After watching the Pirates fall apart again in a second-half of football on Saturday night in Charlotte to #12 USC, I have a full appreciation of the fact that the defense at ECU has worked awfully hard and is much improved. Our O, however, completely Navyed the team by turning over the ball on 4-straight offensive possessions in the 3Q handing the game to USC. Horribly embarrassing. Sans that debacle, the team was not bad and the O-line in its first game together handled one of the country's top defensive fronts incredibly well. Down two of our top four receivers, the offense still generated 4 pass TDs and a rushing TD.
The bottom line is that the Defense didn't have a chance. After an excellent first half where the D helped the O to a 24-14 lead at the half, the Defense was faced with 3 straight possessions where the Gamecocks had the ball inside our territory, 2 times inside the 20. Through in a score by USC's defense and the Pirates D is tagged with 56 points, 28 of which were not their fault.
Anyway, as we do each season, here are the 2011 predictions (sans USC).
Predictions (Gentlemen please chime in):
Week 1 - #12 South Carolina @ neutral (Charlotte): We face the most hyped team this pre-season in the Ole Ball Coach's Gamecocks. They have firepower in RB Marcus Lattimore and a defensive front full of NFL-bound talents. This will be one of the best defensive fronts we will play this year. Because we have a class coach, two of our standouts - CB Emanuel Davis and IWR Michael Bowman - are suspended for a bad behavior in summer. Unlike our coach, the Ole Scumbag is playing his 5-time offending QB Stephen Garcia because Spurrier wants to win and there is no cost too high to do so. That is also why his OC who was caught urinating in public was suspended for a single off-season day. Spurrier's behavior, if you ask me, is very indicative of a team that is likely among the group cheating. (Which makes you wonder how he got so many top players to attend a school with a century of losing under its belt).
[Post post note: South Carolina, behind 5-time offender QB Garcia turned 4 straight turnovers in the first-four ECU possessions of the 2nd half into 28 points and beat us 56-37]
Week 2 - #13 Virginia Tech @ home: We get Bowman and Davis back which is a big boost and our team has proven they can force another team to punt. The question is will the offense turn over the ball in big numbers. Expect another home sellout and a Virginia Tech team that could once again overlook the Pirates. The Hokies are breaking in a new QB and have been described as having to have "young defenders get older in a hurry."
RON's prediction: The Pirates' offense gets it together and does not turn the ball over more than 1 time while the defense gets to the Hokies new QB. Pirates get the huge upset, 38-24.
Greg: We still take this rivalry more seriously than do the Hokies. We eek out the upset. ECU 31 - 28 (only 2 of the TDs are given up by our D)
Week 3 - UAB @ home: After two powerhouse, top-15 opponents, the Pirates open the conference slate with a division opponent. UAB will be improved, but with the ECU defense on the rise, the Blazers will not have enough to beat us, particularly in front of another sold out home stadium.
RON's prediction: Pirates offense shines in engineering first blowout of the season. Defense chips in a score as well as the Pirates start the CUSA slate perfect. Pirates move to 2-1 powered by a 56-21 victory.
Greg: We're better than them. ECU 42-17
Week 4 - UNC @ Home: Despite the fact that UNC has cheated and redefined cheating for a major college, they still have some talented players - for now - and will be up for their game with us. Another packed house will await the powder blue boys from the west. Being home won't guarantee that the officials won't screw...hard to say who is still on the UNC payroll, but our boys will be looking to exact some revenge from last season and they are likely to get that satisfaction this time around.
RON's prediction: The Pirates' offense learned from its bout with USC and will have no problems with the junior varsity Carolina. The offense does its part and this time around, the defense rises to slap around the Tar Heels young QB. Pirates win 35-10.
Greg: If God isn't a Pirate fan, why is the sky purple and gold? UNC is a disgrace to college football. They deserve a beat down at the hands of a classy, mid-major program (even though I did run into Robert Jones at the KFC on Greenville Blvd driving a new Mercedes C Class during his senior year). ECU 27 -6.
