http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nca.../12719865/

"Last fall, ECU notched its first 10-win season since 1991 – and only the second in program history."

"Tidbit: ECU holds a 57-34 record against current members of the American, with the overwhelming majority of the matchups coming during Conference USA play"

"In a nutshell: ECU is going to be exciting. Is that a good thing? It could be: ECU is going to light up the scoreboard on one end – the offensive end, as this program tends to do – but seems very questionable nearly across the board defensively. "

"Dream season: ECU beats Virginia Tech and UNC before winning seven of eight games during American action.

Nightmare season: The Pirates start 1-3 and go 3-5 in league play."

We desperately need someone in that access spot. If someone like ecu losses 2 it isn't enough juice to beat an undefeated team playing nobodies every week...cough Marshall.

I think they'll do better than their predicted 7 wins, but don't see them winning the conference.

(07-16-2014 01:40 PM)Hokie Mark Wrote:  http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nca.../12719865/

"Last fall, ECU notched its first 10-win season since 1991 – and only the second in program history."

"Tidbit: ECU holds a 57-34 record against current members of the American, with the overwhelming majority of the matchups coming during Conference USA play"

"In a nutshell: ECU is going to be exciting. Is that a good thing? It could be: ECU is going to light up the scoreboard on one end – the offensive end, as this program tends to do – but seems very questionable nearly across the board defensively. "

"Dream season: ECU beats Virginia Tech and UNC before winning seven of eight games during American action.

Nightmare season: The Pirates start 1-3 and go 3-5 in league play."

Yes and the same writer predicted Tulsa to contend for BCS Bowl in 2013.

This guy always shats on us. We will do better than 7 wins.

(07-16-2014 01:54 PM)KNIGHTTIME Wrote:  We desperately need someone in that access spot. If someone like ecu losses 2 it isn't enough juice to beat an undefeated team playing nobodies every week...cough Marshall.

Marshall is a horrible road team, so they are probably not going undefeated; but even if they did and ULaLa also went undefeated then ULaLa would definitely get the nod, because ULaLa toughest 3 games are Boise State on the Road; La Tech and Tulane.

(07-16-2014 02:04 PM)PirateMarv Wrote:  

(07-16-2014 01:54 PM)KNIGHTTIME Wrote:  We desperately need someone in that access spot. If someone like ecu losses 2 it isn't enough juice to beat an undefeated team playing nobodies every week...cough Marshall.

Marshall is a horrible road team, so they are probably not going undefeated; but even if they did and ULaLa also went undefeated then ULaLa would definitely get the nod, because ULaLa toughest 3 games are Boise State on the Road; La Tech and Tulane.

Ole Miss in Oxford

Pretty good write-up on the Pirates, but I think he is not giving our linebackers enough credit. We shall see.

(07-16-2014 02:05 PM)NBPirate Wrote:  

(07-16-2014 02:04 PM)PirateMarv Wrote:  

(07-16-2014 01:54 PM)KNIGHTTIME Wrote:  We desperately need someone in that access spot. If someone like ecu losses 2 it isn't enough juice to beat an undefeated team playing nobodies every week...cough Marshall.

Marshall is a horrible road team, so they are probably not going undefeated; but even if they did and ULaLa also went undefeated then ULaLa would definitely get the nod, because ULaLa toughest 3 games are Boise State on the Road; La Tech and Tulane.

Ole Miss in Oxford

Forgot about that one (instead of Tulane), but still at 11-1 it would be better than anything Marshall would be able to point to.

(07-16-2014 02:06 PM)Chappy Wrote:  Pretty good write-up on the Pirates, but I think he is not giving our linebackers enough credit. We shall see.

He acts like Falls is some backup with a little experience. Maurice is on the Butkus Award Watchlist. And Overton is probably even better than him.....

ECU is very much a team in transition defensively though there is leadership experience at LB. It's quite frankly a situation that no one can predict right now. I felt very, very skeptical about our defense last year and though they gave up some big plays they were very stout. I'm holding out any real analysis because no one, not even the coaching staff knows at this point how this defense is going to perform on Saturdays right now. And that's not necessarily a bad thing.

The offense, however, well...it's sick

(07-16-2014 02:20 PM)PiratePanther189 Wrote:  ECU is very much a team in transition defensively though there is leadership experience at LB. It's quite frankly a situation that no one can predict right now. I felt very, very skeptical about our defense last year and though they gave up some big plays they were very stout. I'm holding out any real analysis because no one, not even the coaching staff knows at this point how this defense is going to perform on Saturdays right now. And that's not necessarily a bad thing.

The offense, however, well...it's sick

Except agaislnst pressure D who smack our wrs around. Bud Foster will have Riley ankle grabbing as usual. 7-8 wins is probably about right. We struggle against defenses with equivalent talent to our offense.

Losses: USC, VT, UCF , WTF(USF or Temple)
Wins: NCCU, UNC, SMU, UCONN, Cinci, Tulane, Tulsa, Temple/USF

I'm most curious about ECU's OOC schedule. SCar is a long shot, but the other two games will be very interesting.

In conference, I would expect ECU to at least be 6-2.

I am starting to feel even better about our offense this year. My only concern was the O-line. Our 2 highly-coveted (beat out Louisville) juco lineman have officially made it to campus and are in good physical shape. That gives me a little more confidence. If they can open up some holes and protect our qb a little bit longer we will be a contender for the Va.Tech, USC, and UCF type defenses.

