“Playing East Carolina is a lot tougher game than maybe picking up one of those bottom Big Ten teams, and a lot of fans around here would rather see a team that’s close by.”

Poll below: Who would you rather watch SC play? ECU or bottom tier B1G team?

http://gamedayr.com/lifestyle/coach-life...en-113919/

If we beat SC this year do you think he'll say we're better than an average SEC team?

Is that a compliment?

Video link below:

http://www.witn.com/sports/headlines/Ste...64181.html

Spurrier said he was against the big five conferences playing only against each other.

(08-03-2014 09:34 PM)rednblackattack Wrote:  Is that a compliment?

I'm sure our coaching staff will use it as motivation. It really is a bit of backhanded coach speak. I imagine that ECU would be favored against roughly half of the B1G on a neutral field.

(08-03-2014 09:38 PM)Indiana Bones Wrote:  

(08-03-2014 09:34 PM)rednblackattack Wrote:  Is that a compliment?

I'm sure our coaching staff will use it as motivation. It really is a bit of backhanded coach speak. I imagine that ECU would be favored against roughly half of the B1G on a neutral field.

That is quite a stretch. Keep believing that though if you wish. Favored? By whom? A poll consisting entirely of people wearing purple?

I don't disagree, ECU could beat Indiana, Purdue, Illinois, Rutgers, and Maryland regularly. ECU is a P5 strength team most years for sure (Probably the best on average in North Carolina).

When ECU plays a game in the State of NC, Va, or SC, they bring their A game. Spurrier is correct.

Now, ECU might sleep through some games with past teams in the CUSA, but they are always up and ready for VT, UVa, SC, NC State, UNC, Wake, and Duke. I don't think Clemson has ever played them, at least not in the last 35 years.

If you stick a B10 team in front of them, you will see ECU rise to the occasion.

Is WVU and ECU going to continue its series? I think that was developing into a nice rivalry.

(08-03-2014 09:35 PM)Indiana Bones Wrote:  Video link below:

http://www.witn.com/sports/headlines/Ste...64181.html

Spurrier said he was against the big five conferences playing only against each other.

That must be an officially sanctioned SEC realignment signal, similar to the Indiana coach's comment?

(08-03-2014 10:40 PM)rednblackattack Wrote:  Is WVU and ECU going to continue its series? I think that was developing into a nice rivalry.

We play in Morgantown in '17 & they come to Greenville in '20
http://www.ecupirates.com/sports/m-footb...dules.html

(08-03-2014 09:52 PM)DexterDevil Wrote:  I don't disagree, ECU could beat Indiana, Purdue, Illinois, Rutgers, and Maryland regularly. ECU is a P5 strength team most years for sure (Probably the best on average in North Carolina).

That is five teams out of fourteen. I don't even agree that ECU would beat them regularly. In fact, ECU's quality has taken a little dive where as teams like Maryland, Indiana and Rutgers are improving.

But you go ahead and listen to all the hate as if it is anything more than that.

Playing ECU is also a lot tougher than playing Ole Miss, Miss State, Kentucky, and Vanderbilt in most years.

(08-03-2014 09:38 PM)Indiana Bones Wrote:  

(08-03-2014 09:34 PM)rednblackattack Wrote:  Is that a compliment?

I'm sure our coaching staff will use it as motivation. It really is a bit of backhanded coach speak. I imagine that ECU would be favored against roughly half of the B1G on a neutral field.

I don't believe they would usually be favored against the bottom half of the B1G. But they would probably be favored as often as not.

They have been a little below par for them the past few years. Even so, their average Sagarin power ranking would still put them near the center of the B1G. Some years they might only be ranked ahead of 5 teams, sometimes 7-8. Spurrier's point isn't so much exactly where do they rank, as it is that the added excitement of being a regional rivalry makes them a tougher out than lower tier B1G schools.

Spurrier picked on the B1G because he is a master at getting under the skin of big dogs with overblown egos and he loves doing it. What he said about ECU vs B1G is just as true of the other P5 conferences as well. The only league that doesn't have four or five bottom feeders is the Big 12, and that's only because they have fewer teams than everybody else.

(08-04-2014 08:22 AM)He1nousOne Wrote:  

(08-03-2014 09:52 PM)DexterDevil Wrote:  I don't disagree, ECU could beat Indiana, Purdue, Illinois, Rutgers, and Maryland regularly. ECU is a P5 strength team most years for sure (Probably the best on average in North Carolina).

That is five teams out of fourteen. I don't even agree that ECU would beat them regularly. In fact, ECU's quality has taken a little dive where as teams like Maryland, Indiana and Rutgers are improving.

But you go ahead and listen to all the hate as if it is anything more than that.

I live in Chicago and I see B10 teams on a regular basis. You can lie to yourself all that you want, but the B10 is only 1 or 2 really good teams; 5 decent/good teams and the rest are plain awful. Don't feel bad though, because the ACC, Pac12 and B12 are only about that deep too. The reason that most fans don't recognize it is because middle P5 schools try to avoid playing some of the top G5 programs.