Week 5 - @Houston: This one worries me a lot. Case Keenum is back and he lit up UCLA in the opener. Being on the road gives the Cougars a slight edge in a game between two similarly fashioned teams. It comes down to the turnovers and sacks. The Pirates will need to really execute and get to Keenum ala the 2009 CUSA title game.
RON's prediction: The Cougars edge the Pirates in a shootout, 49-44 putting the Pirates at 3-2, 1-1 on the season.
Greg: I'd like to predict a victory, but Houston's O will out gun us. Plus, they're still pissed about the '09 C-USA tile game. UH 35 - 23
Week 6 - @Memphis: There is absolutely no analysis that has the Pirates losing this game. The Memphis program is in shambles and they are simply not good in any phase of game. The Pirates O and D will be too good to lose this game. With Navy ahead, our boys may overlook the Tigers, but even then, it won't matter.
RON's prediction: The Pirates' could very well overlook the Tigers, but not enough to lose, Pirates win going away, 44-14.
Greg: The Pirates hang a 50 on the Tigers in front of 637 fans. ECU 50 - 9
Week 7 - @Navy: Not only did Navy pound us in 2010, they flat out embarrassed our team. Navy. Navy will be another challenge given the triple-option and they will have guys who can run it. The Pirates D will be better positioned to play against it this time around and hopefully will be pissed off about last year's mess.
RON's prediction: This game has me worried as I don't know if our guys can adjust to this offense for a single week enough to stop it. My hope is that the Pirates offense does not implode the way it did a year ago, but after the USC game, clearly our O has that in it. Still, I think we get it right this time, and squeak past Navy in a 42-38 thriller and the Pirates go to 5-2, 2-1 on the season.
Greg: I've been through a lot as a Pirate fan, but last year's humiliation by the Midshipmen really sticks in my craw. Ruff is going to have our boys hungry for this one.....as hungry as Ruff is now all the time. ECU 35 - 24
Week 8 - Tulane @Home: Tulane is an improved team so getting them at home is good. Unfortunately, it also sets up a classic trap scenario for the Pirates who will be riding high with a 5-2 record and focusing on Southern Miss the next week. Tulane will be upset minded so this game will likely be closer than many might expect. The Pirates should be able to outpace them, however, but Tulane has a good shot in this one.
RON's prediction: Pirates will lock down focus on this game and the offense will fly high. The defense will have shown a half-season of improvement and show up big-time. Pirates get win number 6 in front of another sold-out DFS crowd, 49-28.
Greg: Trap game....Doh! Tulane 21 -13
Week 9 - Southern Miss @ home: So, in comes Southern Miss still smarting from that crazy game a year ago. They will be jacked up and the odds will be in their favor as the Pirates have never beat them 3 years in a row. The Fick will be packed and the team should be juiced. This is a game that comes down to who wants it more and who executes best. It will be a barn-burner as they say.
RON's prediction: The Pirates achieve the unheard of - a three-game streak against the Golden Eagles. Not sure how they are going to do it, but I believe it will happen. ECU ensures a winning season, taking out its most-respected rival, 38-28.
Greg: Sure am glad this one's at home. We'll need every 12th man in the place to secure a victory against USM. Three in row....the rivalry intensifies...... ECU 27-24
Week 10 - @ UTEP: Bad...very bad and very good that they are the other West division team we have to face. Pirates should win this one in their sleep, but note that Central Florida is the next opponent. ECU has much more talent and experience than UTEP.
RON's prediction: Pirates show great discipline and focus in not looking past the Miners. Toast them on the road in an empty stadium, 56-17 and improve to 8-2, 4-1.
