NCAA Football FanHouse http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com NCAA Football FanHouse http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/media/feedlogo.gif NCAA Football FanHouse http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/Teams Want In The Big East Even If The Big East Doesn't Want Themhttp://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2008/05/15/teams-want-in-the-big-east-even-if-the-big-east-doesnt-want-the/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2008/05/15/teams-want-in-the-big-east-even-if-the-big-east-doesnt-want-the/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2008/05/15/teams-want-in-the-big-east-even-if-the-big-east-doesnt-want-the/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

There are two off seasons in college football. The one before spring games and the one after. The one before is bearable because at least there's news about recruiting and your teams big win in the BCS bowl is still fresh in your mind. For me anyway. The one after, however, is filled with long periods of boredom and sprinkles of athletes misbehaving.

And then there's stories of the Crimson Permanent Assurance corporate raiders otherwise known as BCS conferences raiding smaller conferences for their best teams. Only this time that story is in reverse as both Memphis and East Carolina are chomping at the bit to get into the Big East.
East Carolina desperately has wanted in to the Big East since the re-formatting a few years ago. They still want to find their way in. Even if just in football.

The Big East still won't bite. They don't have to. As much as it makes things difficult to schedule in football, even a provisional, part-time new member would likely upset the delicate balance with the basketball schools. Until the conference realizes it has to split, ECU has no chance
Memphis on the other hand, seems to be in top secret negotiations with the Big East. Even though Mike Tranghese has stated way too many times for me to count that it ain't gonna happen.
Ever since the Memphis Tigers got left behind in the Great Bum Rush to leave Conference USA-- also known as the Big East expansion in 2003-- Tiger fans have had one singular goal. To follow their old rivals from Louisville, and Cincinnati to the greener pastures of the Big East. And here's where it gets interesting. Sources have confirmed to FOX13 Sports that University of Memphis officials have been in serious talks with the Big East about joining the conference.
I tend to agree with Charles that there is no way that the Big East is going to move on any of this. East Carolina is a fine football program by Conference USA standards. But would they really bring anything to the table that doesn't already exist? The conference is already littered with programs that seem to be just on the threshold of breaking the top 25. What good would one more do? And if the Big East does split, is there anything else at East Carolina that is Big East worthy?

And as for Memphis, they're kind of the opposite of East Carolina. Good in basketball and not much to speak of in football. And really, does the Big East need another good program in Basketball? Despite what I just said, I'm not down on either school. They both are doing well for themselves where they are at. But it's just not what the Big East needs. The Big East needs another high profile school. Someone that is going to contribute in more than one sport. Yes, I'm looking at you Notre Dame. But since I know you're not looking at me I'm not even going to bother.

Teams Want In The Big East Even If The Big East Doesn't Want Them originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Thu, 15 May 2008 17:35:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Big East expansionBigEastExpansionmike trangheseMikeTrangheseJohn RadcliffThu, 15 May 2008 17:35:00 EST ECU's Johnson Clocks a 4.24http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2008/02/24/blazing-fast-40-vaults-chris-johnson/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2008/02/24/blazing-fast-40-vaults-chris-johnson/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2008/02/24/blazing-fast-40-vaults-chris-johnson/#commentsFiled under: ,

As Michael David Smith has already spelled out, Darren McFadden helped arrest any worries of a draft day decline with a blazing fast 4.33 official time in the 40-yard dash. But McFadden wasn't the only running back to help his draft stock.

East Carolina's Chris Johnson ran a 4.24 40-yard dash, which will likely clock in as the fastest time at this year's combine, although the cornerbacks have yet to run. It's also ranks as one of the fastest times ever recorded at the combine by a running back.

So he's fast, but can he play? The answer is quite clearly yes at least at the college level. Johnson rushed for 1,468 yards with 17 touchdowns and a 6.0 yard per carry average. He also had 37 catches for 528 yards and averaged 28 yards on 36 kick returns. His 2,960 all-purpose yards led the nation by nearly 300 yards.

The concern about Johnson is that his small size (5-foot-11, 195 pounds) and skinny legs may keep him from being an every-down back. But with world-class speed, good hands and kick return ability, his combine workout should make him plenty of money, as he now looks to be at worst a very talented third-down back/returner. And as the Chargers showed with Darren Sproles (pictured at right) last year, an undersized tailback can still be pretty valuable if you pick his spots.

