A Bit Offensive

Jeremy Slayton
Sun Journal Staff

GREENVILLE — Defense was the dominant theme Saturday as the East Carolina football team conducted its second preseason scrimmage.

While the Pirates offense was able to put together some sustained drives late in the 100-play contest first-year head coach Skip Holtz was less than pleased with execution as a whole.

"I definitely thought the defense played better than the offense today. I thought the offense was extremely flat early," Holtz said.

The offense gained just 384 yards during the session and converted just one third-down opportunity during the first eight possessions.

Sophomore tailback Chris Johnson led the team in rushing, gaining 78 yards in the oppressive heat at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium.

"We didn't do too good today. We're just trying to get it together," Johnson said.

Holtz said the first-team offense struggled against the second-team defense, but when the ones went against the ones in the second half of the scrimmage, he said there was better production out of the offense.

"The whole defense â?¦ we concentrated on knowing our assignments and doing our job," said sophomore safety Pierre Parker, who returned an interception 27 yards for a touchdown.

James Pinkney said the Pirates need to become more consistent to try and move the ball.

"At times we looked good and at times we looked like we're not ready to play at all," said Pinkney, a redshirt junior. "So, right now, we're just trying to get the consistency thing going on offense and that's what we're fighting for right now."

Wide receiver Aundrae Allison, a junior college transfer from Georgia Military Academy, led all receivers with four catches for 51 yards.

The scrimmage took on added significance because Holtz and his staff will evaluate the tape and determine a two-deep depth chart that will dictate the number of reps players get Monday as the team begins preparation for Sept. 3's season opener against Duke.

Also, after running through six practices in the five days leading up to the scrimmage, Holtz said he was looking for the players who remained focus despite being tired and hot.

Pinkney said he thought the team did well against the hot conditions.

"We battled the heat pretty good. We've been practicing in the heat for a while, so we're pretty used to it," he said after completing 12-of-21 passes for 148 yards and a touchdown.

Despite the strong showing, Parker said the team still has plenty of ground to cover before facing the Blue Devils. He knows he's going to continue to improve.

"We've still got a long way to go. We've got Duke in two weeks, so, I'm still going to try to get better and better until we play Duke," said Parker.

Senior linebacker Chris Moore and redshirt freshman linebacker Pierre Bell led the defense with six tackles apiece.

Jeremy Slayton can be reached at (252) 635-5668 or at jslayton@freedomenc.com.