East Carolina football looking to build off last season鈥檚 success
GREENVILLE, N.C. — East Carolina University鈥檚 Head Coach Mike Houston immediately began rebuilding the football program when he joined the Pirates in 2018. With the right coaches and the right players, today鈥檚 Pirates are looking more like an all-around complete team of years past, from their defense, to offense, and special teams.
Coach Houston says, 鈥淲e look like we belong in the American Athletic Conference with our fronts on both sides of the football. We鈥檙e big. We鈥檙e athletic. We鈥檙e strong.鈥�
The Pirates started the 2022 season with a tough line up, playing their biggest rivalry on opening day. Even though East Carolina experienced a heartbreaking loss to NC State, it is not to be considered a loss without victories. The Pirates were predicted to be the underdogs by 12 points to the Wolfpack, yet through strong offense and defense overcame the spread with a 21-20 final score.
The record crowd of 51,711 at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium at the opening game, proves that Pirate Nation is excited about this season. East Carolina鈥檚 safeties coach, Tripp Weaver, says, 鈥淭he confidence is back. The swagger is back. East Carolina football is back!鈥� The supportive and enthusiastic fans did not go unnoticed or unappreciated by the Pirates they cheered for.
Chance Bates (#40), ECU Linebacker, recalls 鈥淚 felt like a kid again! It was unbelievable to feel the energy from the fans, looking in the crowd and seeing all the purple and gold! It was a great experience and I鈥檓 looking forward to more!鈥�
Holton Ahlers (#12), local ECU Quarterback adds, 鈥淭hank you to the fans for coming. They were electric the whole game. They helped us get back in it, because the game could have gone a whole different way. The fans and defense really stuck to it.鈥�
Whether veterans or rookies on the East Carolina team, both are certainly no strangers to competitive practices. Donnie Kirkpatrick, Offensive Coordinator with 14 overall years in the program, explains 鈥淲e try to put them under 鈥榞ame day stress鈥� with super intensive practices. We have a lot of competition in there.鈥�
Along with Kirkpatrick, Defensive Coordinator Blake Harrell, helped guide the Pirates to a 7-5 season in 2021. Harrell states, 鈥淚f we don鈥檛 go to work on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, we can鈥檛 get the reward on Saturday. We can鈥檛 get that win unless we earn it.鈥�
Nishad Strother (#73), Offensive Line, says 鈥淲e鈥檙e not going to be surprised on game days because of what we do during practice. We鈥檙e going at it every day and if you鈥檙e not competing, you鈥檙e going to be embarrassed. And nobody wants to be embarrassed!鈥�
Last year marked the ECU football programs first winning season and bowl eligibility since 2014. With experienced coaches, determined players and 鈥渆lectric鈥� fans, East Carolina has a certain confidence that will be needed for upcoming games in the American Conference this year. DH Conley graduate and fifth year returning Ahlers (#12) says, 鈥淭he program it is now, it just makes us proud. We did it! We brought back ECU football!鈥�
Let鈥檚 continue to support the Pirates, cheering them on all the way to a bowl game! Go Pirate Nation!
UPCOMING EAST CAROLINA FOOTBALL
Oct. 1 (Sat.)聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Oct. 28 (Fri.)
@ South Florida聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 @ BYU
Oct. 8 (Sat.)聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Nov. 11 (Fri.)
@ Tulane聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 @ Cincinnati
Oct. 15 (Sat.)聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Nov. 19 (Sat.)
vs Memphis 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 vs Houston
Oct. 22 (Sat.)聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Nov. 26 (Sat.)
vs UCF 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽@ Temple
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