(08-03-2014 09:52 PM)DexterDevil Wrote:  I don't disagree, ECU could beat Indiana, Purdue, Illinois, Rutgers, and Maryland regularly. ECU is a P5 strength team most years for sure (Probably the best on average in North Carolina).

I agreed with you right up until your parentheses. ECU is historically close in strength to UNC and NC State over the long haul, but those two still have a small but distinct edge.

spurrier was simply pointing out the weakness of B1G football. he's right. MSU and OSU are very good, but it's mediocre at best beyond them.

(08-04-2014 08:53 AM)ken d Wrote:  

(08-03-2014 09:38 PM)Indiana Bones Wrote:  

(08-03-2014 09:34 PM)rednblackattack Wrote:  Is that a compliment?

I'm sure our coaching staff will use it as motivation. It really is a bit of backhanded coach speak. I imagine that ECU would be favored against roughly half of the B1G on a neutral field.

I don't believe they would usually be favored against the bottom half of the B1G. But they would probably be favored as often as not.

They have been a little below par for them the past few years. Even so, their average Sagarin power ranking would still put them near the center of the B1G. Some years they might only be ranked ahead of 5 teams, sometimes 7-8. Spurrier's point isn't so much exactly where do they rank, as it is that the added excitement of being a regional rivalry makes them a tougher out than lower tier B1G schools.

Spurrier picked on the B1G because he is a master at getting under the skin of big dogs with overblown egos and he loves doing it. What he said about ECU vs B1G is just as true of the other P5 conferences as well. The only league that doesn't have four or five bottom feeders is the Big 12, and that's only because they have fewer teams than everybody else.

I think Spurrier was talking specifically for South Carolina. Of course for them ECU would be harder than a Big Ten team. Why? Because a lot of times, guys that go to ECU played with/against South Carolina players. So they feel like they can compete with them. A lower tier Big Ten team just wouldn't have that emotional connection that ECU has.

(08-04-2014 08:22 AM)He1nousOne Wrote:  

(08-03-2014 09:52 PM)DexterDevil Wrote:  I don't disagree, ECU could beat Indiana, Purdue, Illinois, Rutgers, and Maryland regularly. ECU is a P5 strength team most years for sure (Probably the best on average in North Carolina).

That is five teams out of fourteen. I don't even agree that ECU would beat them regularly. In fact, ECU's quality has taken a little dive where as teams like Maryland, Indiana and Rutgers are improving.

But you go ahead and listen to all the hate as if it is anything more than that.

ECU should be pretty good this season. They have a good squad coming back. As I posted in another thread, over the past 8 or so years a .500 Purdue team has beaten OSU at least 3 times. Rutgers was 3-5 in the AAC last season. I don't see them improving that much.
I think Spurrier is having some fun, lol. But if the intent was ECU is good OOC opponent, yes that is an accurate statement.

(08-04-2014 09:11 AM)ren.hoek Wrote:  spurrier was simply pointing out the weakness of B1G football. he's right. MSU and OSU are very good, but it's mediocre at best beyond them.

(08-04-2014 08:53 AM)ken d Wrote:  

(08-03-2014 09:38 PM)Indiana Bones Wrote:  

(08-03-2014 09:34 PM)rednblackattack Wrote:  Is that a compliment?

I'm sure our coaching staff will use it as motivation. It really is a bit of backhanded coach speak. I imagine that ECU would be favored against roughly half of the B1G on a neutral field.

I don't believe they would usually be favored against the bottom half of the B1G. But they would probably be favored as often as not.

They have been a little below par for them the past few years. Even so, their average Sagarin power ranking would still put them near the center of the B1G. Some years they might only be ranked ahead of 5 teams, sometimes 7-8. Spurrier's point isn't so much exactly where do they rank, as it is that the added excitement of being a regional rivalry makes them a tougher out than lower tier B1G schools.

Spurrier picked on the B1G because he is a master at getting under the skin of big dogs with overblown egos and he loves doing it. What he said about ECU vs B1G is just as true of the other P5 conferences as well. The only league that doesn't have four or five bottom feeders is the Big 12, and that's only because they have fewer teams than everybody else.

Every Conference is like that.

Here are a few tweets in response to that statement by Coach Spurrier.

Bruce Feldman ‏@BruceFeldmanCFB 1h
He's right RT @WillGunter560: Spurrier "playing #EastCarolina is probably tougher than playing one of those bottom tier Big Ten Teams,"

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Danny Sheridan ‏@DannySheridan1 1h
@BruceFeldmanCFB @WillGunter560 "much tougher". he was kind, as it could be as many as 6 of them (bottom tier Big Ten Teams)

Tony Barnhart ‏@MrCFB 41m
HBC tells truth. @WillGunter560 Spurrier,"playing East Carolina is probably tougher than playing one of those bottom tier Big Ten Teams."

Bruce Feldman ‏@BruceFeldmanCFB 20m
Re: Spurrier's comments abt #ECU beating some BigTen teams. I think ECU & Shane Carden could probably beat half the teams in Big 5 leagues.