Greg: Ruff turns the Tulane trap loss into lemonade by inspiring the Pirates to use the Miners as a tune-up fodder for next week. ECU 49 - 14
Week 11 - UCF @ home: Defending CUSA champs come to our house cocky and dismissive of the Pirates, as they continue to boast like 2010 was indicative of their history - which we all know sucks. The Pirates own the series and despite a drop off last season, it took an exceptional defense for the Knights to beat the Pirates at home. ECU players should have had this game circled from the beginning.
RON's prediction: Pirate pride rises in this one. UCF's baseless arrogance precedes its arrival in DFS and the ECU team breaks out a case of whoop-ass. Pirates rock the cocky Knights, 54-21. (OK, probably more like 35-28, but I so hate UCF).
Greg: Man....did we get all the best home games this season or what? I hate these guys. They represent everything that's wrong with the BCS system. Do they have fans that spend time updating a blog, once a year, making ridiculous predictions...... that no one reads? Of course not. That's why we'll beat them. ECU 38 -35
Week 12 - @Marshall: Pirates travel to Marshall whose defense will be very good. The Pirates will be on the cusp of locking down a 10-win season and a return trip to the CUSA title. Pressure will be enormous for this one. And, we all know how the Pirates tend to handle pressure...eek.
RON's prediction: The Pirates fall behind early but scratch back to pull out the CUSA East title and clinch a 10-win season, 35-31.
Greg: I have us needing this one to secure a ninth win. The game is not for double digit wins, but it's for a spot in the title game. Much respect to the Thundering Herd, what with that connection to the airplane crash and all, but we beat 'em like a red headed step child. ECU 42 - 19
C-USA Championship Game - ECU v. SMU: Pirates meet the Mustangs in a display of offensive fireworks. The team with the better D wins it.
RON's prediction: The Pirates' ride the Davis duo (Dominique and Emanuel) to put together the best game of the season and win a 3rd CUSA title 28-24.
Greg: Before the game, Terry Holland announces to 50K Pirate faithful that he just inked a deal for us to joined the SEC. Slightly embarrassing to the C-USA dignitaries, but hey, we've been waiting a long time for this. ECU 31-30
Repeat after me: "I love the East Carolina Pirates. One day they will play on broadcast TV every week. Before I die, they will win the National Championship. Arrrrrrggghhhhhhhhh!!!!"
Go Pirates!!!!!!!
The bottom line is that the Defense didn't have a chance. After an excellent first half where the D helped the O to a 24-14 lead at the half, the Defense was faced with 3 straight possessions where the Gamecocks had the ball inside our territory, 2 times inside the 20. Through in a score by USC's defense and the Pirates D is tagged with 56 points, 28 of which were not their fault.
Anyway, as we do each season, here are the 2011 predictions (sans USC).
Predictions (Gentlemen please chime in):
Week 1 - #12 South Carolina @ neutral (Charlotte): We face the most hyped team this pre-season in the Ole Ball Coach's Gamecocks. They have firepower in RB Marcus Lattimore and a defensive front full of NFL-bound talents. This will be one of the best defensive fronts we will play this year. Because we have a class coach, two of our standouts - CB Emanuel Davis and IWR Michael Bowman - are suspended for a bad behavior in summer. Unlike our coach, the Ole Scumbag is playing his 5-time offending QB Stephen Garcia because Spurrier wants to win and there is no cost too high to do so. That is also why his OC who was caught urinating in public was suspended for a single off-season day. Spurrier's behavior, if you ask me, is very indicative of a team that is likely among the group cheating. (Which makes you wonder how he got so many top players to attend a school with a century of losing under its belt).
[Post post note: South Carolina, behind 5-time offender QB Garcia turned 4 straight turnovers in the first-four ECU possessions of the 2nd half into 28 points and beat us 56-37]
Week 2 - #13 Virginia Tech @ home: We get Bowman and Davis back which is a big boost and our team has proven they can force another team to punt. The question is will the offense turn over the ball in big numbers. Expect another home sellout and a Virginia Tech team that could once again overlook the Pirates. The Hokies are breaking in a new QB and have been described as having to have "young defenders get older in a hurry."