We have talented linebackers.
Our D-line is not SEC but are competitive.
My now big concern is our secondary. Not a lot of talent there. My only comfort is that our DC is in charge of the secondary and is a good coach so he will get the most out of them.

(07-16-2014 02:36 PM)PirateHeist Wrote:  

(07-16-2014 02:20 PM)PiratePanther189 Wrote:  ECU is very much a team in transition defensively though there is leadership experience at LB. It's quite frankly a situation that no one can predict right now. I felt very, very skeptical about our defense last year and though they gave up some big plays they were very stout. I'm holding out any real analysis because no one, not even the coaching staff knows at this point how this defense is going to perform on Saturdays right now. And that's not necessarily a bad thing.

The offense, however, well...it's sick

Except agaislnst pressure D who smack our wrs around. Bud Foster will have Riley ankle grabbing as usual. 7-8 wins is probably about right. We struggle against defenses with equivalent talent to our offense.

Losses: USC, VT, UCF , WTF(USF or Temple)
Wins: NCCU, UNC, SMU, UCONN, Cinci, Tulane, Tulsa, Temple/USF

the problem for vatch is that as good as bud foster and the defense are, the offense is equally as bad under loeffler. kick a field goal, that might be enough to win the game.

(07-16-2014 06:21 PM)shere khan Wrote:  

(07-16-2014 02:36 PM)PirateHeist Wrote:  

(07-16-2014 02:20 PM)PiratePanther189 Wrote:  ECU is very much a team in transition defensively though there is leadership experience at LB. It's quite frankly a situation that no one can predict right now. I felt very, very skeptical about our defense last year and though they gave up some big plays they were very stout. I'm holding out any real analysis because no one, not even the coaching staff knows at this point how this defense is going to perform on Saturdays right now. And that's not necessarily a bad thing.

The offense, however, well...it's sick

Except agaislnst pressure D who smack our wrs around. Bud Foster will have Riley ankle grabbing as usual. 7-8 wins is probably about right. We struggle against defenses with equivalent talent to our offense.

Losses: USC, VT, UCF , WTF(USF or Temple)
Wins: NCCU, UNC, SMU, UCONN, Cinci, Tulane, Tulsa, Temple/USF

the problem for vatch is that as good as bud foster and the defense are, the offense is equally as bad under loeffler. kick a field goal, that might be enough to win the game.

First of all you have to get in position to kick a field goal. And then our kicker would obviously have to make the field goal. That second part is not a given.

(07-16-2014 06:26 PM)PirateMarv Wrote:  

(07-16-2014 06:21 PM)shere khan Wrote:  

(07-16-2014 02:36 PM)PirateHeist Wrote:  

(07-16-2014 02:20 PM)PiratePanther189 Wrote:  ECU is very much a team in transition defensively though there is leadership experience at LB. It's quite frankly a situation that no one can predict right now. I felt very, very skeptical about our defense last year and though they gave up some big plays they were very stout. I'm holding out any real analysis because no one, not even the coaching staff knows at this point how this defense is going to perform on Saturdays right now. And that's not necessarily a bad thing.

The offense, however, well...it's sick

Except agaislnst pressure D who smack our wrs around. Bud Foster will have Riley ankle grabbing as usual. 7-8 wins is probably about right. We struggle against defenses with equivalent talent to our offense.

Losses: USC, VT, UCF , WTF(USF or Temple)
Wins: NCCU, UNC, SMU, UCONN, Cinci, Tulane, Tulsa, Temple/USF

the problem for vatch is that as good as bud foster and the defense are, the offense is equally as bad under loeffler. kick a field goal, that might be enough to win the game.

First of all you have to get in position to kick a field goal. And then our kicker would obviously have to make the field goal. That second part is not a given.

maybe we can send one of ours over, they have lotsa practice and experience.

(07-16-2014 02:06 PM)Chappy Wrote:  Pretty good write-up on the Pirates, but I think he is not giving our linebackers enough credit. We shall see.

Not only does not give them enough credit, he has some fact wrong. Said that Zeek Bigger was the only Starting LB returning, well that's wrong, fact is that Brandon Williams had 6 starts last year, Falls had 2, Overton had 3. So he is a bit off there. Also, still has Stanley on the team (out for season injury) and if you read his break down of the D, he seems to think we run a 4-3-4. Say the back 7 is the issue. Wait, that would be 4 DB's and 3 LB's, that's wrong we run a 3-4-4.

Also for the O-line, apparently he has no idea we are bringing in to highly rated JUCO OL, one we flipped last minute from UofL.

That said 7-9 is what you see, could be more if things go well, but we have to avoid the injury bug, especially on the OL.

Also, his math is way off on returning starters. Only 9 total, sorry no, Carden, Hardy, D. Grayson, Jones, two OL, Worthy, that 7 on O and there are others with starts on O, D we got Williams, Rose, Bigger, Overton, Williams, Hawkins, that 6 returning with starts, total of 13 or 14 think I missed a WR that has 3-4 starts.

I'd say ECU can be a contender but I genuinely believe that this is UC's title to lose this year.

(07-16-2014 03:00 PM)NothingButKnight Wrote:  I'm most curious about ECU's OOC schedule. SCar is a long shot, but the other two games will be very interesting.

In conference, I would expect ECU to at least be 6-2.

USC may prove to be the most competitive OOC game. Their defense is terrible, as in God-awful terrible right now. Unless they drastically improve, ECU should be able to put up 30+. The question is whether or not ECU can slow down USC enough to build a two score lead.

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