East Carolina Football Preview

Brian Rimpf

The past four seasons have been unprecedented for East Carolina University's football program. A model of consistency, the Pirates have put together four straight non-losing records for the first time since being classified NCAA Division I-A in 1977. ECU has been invited to three consecutive bowl games, another first for the program during its I-A era.

The final Conference USA standings have seen the Pirates tie for second place in each of the last three seasons.

However, among last season's departing seniors were many of the key players in that success. Missing from the 2002 roster is record-setting quarterback David Garrard, the team's regular starter for the last three and one-half seasons. Leonard Henry, the nation's sixth-leading rusher in 2001, has also moved on, as both he and Garrard were selected in the NFL Draft this past April. Also departed is All-America linebacker Pernell Griffin, who racked up a C-USA record 460 tackles over the past four years.

Gone are the team's leading rusher (Henry), leading passer (Garrard), leading tackler (Griffin), and leading receiver (Derrick Collier).

The current squad is thin on returning all-star players; four of ECU's six All C-USA honorees were seniors. For the 2002 Pirates to continue the program's string of successful seasons, 11th-year head coach Steve Logan will depend upon a stable of talented young student-athletes who are hungry to make names for themselves.

Offense

The double-threat attack of Garrard's passing and Henry's rushing helped ECU become one of just 11 teams in the nation last season to average over 200 yards both through the air (224.8 ypg) and on the ground (202.7).

The question of who will fill the leadership roles on offense was clarified this past spring, when Logan had a true competition for the starting quarterback position for the first time since 1998. Sophomore Paul Troth, who served as Garrard's primary backup as a true freshman, emerged with the inside track. The 6-5, 233-pound native of Davidson, N.C., gained national recognition as a high school all-star, but saw only limited action in his first collegiate season, completing one of four pass attempts while playing in three games. More of a pocket passer than Garrard, Troth's strength lies in the medium-range passing game and he has used his first year with the ECU program to increase his arm strength.

Logan will also give sophomore Desmond Robinson a look this fall. Robinson enters his third season with the program but has not seen any game action. The Pirates will likely use the 5-10, 205-pounder's mobility as an alternative to Troth in several series per game.

Redshirt freshman Sakeen Wright, 6-3, 200, was also in the mix in spring ball. Wright sat out 2001 as a redshirt but passed for over 1,800 yards as a high school senior in 2000.

"Our offense is diverse enough that we'll simply accentuate different things depending upon who the quarterback is," Logan said. "We're not going to have to invent anything. Just like with David Garrard--it became obvious that he was really effective throwing the ball really short or really long. He really wasn't as adept with the intermediate passing game. That kind of disappeared for us, but we also scored more points than we ever had."

ECU has proven, if relatively unrecognized, talent returning in its running game. Lost in the shadows of Henry's superb season were the solid contributions of Art Brown and Marvin Townes, and the pair is expected to share the workload in the coming campaign.

Brown, a two-year letterman who enters his junior season, established himself as Henry's primary backup last season and finished second on the team with 313 rushing yards on 55 carries (5.7 per attempt). Brown also was a threat as a pass receiver as he hauled in 16 aerials, fourth on the team, for 252 yards and two touchdowns.

Townes carried 26 times for 126 yards as a redshirt freshman in 2001, but made a bigger impact as a kickoff returner. Averaging 25 yards per return, he ranked among the nation's top 30 and set a school single-game record by averaging 44 yards on four returns at Tulane. He was named to the Conference USA All-Freshman squad.

"It will be a different kind of back," Logan said of the Pirates' running game. "We won't have the banger that Leonard was, but I bet you collectively they'll have what Leonard had this past year--1,300 to 1,400 yards. Those guys have to be on the field. There will be times when they'll both be in the backfield."

While it lost its top player, statistically, in Collier, ECU's receiving corps should be deeper in 2002 with nine returning lettermen in place. Versatile Richard Alston headlines the group as he caught 31 passes for 443 yards, second on the team, and scored three touchdowns as a junior. Alston has moved from ECU's receiving-oriented H-back slot to split end to make him a primary target. A converted quarterback, Alston connected twice for scoring passes from the backfield last season and is comfortable being under center in emergency situations.

Three-year letterman Torey Morris, who caught 13 passes for 278 yards and three scores despite missing three games with injury, and junior Marcus White, who endured a myriad of injuries last season to catch eight passes for 109 yards and two touchdowns, are expected to split starting time at flanker. Junior Terrance Copper, who had 13 receptions for 204 yards, is another proven receiver and is penciled in for the starting role at H-back.

Sophomores Edwin Rios, Damarcus Fox, and Garett Peterkin all saw significant action as true freshmen in 2001 and will push the veterans for playing time. Adding to the receiving corps' mounting history of injuries, Fox hurt his knee in spring practice but is expected to recuperate in time for fall drills.

Corey Floyd and Arnie Powell shared starting duties at tight end in 2001, depending upon Logan's need for blocking (Floyd) or receiving (Powell) at the position. Both seniors have departed, leaving the role, redubbed the "flex end" due to its multiple nature, up for grabs between two-year lettermen Ben Thomas and Seth Yates. Thomas has made his biggest contributions on special teams units. Yates missed all but four games in 2001 with a hand injury. Converted linebacker Tutu Moye, who lettered last season mainly as a result of his special teams contributions, could also figure in significantly at the position.