ECU's Johnson Clocks a 4.24 originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Sun, 24 Feb 2008 17:32:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Chris JohnsonChrisJohnsonJJ CooperSun, 24 Feb 2008 17:32:00 EST YouTubesDay: Mountaineer Receivers Like to Blockhttp://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2007/09/25/youtubesday-mountaineer-receivers-like-to-block/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2007/09/25/youtubesday-mountaineer-receivers-like-to-block/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2007/09/25/youtubesday-mountaineer-receivers-like-to-block/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

And probably because the ball rarely gets thrown to any of the receivers not named Darius Reynaud, the West Virginia wide receivers have found new ways to keep themselves entertained. Namely hitting defensive backs so hard that their mama's felt it back home in North Carolina. This is a two part show from last weekends game with East Carolina. In part one 6'8" receiver Wes Lyons hits the ECU defensive back so hard, the numbers fall off the back of his jersey. Not literally, but I wouldn't be surprised.


In part two keep your eye on the 35 yard line and watch as Dorel Jalloh absolutely lights up the ECU linebacker. You get a little better look at it the second time through as soon as Reynaud cuts up field.

YouTubesDay: Mountaineer Receivers Like to Block originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Tue, 25 Sep 2007 09:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Darius ReynausDariusReynausWes LyonsWesLyonsYouTubesDayJohn RadcliffTue, 25 Sep 2007 09:30:00 EST East Carolina Is A Better ACC Team Than Most ACC Teamshttp://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2007/09/10/east-carolina-is-a-better-acc-team-than-most-acc-teams/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2007/09/10/east-carolina-is-a-better-acc-team-than-most-acc-teams/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2007/09/10/east-carolina-is-a-better-acc-team-than-most-acc-teams/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

There were two things we learned during the East Carolina/Virginia Tech tilt that opened the season. One: Virginia Tech isn't the tenth-best team in the country when Sean Glennon is the quarterback. Two: East Carolina is doing a better job of being a competitive ACC team than most of the conference's charter members. Don't get me wrong- it's not like this is some new jack program coming out of the Sun Belt to pull shocking upsets against titans of football competence. But in the "get enough conference wins to get a plane ticket to Boise or San Francisco" sort of way, the Pirates are definitely passing muster.

Witness last season: ECU snagged two conference wins against NC State and Virginia, and they were rather convincing. Granted, both NC State and UVA were teams that missed out on the postseason, but both were prone to multi-week spans of bowl-team level competence. And now this year; a close loss on the road to a team that America as a whole was rooting for, and this past weekend's result, a 37-34 win against Butch Davis' UNC squad, which has shown surprising amounts of friskiness on the offensive front.

It's worth wondering if this is just another example of the ACC failing to take care in what they wish for. First, Jim Swofford pirated Miami and Virginia Tech and then Boston College for (let's face it) 95% football reasons, leaving many to wonder aloud whether the Big East even deserved a BCS bid. Now, in Louisville (fresh off a rather symbolic shaming of Wake Forest in the Orange Bowl), West Virginia (passed over for ACC expansion because it supposedly didn't fit the conference's academic profile) and Rutgers (during Greg Schiano's initial recruiting classes, Virginia in particular found itself embarrassed for losing prospects to them), they have three more legit title contenders than the ACC, with South Florida making serious gains. But a Conference USA team that hasn't been ranked since, I dunno, Jeff Blake's heyday? (EDIT: ECU was ranked #23 in 1995, three years after Jeff Blake was drafted). Should the ACC sit out the BCS out of shame this year, like when Notre Dame turned down stuff like the Independence Bowl?

East Carolina Is A Better ACC Team Than Most ACC Teams originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Mon, 10 Sep 2007 23:54:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Ian CohenMon, 10 Sep 2007 23:54:00 EST The Second Best Team in North Carolinahttp://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2007/09/08/the-second-best-team-in-north-carolina/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2007/09/08/the-second-best-team-in-north-carolina/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2007/09/08/the-second-best-team-in-north-carolina/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Quick, name the only teams from the state of North Carolina with wins over 1-A teams. Yes, Appalachian State is one of them, but the other team is East Carolina.

