TEAM PROFILE: East Carolina Pirates

East Carolina Pirates 7-5


Key Players:

RB/KR- Chris Johnson: outstanding speed, will play in NFL somewhere, good hands
5-11, 195 SR (Fla)- 1st CUSA 07’ (KR), 2nd CUSA 07’ (RB), 1st CUSA 06’ (KR)
Newcomer of Year CUSA 04’, All-Frosh CUSA 04’

RT- Josh Coffman: added weight to frame, former TE, solid blocker
6-7, 292 SR (Fla)- 2nd CUSA 07’, 2nd CUSA 06’

FS- Van Eskridge: great tackler, can play LB, forces turnovers all over field
6-0, 198 SO (NC)- 2nd CUSA 07’, All-Frosh CUSA 06’, HM CUSA 06’

DE- C.J. Wilson: great attitude and personality, strong, quick and athletic
6-4, 269 SO (NC)- 2nd CUSA 07’

DE- Zack Slate: good pass rusher, works hard, quick and mobile, all around the feild
6-5, 222 JR (Fla)- 2nd CUSA 07’

LG- Matt Butler: battle tested, can play center, anchor along with Coffman
6-4, 300 SR (NC)- HM CUSA 07’

RG- Doug Palmer: former Dlineman, athletic and aggressive
6-3, 306 SO (NC)- HM CUSA 07’

WR- Jamar Bryant: good physical skills and body control, underused
6-2, 198 SO (NC)- HM CUSA 07’

DT- Jay Ross: good quickness for frame, strong
6-3, 300 SO (NC)- HM CUSA 07’

MLB- Fred Wilson: high intensity player, 78 tackles, underrated
6-2, 260 SR (SC)- HM CUSA 07’

DT- Linval Joseph: one of the best tackles out of Florida last year, 39 tackles as frosh
6-6, 344 FR (Fla)- All-Frosh CUSA 07’

OLB- Pierre Bell: 88 tackles, 2int, tough and athletic
6-2, 231 JR (NC)

Watch Out For:
RB/WR/KR- Dewayne Harris: speedy and explosive, underused last few games
6-0, 199 FR (Ga)


Team Info:

Passing Off: 206.6 yrds/g, 75th in NCAA
-QB shuffle is partly responsible
-get decent protection
-need to throw to Harris more often, no true #2

Rush Off: 171.3 yrds/g, 39th in NCAA
-Johnson doesn’t fumble often
-Pinkey is nice runner
-good interior running team for back of Johnson’s size

Pass Def: 290.2 yrds/g, 115th in NCAA
-force turnovers
-corners aren’t lock down by any means
-Eskridge is only playmaker

Rush Def: 146.3 yrds/g, 53rd in NCAA
-Joseph is a beast, underrated and undervalued
-Wilson underrated as well
-Eskridge is an extra LB essentially

Special Teams:
Kicking- C (good leg, inconsistent, 11-20, 52long, 4-10 from 30-29)
Punting- B+
Return Game- A

Key Stats:
3rd Down Conv- 65/167 (39%) vs. 75/189 (40%)
Turnovers- 13 vs. 27 (+12)
Penalties- 97 for 777yrds (64.8per) vs. 67 for 649yrds (54.1per)
TOP- 28:32 vs. 31:28

Head Coach: Skip Holtz, 3rd Season- 18-16, 14-8 in CUSA, 0-1 bowls
-offensive minded coach
-good with QBs
-not best coach ever, probably better offensive-coordinator

*all there top players are from Florida, that’s good, good recruiting
*get ball in hands of Johnson, Harris and Bryant as often as possible