GREENVILLE, N.C. — East Carolina football returns some promising young wideouts, but whether one enjoys a breakout season to extend the Pirates’ streak of seven consecutive seasons with a 1,000-yard receiver remains to be seen.
Even in this pass-happy era that today’s relaxed defensive rules created, seven is an impressive stretch that leads the nation. Oklahoma, with back-to-back Heisman Trophy-winning quarterbacks, is next with a distant four straight 1,000-yarders.
That statistic, though, isn’t among new ECU coach Mike Houston’s primary concerns entering his first season. Rushing statistics matter more in his formula that worked at James Madison University. His Dukes mixed a power running game with the pass to win the 2016 Football Championship Subdivision national title, finished as 2017 FCS runner-up and returned to the 2018 playoffs until a second-round exit.
In the title season, JMU quarterback Bryan Schor threw for 3,002 yards, averaging 214.3 per game. Running back Khalid Abdullah ran for 1,873, averaging 120.6. That’s good balance without sacrificing explosive plays.
Houston might have ECU’s version of Schor with true sophomore Holton Ahlers, although the new coach says the starting job competition remains open with Reid Herring. In the 10 games Ahlers played with only five starts (Herring started the other seven), the 6-foot-3, 236-pounder Ahlers threw for 1,785 yards with 12 touchdowns and three interceptions.
Ahlers also led the team in rushing with 592 yards and six touchdowns, but Houston wants someone besides his QB to be his Abdullah. Ahlers averaged 5.0 yards an attempt despite sack yardage subtracted for his net total.
The returning running backs are senior Hussein Howe, who finished with 70 carries, 236 yards, no touchdowns and 3.4 yards per carry; junior Darius Pinnix, 56-222-3, 4.0; and sophomore Trace Christian, 38-162-1, 4.3. ECU averaged only 129.7 yards per game, ranking 112th in the nation, with only 3.6 per carry. The backs are working with running backs coach De’Rail Sims, who was with Houston at JMU the past three seasons.
Pinnix impressed Houston in spring drills. In the spring game, the 6-0, 227-pounder out of Burlington Western Alamance carried five times for 31 yards and a touchdown. The play that impressed Houston the most was picking up a first down on a fourth-and-1 to set up a touchdown.
“Pennix, just like he has been all spring, was solid,” Houston said. “The most impressive thing for me was the fourth down when we went for it in field goal range. We had a great surge on the line of scrimmage. Pennix is a load. That was impressive to see.”
Houston likes a primary back, but he also spreads carries around to keep his workhorse fresh. But, of course, all good backs need an offensive line.
The Pirates’ line play struggled last year with steady juggling to line up five healthy bodies. Garrett McGhin, who started all 12 games, has signed with the Buffalo Bills as an undrafted free agent, but six returning players started games to fill the other four spots. The Pirates are hoping that pays off with experience and depth.
On the left side, senior tackle D’Ante Smith and senior guard Cortez Herrin both started all 12 games.
At center, true sophomore Peyton Winstead (6-3, 287) was forced into the starting lineup for the final six games. John Spellacy (6-1, 290) started the first six games before a concussion ended his season. He wants to return as a junior, but he wasn’t cleared to take part in spring drills. He hopes to be cleared by summer camp.
On the right side, four players made starts at right guard, while redshirt sophomore Matt Morgan (6-5, 288) backed up McGhin.
At right guard, fifth-year senior Branden Pena (6-2, 288) received a medical redshirt to return this fall. He started the first four games before an injury ended his season. The final eight starts were split between three players, with two returning. Senior Fernando Frye (6-3, 286) started four games and junior Jordan Johnson (6-4, 311) one.
Two other returning lettermen on the offensive linemen are junior Sean Bailey (6-6, 328) and Jaison Fournet (6-1, 292).
ECU also brought in junior college transfer Bailey Mahovic to compete for a starting job. Fontel Mines, ECU’s tight ends coach and recruiting coordinator, says of expectations for Mahovic that the staff didn’t recruit a JC player to sit on the bench. Mahovic is a 6-6, 260-pounder out of Highland Community College in Kansas enrolled in January to take part in spring drills. Rivals.com ranked him a 3-star prospect.
There are six redshirt freshmen O-linemen, but only Donovan Noel (6-3, 295) of Raleigh Millbrook was a scholarship player. Zach Barco (6-1, 280), Damir Faison (6-2, 246), Nick Bernhard (6-1, 273), Noah Henderson (6-5, 310) and Kaizer Ray (6-5, 337) were walk-ons.
Ahlers praised the offensive linemen’s spring progress.
“They’re working hard,” Ahlers said. “It’s a different group with a different mindset. We’re going to run off them. That’s where the team starts. They know that. Those guys are big, physical and fast. We’re going to work hard everyday and we’re going to follow them.”
Although Houston wants Ahlers to stay in the pocket longer and give more carries to his backs, Pennix says he won’t mind the times Ahlers escapes the rush for yardage.
“I like it when he takes it outside,” he said. “That gives me the ability to show what kind of blocker I am. I can get a cleanup block and knock somebody off their feet.”
With spring drills in the books, Houston turns his team over strength and conditioning coach John Williams, who is returning home to Greenville after three years with Houston at JMU.
“We need to be a much better conditioned,” Houston said. “I think we have chance to develop our young players this summer. Big John Williams is as good as there is in the industry. He has tremendous reputation and I’m a firm believer in him. He will do a great job of preparing our team for summer camp. I excited to get the summer started.”
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Tom Shanahan, Author: Raye of Light http://tinyurl.com/knsqtqu
— Book on Michigan State’s leading role in the integration of college football. It explains Duffy Daugherty’s untold pioneering role and debunks myths that steered recognition away from him to Bear Bryant.
http://shanahan.report/a/the-case-for-duffy-and-medal-of-freedom
Don’t believe the myths at Duffy Daugherty’s expense about Bear Bryant’s motivation to play the 1970 USC-Alabama game or myths about the Charlie Thornhill-for-Joe Namath trade. Bear Bryant knew nothing about black talent in the South while he dragged his feet on segregation.
http://shanahan.report/a/myths-that-grew-out-of-1970-alabama-game-with-usc
http://shanahan.report/a/mystery-solved-in-thornhill-and-namath-myth
David Maraniss, Pulitzer Prize winner and biographer; “History writes people out of the story. It’s our job to write them back in.”
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