site is beyond me. There will be a ton of purple clad Pirate fans there and they will make noise. I think we have a bigger ticket allotment, but I would expect at least 40% ECU fans.

5. IMHO, it won’t help us a bit with recruiting in the North state because (i) we already do pretty well there anyway; (ii) we rarely lose a recruit to ECU (see number 3 above) and (iii) everyone expects us to win big so if we don’t (i.e., they keep it close or heaven forbid whip us) then its actually a boost for ECU and McNeil.

They wore garnet helmets.

by tryptic67 on May 31, 2011 8:25 AM EDT reply actions

Yes...

4. Why we’re playing them at a neutral site is beyond me. There will be a ton of purple clad Pirate fans there and they will make noise. I think we have a bigger ticket allotment, but I would expect at least 40% ECU fans.

I find this kind of strange, too, although my impression is that it’s because we want to expand our presence in NC. Wasn’t this part of the rationale between the NC State and UNC series? But I think your number five gives some good reasons for why this might not be all that worthwhile against ECU.

Garnet and Black Attack: A Blog By and For Gamecocks Fans.

by Gamecock Man on May 31, 2011 9:34 AM EDT up reply actions

Good stuff from both of you guys.

I’ll be there in garnet and black drowning out the purple and yellow. I believe we got 40,000 tix and they received 20,000. I’m interested to see how it looks inside BofA Stadium on 9/3, though, in terms of actual attendance between the two schools. Lotta hype for us, so I’m hoping we get about 40k in there.

by Skulls and Spurs on May 31, 2011 9:37 AM EDT up reply actions

I understand where you're coming from...

But this is probably due to the success of the CFA Kick-off Game in the Georgia Dome as well as the game in Dallas. And, I think it also warrants mentioning again Spurrier’s experience from the Florida-Georgia series being played in Jacksonville, FL. Gamecock Man is right that it’s about recruiting. Alabama, Clemson, VTech, LSU and UNC all came to Atlanta for a good game and some recruiting benefit. Maybe a little money, but it’s about exposure. On TV and in a different Locale. I imagine the Charlotte businesses are also looking for an economic boost similar to a bowl game.

These kick-off games are really a good idea and makes me wonder why people didn’t think of it sooner or get it organized sooner. At the beginning of the season everyone is excited about college football. there is the mystery about how the season will unfold and fans get months and months to plan for travel to this bowl-like atmosphere.

Don’t get me wrong I love games at universities’ home fields, and this model shouldn’t be exploited too much, but there’s something really enjoyable about these kick-off games.

- FOW

by skandrewj62j on May 31, 2011 9:49 AM EDT up reply actions

Good points ...

and maybe I’m too quick to dismiss potential recruiting benefits. With all due respect to the Pirates (and I give them plenty of respect!), however, I dont think this will be getting the same attention as UGA-Boise or Oregon-LSU. The best case scenario is that we see a Lattimore explosion … 200+ all purpose yards … or a Garcia-Alshon explosion … or both ….

In any event, I’d much rather us play a kick off with UNC, West Virginia, Virginia, VaTech or some team like that. A little higher profile game … I’ve long wished for we could get a game with a good Big 10 team. I used to wish for Wisconsin … but they got too damned good … then I wished for Iowa .. but of course that was before the last Outback Bowl …. maybe Illinois is more our speed.

The natural rivalry game would be UNC – but Butch won’t play us. Watch him find a way to wiggle out of the next USC-UNC game.

Of ocourse, how Davis has managed to survive at Chapel Hill mystifies me also.

They wore garnet helmets.

by tryptic67 on May 31, 2011 10:01 AM EDT up reply actions

This...

In any event, I’d much rather us play a kick off with UNC, West Virginia, Virginia, VaTech or some team like that. A little higher profile game … I’ve long wished for we could get a game with a good Big 10 team. I used to wish for Wisconsin … but they got too damned good … then I wished for Iowa .. but of course that was before the last Outback Bowl …. maybe Illinois is more our speed.

Upon first thought, I agree with Andrew on the significance of this game, but after reading tryptic’s original post, I’m a bit more ambivalent. Kickoff games are great for exposure…if you’re playing a relatively high-profile team. ECU isn’t a high-profile team. I still think this nets us some positive exposure, and I’m looking forward to seeing a sea of garnet in BOA Stadium. However, the more I think about it, the more I feel like this is something of a lose-lose situation: we won’t get much credit if we clobber ECU, and our name will be drug through the mud if we struggle or—gasp—lose.

Garnet and Black Attack: A Blog By and For Gamecocks Fans.

by Gamecock Man on May 31, 2011 1:08 PM EDT up reply actions

Completely agree.

And I would rather be in Atlanta for the CFA kick-off game or in Dallas for that matter. But neither of those events wanted us. Not yet at least. So here we are South Carolina ready to defend our SEC East crown. Just means that the boys better be ready because losing is not an option.

Time to get that sour taste from the CFA bowl out of your mouth.

- FOW

by skandrewj62j on May 31, 2011 3:26 PM EDT up reply actions

One thing I will say...

Is that I like this option better than playing some Sun Belt school. Even if ECU is more dangerous and thus something of a lose-lose situation, I still like the fact that we’re making an effort to play a real opponent and to expand our recruiting footprint.

Garnet and Black Attack: A Blog By and For Gamecocks Fans.

by Gamecock Man on May 31, 2011 3:57 PM EDT up reply actions

Very true.

It’s not a best-case scenario, but at the same this game is clear indication that we’re scheduling games with a plan in mind.

Dum spiro spero - "While I breathe, I hope"
State motto of South Carolina

by The Feathered Warrior on May 31, 2011 7:52 PM EDT up reply actions

Interesting ...

because I thought opening with old ACC rivals like NCSU (08, 09) and UNC (10 – although it was scuppered by ESPN) …

or with conference foes – Miss State (06), Vandy (04) …

was a big improvement over our past openers – La-Lafayette (07, 03), UCF (05), New Mex State (02 – though we played game # 2 at UVA).

I sort of feel that we’ve back-slid scheduling C-USA Southern Miss last year but at least it was the first ESPN Thur Night game (a make-up for the four letter network dissing us by pulling the UNC game) and now C-USA ECU.

They wore garnet helmets.

by tryptic67 on May 31, 2011 9:08 PM EDT up reply actions

If you're only concerned about who we open the season with,

then I can understand your disappointment. But as I understand it, you don’t always get to choose the order in which you face your opponents. So while I would rather open the season with a bigger opponent – I don’t really care that we’re not doing so because we have to accommodate other team’s schedules as well. I applaud the fact that we’re scheduling the likes of ECU instead of, say, Presbyterian or Temple. It’s a better regional fit and belies the presence of a master plan for our football scheduling.

Dum spiro spero - "While I breathe, I hope"
State motto of South Carolina

by The Feathered Warrior on May 31, 2011 9:58 PM EDT up reply actions