Duke, Wake Forest and NC State are all 0-2. UNC beat 1-AA James Madison last week. Tonight East Carolina knocked off UNC 34-31 with a 39-yard field goal as the clock expired. Kicker Ben Hartman had gone an abysmal 1-4 -- missing kicks of 30, 32 and 37 yards. Then he hits the game-winner for the obligatory redemption storyline.

The final drive for East Carolina appeared to be aided by UNC Head Coach Butch Davis forgetting he wasn't still in the NFL as he had the defense drop into a prevent. East Carolina took advantage and moved from the UNC 47 to the 21 in the final 51 seconds.

A huge win for East Carolina as they notch their second win all-time against UNC. Their first win against UNC since 1975. Greenville will be a good place to be tonight.

The Second Best Team in North Carolina originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Sat, 08 Sep 2007 22:08:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Charles RichSat, 08 Sep 2007 22:08:00 EST Upset in the Making? Michigan Trails Appalachian Statehttp://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2007/09/01/upset-in-the-making-michigan-tied-with-appalachian-state/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2007/09/01/upset-in-the-making-michigan-tied-with-appalachian-state/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2007/09/01/upset-in-the-making-michigan-tied-with-appalachian-state/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


UPDATE: Michigan now trails Appy State 21-14.

UPDATE: Michigan now trails Appy State 28-14.

UPDATE: Michigan now trails Appy State 28-17 just before the half.

UPDATE: Michigan trails 28-20 early in the third quarter.

UPDATE: Michigan trails 31-20 midway through the third quarter.

UPDATE: Michigan trails 31-26 at the end of the third quarter.

UPDATE: Michigan now leads 32-31 late in the fourth quarter.

Color me shocked. It's early still, but the Wolverines are tied with lower division national champs Appalachian State at 14-all. Michigan's offense has been fine, but they're not doing a solid job of stopping that offense.

I doubt Michigan loses and a few hours from now that score might be 45-14, but it's worth monitoring.

Elsewhere: Virginia Tech trails ECU 7-3 and has been absolutely dominated midway through the second quarter. Lane Stadium is nearly silent. The Hokies started poorly when Sean Glennon tossed a ridiculously dumb interception on their first drive.

Update: Virginia Tech just returned an interception for a touchdown to reclaim the lead, 10-7.

Stay tuned ...

Upset in the Making? Michigan Trails Appalachian State originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Sat, 01 Sep 2007 14:14:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Brian GrummellSat, 01 Sep 2007 14:14:00 EST Major College Athletic Departments Issued Subpoenas in Loan Probehttp://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2007/08/01/major-college-athletic-departments-issued-subpoenas-in-loan-prob/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2007/08/01/major-college-athletic-departments-issued-subpoenas-in-loan-prob/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2007/08/01/major-college-athletic-departments-issued-subpoenas-in-loan-prob/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

New York State Attorney General Andrew Cuomo has issued subpoenas for 39 collegiate athletic departments in a probe of their relationships with student loan providers. At its most basic, this investigation is asking whether or not cash, kickbacks, gifts and other bribes or misleading measures were communicated between various student loan providers and the cited athletic departments.
Cuomo is investigating whether athletic departments at these universities agreed to promote SFS loans to students in exchange for kickbacks.

"Students trust their University's athletic departments because so much of campus life at Division I schools centers around supporting the home team," said Cuomo. "To betray this trust by promoting loans in exchange for money is a serious issue, especially when Division I schools already generate tremendous revenue from their student athletes. Today's action is an important new step as we continue to examine the unethical conflicts that pervade the student loan industry.

"The Attorney General's office is specifically investigating whether athletic departments evaluated UFS interest rates before recommending their federal loans, or if their endorsement of UFS was based purely on payments from the lender. Such an arrangement would constitute revenue sharing, which is a violation New York state consumer protection laws, as well as a violation of federal law.

D-IA football schools named (prominent schools in bold): Arkansas State, Auburn, Bowling Green, Central Michigan, Colorado State, East Carolina, Florida Atlantic, Georgia Tech, Ohio, Oregon State, Rutgers, TCU, Tulane, Alabama-Birmingham, UCLA, UCF, Houston, Kansas, Louisville, Oregon, Pittsburgh, USF, UTEP. See link for complete list.

Of note: USC and Texas have also been scrutinized in a similar probe, but to my knowledge it has not been linked to their athletic departments but rather the university-wide financial aid offices of the schools.