RON's prediction: The Pirates' offense gets it together and does not turn the ball over more than 1 time while the defense gets to the Hokies new QB. Pirates get the huge upset, 38-24.
Greg: We still take this rivalry more seriously than do the Hokies. We eek out the upset. ECU 31 - 28 (only 2 of the TDs are given up by our D)
Week 3 - UAB @ home: After two powerhouse, top-15 opponents, the Pirates open the conference slate with a division opponent. UAB will be improved, but with the ECU defense on the rise, the Blazers will not have enough to beat us, particularly in front of another sold out home stadium.
RON's prediction: Pirates offense shines in engineering first blowout of the season. Defense chips in a score as well as the Pirates start the CUSA slate perfect. Pirates move to 2-1 powered by a 56-21 victory.
Greg: We're better than them. ECU 42-17
Week 4 - UNC @ Home: Despite the fact that UNC has cheated and redefined cheating for a major college, they still have some talented players - for now - and will be up for their game with us. Another packed house will await the powder blue boys from the west. Being home won't guarantee that the officials won't screw...hard to say who is still on the UNC payroll, but our boys will be looking to exact some revenge from last season and they are likely to get that satisfaction this time around.
RON's prediction: The Pirates' offense learned from its bout with USC and will have no problems with the junior varsity Carolina. The offense does its part and this time around, the defense rises to slap around the Tar Heels young QB. Pirates win 35-10.
Greg: If God isn't a Pirate fan, why is the sky purple and gold? UNC is a disgrace to college football. They deserve a beat down at the hands of a classy, mid-major program (even though I did run into Robert Jones at the KFC on Greenville Blvd driving a new Mercedes C Class during his senior year). ECU 27 -6.
Week 5 - @Houston: This one worries me a lot. Case Keenum is back and he lit up UCLA in the opener. Being on the road gives the Cougars a slight edge in a game between two similarly fashioned teams. It comes down to the turnovers and sacks. The Pirates will need to really execute and get to Keenum ala the 2009 CUSA title game.
RON's prediction: The Cougars edge the Pirates in a shootout, 49-44 putting the Pirates at 3-2, 1-1 on the season.
Greg: I'd like to predict a victory, but Houston's O will out gun us. Plus, they're still pissed about the '09 C-USA tile game. UH 35 - 23
Week 6 - @Memphis: There is absolutely no analysis that has the Pirates losing this game. The Memphis program is in shambles and they are simply not good in any phase of game. The Pirates O and D will be too good to lose this game. With Navy ahead, our boys may overlook the Tigers, but even then, it won't matter.
RON's prediction: The Pirates' could very well overlook the Tigers, but not enough to lose, Pirates win going away, 44-14.
Greg: The Pirates hang a 50 on the Tigers in front of 637 fans. ECU 50 - 9
Week 7 - @Navy: Not only did Navy pound us in 2010, they flat out embarrassed our team. Navy. Navy will be another challenge given the triple-option and they will have guys who can run it. The Pirates D will be better positioned to play against it this time around and hopefully will be pissed off about last year's mess.
RON's prediction: This game has me worried as I don't know if our guys can adjust to this offense for a single week enough to stop it. My hope is that the Pirates offense does not implode the way it did a year ago, but after the USC game, clearly our O has that in it. Still, I think we get it right this time, and squeak past Navy in a 42-38 thriller and the Pirates go to 5-2, 2-1 on the season.
Greg: I've been through a lot as a Pirate fan, but last year's humiliation by the Midshipmen really sticks in my craw. Ruff is going to have our boys hungry for this one.....as hungry as Ruff is now all the time. ECU 35 - 24
Week 8 - Tulane @Home: Tulane is an improved team so getting them at home is good. Unfortunately, it also sets up a classic trap scenario for the Pirates who will be riding high with a 5-2 record and focusing on Southern Miss the next week. Tulane will be upset minded so this game will likely be closer than many might expect. The Pirates should be able to outpace them, however, but Tulane has a good shot in this one.