The offensive line which paved the way for Garrard and Henry's success returns nearly intact with four of the five starters in place and is a key reason for optimism in the Pirate camp. Headlining the group is junior tackle Brian Rimpf, a 6-5, 314-pound first-team All-Conference USA selection who went head-to-head with the likes of NFL first-round draft picks Dwight Freeney (Syracuse) and Julius Peppers (North Carolina) with resounding success in 2001. Guard Corey Schmidt, center Doug White, and tackle Brandon Pope--all juniors--were also regular starters last season and were keys in helping ECU's rushing offense rank 22nd nationally. Letterman Brian Fox, also a junior, is expected to fill the other guard position after making significant contributions in 2001. Three other lettermen--senior Phoenix Evans and sophomores Charlie Dempsey and Hagen Mason--are all quality linemen who will push for starting roles, plus several highly touted redshirts will aid in depth.

Defense

East Carolina's decline in its defensive averages in 2001 was an unexpected and unwelcome surprise and has sent the Pirates back to the drawing board in search of new schemes and combinations. A Pirate defense that ranked 41st in the nation in 2000 fell to 82nd last season with an average yield of 409 yards and 27 points a game.

"The model is going to change a good bit," Logan said. "We're going to take on some different characteristics and change the ways we were doing some things. There will be some schematic differences."

To make revamping efforts more difficult, the coaching staff will be faced with the task of replacing the team's top two tacklers--inside linebackers Pernell Griffin, an All-American, and Greg LeFever, an All C-USA pick?plus its entire starting defensive line.

As with the offense, Logan has high hopes for several returning defenders who have been waiting in the wings for their chance to start.

On the line, returning lettermen Damane Duckett, Ronald Pou, and Ja'Waren Blair saw almost as much action as the departing senior starters and all three displayed noticable improvement as the 2001 season developed. The imposing Duckett (6-6, 293) smashed through opposing offensive lines for eight tackles for losses and three sacks. Blair (6-6, 293), with a combination of size, speed, and agility, had six tackles for losses and three sacks. Pou (6-0, 277), in his first season after transferring from junior college, had similar figures with six TFLs and 2.5 sacks. Two other lettermen--senior Hosea James and junior Derek Helms--and two transfers who sat out last season will provide depth.

ECU's outside linebacking corps is deep and talented with starter John Williamson returning, plus three-year letterman Christshawn Gilliam and two-year lettermen Vonta Leach and Kent Nealy also in the mix. Williamson is the team's top returning tackler with 65 stops in 10 games. He ranked among the top 10 in C-USA in both tackles for losses (14) and sacks (6.5). Gilliam recorded 43 tackles and earned a Conference USA Player-of-the Week award once last season. Leach is a former C-USA All-Freshman pick and Nealy has been a star of ECU's special teams units.

The Pirates will have a new look up the middle with four redshirt freshmen expected to battle for a starting nod at inside linebacker. Chris Moore, Josh Chilsom, Richard Koonce, and Jermarcus Veal were all highly touted as incoming recruits and will get their chance to shine in 2002. Sophomore lettermen Eric Butler, who saw time as Griffin's backup and on special teams as a true freshman in 2001, also has eyes for one of the two starting roles at ILB.

"As good as Pernell and Greg were, I'm not worried about the linebackers," Logan said. "I'm really excited about the young kids we've got coming up. Last year was almost an entire defensive signee class. We're going to put a set of linebackers on the field that are ridiculously fast. And I'm excited about that."

A secondary which dropped from second to 10th in C-USA in one year's time received the closest scutiny this past spring and, accordingly, has seen the most transition in personnel. The numbers are expected to improve in 2002 with nine returning lettermen--including five with starting experience--giving the Pirates more depth. The addition of three redshirt freshmen and a junior college transfer to the shuffle should allow for better combinations, not to mention more competition, among the defensive backs.

The defensive backs will also benefit from the return of assistant coach Paul Jette, who spent seven seasons on the Pirate coaching staff before spending last season at Baylor.

Senior identical twins Anthony and Antwan Adams are both three-year lettermen and two-year starters at the free and strong safety positions, respectively. Junior Travis Heath, a big-play defender with 58 tackles, four for losses, two fumble recoveries, and an interception last season, is being moved into a safety slot and will also see major minutes, if not a starting role, there. The safety positions will also be strengthened by the move of seniors Kelly Hardy and Antwan Yelverton to those roles. Hardy, a two-year starter at cornerback, was limited to eight games last season due to injury. Yelverton is a converted outside linebacker, where he started last season and recorded 43 tackles.

At the cornerback positions, senior Jerome Steward returns to defend one starting role and sophomore Donald Whitehead is expected to fill the other. Steward led the secondary last season in tackles (63) and pass breakups (seven) and was named the Defensive MVP of the 2001 GMAC Bowl. Two-year letterman Brandon Rainer, a junior, will also fight for a starting role.

Special Teams

The Pirates' special teams units are again expected to be one of the team's strengths.

All-Conference USA place kicker Kevin Miller, a two-time semifinalist for the Lou Groza Award, should again be in contention for the national honor. He made 14 of 17 field goals in 2001--including a perfect 13-of-13 from 41 yards or closer--and ranks third on the C-USA career scoring chart.

Punter Jarad Preston made an immediate impact in his first year at ECU after transferring from junior college as he averaged 44.1 yards a punt, 12th in the nation. He had 12 punts for 50 or more yards.

Snapper Brandon Howard split time as the team's long snapper as a true freshman and could take over the role of long and short snapper for 2002.

Townes, one of the league's most dangerous return men as a redshirt freshman last season, returns to handle kickoffs. Alston is being considered as a punt returner.

The Pirates' kick coverage units were outstanding last season, allowing just one kickoff return for more than 29 yards and holding opponents' punt returns to an average of 7.1 yards.