It's good that athletic departments have an awareness of and working relationship with loan providers, but obviously there's a problem when that relationship gets too cozy and bad loan options are pressed upon students and student-athletes.

(Via: Yahoo!)

Major College Athletic Departments Issued Subpoenas in Loan Probe originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Wed, 01 Aug 2007 22:49:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Andrew CuomoAndrewCuomoUSCBrian GrummellWed, 01 Aug 2007 22:49:00 EST ECU Assistant Fired for Faking Expenseshttp://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2007/05/13/ecu-assistant-fired-for-faking-expenses/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2007/05/13/ecu-assistant-fired-for-faking-expenses/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2007/05/13/ecu-assistant-fired-for-faking-expenses/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

A popular small time scam for many business travelers -- whether for seminars, conventions, or various business trips. Inflate the old expense account. Throw in some extra receipts, claim a more expensive hotel stay (even as you split the cost with somebody), or assorted other timeworn techniques.

It's a relatively victimless crime, and an easily rationalized one. The company already budgeted for the expenses, and many times no one looks that closely at the expenses if they aren't too absurd or high. Not this time. The East Carolina Pirates are looking for a new defensive line coach after the present coach plead guilty to misdemeanor forgery.

The now former defensive lines coach, Donnie Thompson, submitted fake hotel and other receipts to the ECU athletic department for reimbursement on recruiting trips. They were legitimate recruiting trips he would take to the Washington D.C. area. Instead of staying at a hotel, though, he would stay at his daughter's home. Over the past two seasons, he was reimbursed for over $11,000.

Thompson received a suspended sentence, court costs and to repay the money. He had already repaid the money when he was sentenced. Thompson is technically suspended with pay since they found out. The ECU athletic director, however, has stated that the Pirates are now looking for a new defensive line coach.

ECU Assistant Fired for Faking Expenses originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Sun, 13 May 2007 11:52:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>East Carolina PiratesEastCarolinaPiratesCharles RichSun, 13 May 2007 11:52:00 EST Early Blowout in Birminghamhttp://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2006/12/23/early-blowout-in-birmingham/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2006/12/23/early-blowout-in-birmingham/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2006/12/23/early-blowout-in-birmingham/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

ESPN2 cameras are doing what they can to keep the shots tight on the field. They don't want to show the empty bleachers at each end.

The USF Bulls have a 14-0 lead with 8:43 left in the first quarter. ECU turned the ball over on their first possession. USF on their first touch on offense took it right in for a TD.

The Pirates went 3 and out on its next possession -- losing yards. USF then went right down the field, running over the ECU defense.

Total yards: USF, 72; ECU, -2.

Early Blowout in Birmingham originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Sat, 23 Dec 2006 13:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Charles RichSat, 23 Dec 2006 13:30:00 EST Papajohns.com Bowl Preview: USF vs. East Carolinahttp://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2006/12/20/papajohns-com-bowl-preview-usf-vs-east-carolina/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2006/12/20/papajohns-com-bowl-preview-usf-vs-east-carolina/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2006/12/20/papajohns-com-bowl-preview-usf-vs-east-carolina/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

























Full Name: Papajohns.com Bowl at Legion Field

Vitals: University of South Florida Bulls (8-4, Big East 4-3) vs. East Carolina University Pirates (7-5, C-USA 5-3)
Friday, December 23, 1pm, Birmingham, Alabama, ESPN2
Spread: USF by 3.5 to 5.

How ECU Got Here:
Finishing second in C-USA East Division, 4th overall. The Pirates were the more attractive choice over Rice because their fans travel better and Greenville, North Carolina is a lot closer to Birmingham then Houston. ECU is led by senior QB James Pinkney who threw for over 2600 yards this season and will be making his 38th straight and final start for the Pirates.

How USF got here:
By finishing 4th in the Big East this year, including the big upset of WVU in Morgantown. The Bulls overcame a lot of chaos in terms of personnel (more about that soon), including the loss of senior starting QB Pat Julmiste in the very first game. In stepped redshirt freshman Matt Grothe who did everything for USF out of the spread option and was the Big East Rookie of the Year.