RON's prediction: Pirates will lock down focus on this game and the offense will fly high. The defense will have shown a half-season of improvement and show up big-time. Pirates get win number 6 in front of another sold-out DFS crowd, 49-28.
Greg: Trap game....Doh! Tulane 21 -13
Week 9 - Southern Miss @ home: So, in comes Southern Miss still smarting from that crazy game a year ago. They will be jacked up and the odds will be in their favor as the Pirates have never beat them 3 years in a row. The Fick will be packed and the team should be juiced. This is a game that comes down to who wants it more and who executes best. It will be a barn-burner as they say.
RON's prediction: The Pirates achieve the unheard of - a three-game streak against the Golden Eagles. Not sure how they are going to do it, but I believe it will happen. ECU ensures a winning season, taking out its most-respected rival, 38-28.
Greg: Sure am glad this one's at home. We'll need every 12th man in the place to secure a victory against USM. Three in row....the rivalry intensifies...... ECU 27-24
Week 10 - @ UTEP: Bad...very bad and very good that they are the other West division team we have to face. Pirates should win this one in their sleep, but note that Central Florida is the next opponent. ECU has much more talent and experience than UTEP.
RON's prediction: Pirates show great discipline and focus in not looking past the Miners. Toast them on the road in an empty stadium, 56-17 and improve to 8-2, 4-1.
Greg: Ruff turns the Tulane trap loss into lemonade by inspiring the Pirates to use the Miners as a tune-up fodder for next week. ECU 49 - 14
Week 11 - UCF @ home: Defending CUSA champs come to our house cocky and dismissive of the Pirates, as they continue to boast like 2010 was indicative of their history - which we all know sucks. The Pirates own the series and despite a drop off last season, it took an exceptional defense for the Knights to beat the Pirates at home. ECU players should have had this game circled from the beginning.
RON's prediction: Pirate pride rises in this one. UCF's baseless arrogance precedes its arrival in DFS and the ECU team breaks out a case of whoop-ass. Pirates rock the cocky Knights, 54-21. (OK, probably more like 35-28, but I so hate UCF).
Greg: Man....did we get all the best home games this season or what? I hate these guys. They represent everything that's wrong with the BCS system. Do they have fans that spend time updating a blog, once a year, making ridiculous predictions...... that no one reads? Of course not. That's why we'll beat them. ECU 38 -35
Week 12 - @Marshall: Pirates travel to Marshall whose defense will be very good. The Pirates will be on the cusp of locking down a 10-win season and a return trip to the CUSA title. Pressure will be enormous for this one. And, we all know how the Pirates tend to handle pressure...eek.
RON's prediction: The Pirates fall behind early but scratch back to pull out the CUSA East title and clinch a 10-win season, 35-31.
Greg: I have us needing this one to secure a ninth win. The game is not for double digit wins, but it's for a spot in the title game. Much respect to the Thundering Herd, what with that connection to the airplane crash and all, but we beat 'em like a red headed step child. ECU 42 - 19
C-USA Championship Game - ECU v. SMU: Pirates meet the Mustangs in a display of offensive fireworks. The team with the better D wins it.
RON's prediction: The Pirates' ride the Davis duo (Dominique and Emanuel) to put together the best game of the season and win a 3rd CUSA title 28-24.
Greg: Before the game, Terry Holland announces to 50K Pirate faithful that he just inked a deal for us to joined the SEC. Slightly embarrassing to the C-USA dignitaries, but hey, we've been waiting a long time for this. ECU 31-30
Repeat after me: "I love the East Carolina Pirates. One day they will play on broadcast TV every week. Before I die, they will win the National Championship. Arrrrrrggghhhhhhhhh!!!!"
Go Pirates!!!!!!!
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