What you absolutely have to know about ECU:
Jacksonville Jaguar QB David Garrard (pictured above) is an alum. East Carolina (or at least its fans) feels that it should have been included in Big East expansion, and is still looking to get the BE to look their way -- oh, and they are 0-3 versus the Bulls. The school didn't open until 1909, but they intend to start the centennial celebration in 2007, since they received their charter in 1907. It's a two year party in Greenville.

What you absolutely have to know about USF:
USF is based in Tampa, and play their home games at Raymond James Stadium -- the Tampa Bay Buccaneers home. The dance team goes by the moniker of "Sun Dolls," which sounds a lot more like a stripper troupe (not that I'm complaining about that). The team was so much better than expected with 8 academic non-qualifiers, arrests of players, players quitting (including the leading receiver from the previous year) and suspensions during the season. And, just to make it feel like it's still the regular season, the Bulls 5th leading tackler and starting Strong Safety has been ruled academically ineligible for the bowl game.

What you absolutely have to know about this bowl game:
The bowl has a great late '90s retro feel with a return to the dot-com bowl games. Papa Johns was founded in Indiana in 1985 after the founder sold his 1972 Z28 Camaro -- come on, you've seen him in his ads on TV, you knew that he was either a Camaro or Corvette kind of guy. Now before you get too snide, the charity for the game is the Crippled Children's Foundation. Try and rip on the game now, sickos.

Why to watch:
It's Saturday at 1 pm Eastern. What else do you have to do? Surely you aren't dumb enough to go to the mall 2 days before Christmas.

Really, both teams have been very tough this year. The Pirates knocked off Virginia and NC State -- being the final nail in the Chuck Amato Coffin -- and played WVU very tough before losing 27-10.

USF beat WVU and lost to Rutgers by only 2. Both teams are balanced, but USF is more dependent on Grothe to do everything. He's responded well to the challenge all season, and there is no reason not to think he won't once more.

Score Prediction:
USF 36 ECU 25

Papajohns.com Bowl Preview: USF vs. East Carolina originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Wed, 20 Dec 2006 07:47:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Charles RichWed, 20 Dec 2006 07:47:00 EST East Carolina Gets Monkey Off of Navy's Backhttp://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2006/11/11/east-carolina-gets-monkey-off-of-navys-back/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2006/11/11/east-carolina-gets-monkey-off-of-navys-back/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2006/11/11/east-carolina-gets-monkey-off-of-navys-back/#commentsFiled under: , ,

I know what your thinking. This is week eleven, and we Navy fans should probably be talking about Navy's 49-21 shellacking of Eastern Michigan, not East Carolina. And while I promise to have plenty of reaction from today's win, it's important to note that the Midshipmen have finally gotten a huge monkey off their back thanks to Skip Holtz's ECU ballclub.


You see, there has been a common belief that Navy's success has been a result of playing really, really bad teams. And while I won't dispute the relative winning percentages of the Temple's and Duke's of the world, it's not like Navy has been playing the entire Sun Belt. Still, the last time Navy beat a a team which finished with a winning record during the regular season was in 2003, when the Mids knocked off a then 25th ranked Air Force team which finished the year at 7-5. In 2004, Navy beat a New Mexico team that finished 7-5, but because it came in a Bowl Game many critics (ie. Air Force fans) don't recognize it. This "monkey", if you will, of winning against bad teams was only perpetuated last year, when Navy failed to beat a Bowl team during the regular season. Going into this season, it was apparent that if Navy was to have success, it would have to come against some likely Bowl teams during the regular season. And while Navy has lost to two Top-10 teams in Rutgers and Notre Dame, East Carolina has, for the time being, provided Navy fans with a reasonable argument.


The Pirates, who lost to Navy 28-23 in week one, have responded by winning four straight and improving to 6-4 on the year. Their 33-20 win over Marshall today essentially allows them to become Bowl eligible for the first time since 2001, when the Pirates lost to Marshal in the GMAC Bowl and finished 6-6. The Pirates are currently atop the standings of the East Division of Conference-USA, and if they can handle Rice next week will play in the championship game. The Pirates still have regular season games against Rice and North Carolina State, but as it stands right now Skip Holtz'a club should go to a Bowl game. East Carolina isn't the only team Navy has beaten which has a chance to go to a Bowl game, as Air Force's chances still remain decent. With three games left, the 4-5 Falcons need to win two out of three to snag a likely visit to the Poinsettia Bowl. With UNLV, Utah, and TCU left, this will be no easy task for the Zoomies, but still reasonably attainable.


While the successes of ECU and Air Force will by no means end the controversy over Navy's strength of schedule (which remains, uh, rather poor), it does signify the continuing improvement of this program. Even wins over Div I-AA powerhouse Massachusetts and 4-5 Connecticut reflect positively on Navy, which has only beaten one winless team this season (Duke, who still has shot against North Carolina.) And for a team which went 1-20 in the two years before Coach Johnson's arrival, you'll take your wins wherever you can get them.

East Carolina Gets Monkey Off of Navy's Back originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Sat, 11 Nov 2006 22:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>east carolina footballEastCarolinaFootballnavy footballNavyFootballAdam RankSat, 11 Nov 2006 22:00:00 EST In Progress: Virginia Being Dominated by Pirates of the Carolinashttp://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2006/10/07/in-progress-virginia-being-dominated-by-pirates-of-the-carolina/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2006/10/07/in-progress-virginia-being-dominated-by-pirates-of-the-carolina/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2006/10/07/in-progress-virginia-being-dominated-by-pirates-of-the-carolina/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Eastern Carolina University has rolled up 304 yards in the first half to take a 24-7 lead over the Hoos. The Cavs don't even have 150 yards, and missed a 40+ yard FG to end the half.

Virginia HC Al Groh reportedly muttered something about paradigms not being properly established to match the conflict. He then asked for some scissors because the sleeves on his sweatshirt were apparently reaching his wrists.

Skip Holtz, ECU's head coach monotones that they still have another half to go in his interview at the end of the half.

In Progress: Virginia Being Dominated by Pirates of the Carolinas originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Sat, 07 Oct 2006 19:35:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Charles RichSat, 07 Oct 2006 19:35:00 EST West Virginia-East Carolina Recaphttp://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2006/09/24/west-virginia-east-carolina-recap/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2006/09/24/west-virginia-east-carolina-recap/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2006/09/24/west-virginia-east-carolina-recap/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

First off, it is agreed that Lou Holthz should not be asked to do anything that requires him to say anything more than "they are very talented", or "they are not very talented", because he will fail miserably!

West Virginia is easily the better team, but funny things happen in college football. And the Mountaineers should feel lucky to have won this game. Also, at some point we are going to educate the rest of the country that West Virginia seceded from Virginia during the civil war, and "W.Va." does not reference any location on the planet (W. Va. Stops ECU Despite White's Three Picks). In my youth, the post office went with the two initial descriptions of states, like "WV." So let's recap. If East Carolina University = ECU, then West Virginia University = WVU.

Now that we have that out of the way, how bout some football? West Virginia didn't look good in this game. One of the worst rushing defenses in the country decided they were going assign two players to "spy" Steve Slaton's every move, and for the most part were able to contain the Mountaineer running back. Patrick White looked good passing the ball most of the game. The only issue I have is the bombs away approach the Mountaineers took toward the end of the first half. If anyone should only throw on play action plays, it's West Virginia. White has a cannon of an arm to be sure, but when you don't show any kind of play action, the defensive backs have no reason not to stick with the wide receivers. Thus, East Carolina was able to make two interceptions on balls that should have gone elsewhere.

I also thought that there were a few times that Patrick White should have kept the ball instead of giving it to Slaton. Since everyone was keying on Slaton, White keeping the ball would have forced ECU to play more straight up defense. I blame that one on the coaches. The recognition of the spy technique should have been adjusted to much sooner in the game.

Defensively, West Virginia did about as good a job as can be asked. Holding a team to 41 yards rushing on 20-some attempts, no matter who it is, is a great effort. The 275 yards passing for East Carolina were mostly feel good yards as the Pirates were only able to convert that into 10 points. And if you want to pass the ball all day against anyone, eventually your quarterback is going to get banged up and out of the game, as was the case yesterday.

It wasn't pretty, but it was a win. Sometimes, that's all that matters. Just ask Notre Dame, Georgia, Ohio St., Michigan, etc.

West Virginia-East Carolina Recap originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Sun, 24 Sep 2006 10:05:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>John RadcliffSun, 24 Sep 2006 10:05:00 EST Yikes! Too Close For Comfort!http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2006/09/23/yikes-too-close-for-comfort/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2006/09/23/yikes-too-close-for-comfort/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2006/09/23/yikes-too-close-for-comfort/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

West Virginia was lucky to come out alive with a 27-10 victory today. East Carolina came out with a ton of emotion, and West Virginia didn't. While West Virginia got on the board first on their initial drive, East Carolina answered right back. From then on, it was a turnover rich game, but that's not my thing. Neither team was able to establish anything until late in the game, when West Virginia was able to get a couple drives put together. For the first time I can remember, West Virginia had more passing yards (218) than rushing yards (150). While East Carolina was able to get 275 yards through the air, they were only able to get 41 yards rushing, and 10 points. Hats off to the defense for coming up with timely turnovers and keeping the Pirates out of the endzone.

On a day like today when so many teams were barely able to squeak out a win, it might just be enough to get the victory and use the next two weeks to rest and get ready for Mississippi St. I'll be going to that game by the way, and hope to do a little something special on the trip. We'll see. More post game thoughts and position grades to come tomorrow. And look for a couple special interviews this week.

Yikes! Too Close For Comfort! originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Sat, 23 Sep 2006 19:59:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>John RadcliffSat, 23 Sep 2006 19:59:00 EST Weird Twilight 7-8 PM Window Livebloghttp://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2006/09/23/weird-twilight-7-8-pm-window-liveblog/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2006/09/23/weird-twilight-7-8-pm-window-liveblog/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2006/09/23/weird-twilight-7-8-pm-window-liveblog/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Who cares about ECU-WVU, you say? It's 17-10 in the fourth quarter: you do.



How obscure is East Carolina? The best image I could find in our provider displays them being pwned by Navy. No offense, Navy blogger who could no doubt bend my spine into a pretzel.

The status: 10 minutes left, WVU with the ball first and ten at the forty. Let's go... PIRATES? Effing sweet. Let's go pirates! HYYYYYARRR!

7:08 - Pirate Update: Dammit. WVU takes a screen 60 yards for a touchdown, extending their lead to 24-10. I am a curse upon pirates.

7:09 PM - Kickoff! What you need to know:
  • Teams: Washington and UCLA
  • Who we're rooting for: Washington.
  • Why: for lots of really fun Ty Willingham-Charlie Weis comparisons after their ignominous defeat at the hands of Michgian State.
  • Projected outcome: UCLA romp.
  • Extracurriculars: TBS's stupid Line of Scrimmage, er, Line is in effect.

7:13 PM - Hey, this is weird: UW-UCLA is a matchup of two black head coaches. Rare. UCLA is driving, UW defense looks inept (what, you say this is a Pac-10 game? Shocked, shocked, I tell you!), LOS line looks like a blood-red stripe of doom.

East Carolina giving up the ghost on the deuce. Roommate's kitten is heading for the whiskey. Bad kitten!

7:18 PM - Other thrilling options: Anyone interested in South Florida-Kansas? No? How about a replay of UConn-Indiana? No? You guys are lame.

7:21 PM - ECU Deathwatch: WVU lining up for a 29-yarder that stretches it to 17 with 6 minutes left.... it's good. I'm calling it: ECU, dead at 6:15 of the fourth.

Final thoughts: watched much of this game, which was competitive until the big play right when I started telling the nation about the wonders of pirates. Note: this is East Carolina, a 1-2 team with losses versus Navy (boy, I am asking for a cruise missile strike. Attention, AOL Fanhouse blogger Adam Nettina: I live in Ohio Stadium, Columbus, Ohio) and UAB. Anyone who has WVU ranked #1 in the country should be taunted, and anyone who has them above teams like Florida, Auburn, or, uh, Michigan, should be flogged.

7:28 PM - WTF? Uh... okay, I figured UCLA would kick a field goal but apparently UW is coming out for their second drive already down ten? Curse my extensive ECU obituary (HYYYARRR!). ...And now UW is punting again. Can I call this game yet? I'm depressed that really fun Ty-Weis E. Coyote comparisons are probably not in the offing.

7:36 PM - Okay, okay, we'll still pay attention: UCLA held to a field goal. Up 13-0 with 10 minutes gone. Projected final score: 78-0. Cal won 49-21. Pac-10 defense: feel the soft silky breeze of their arm tackles fluttering past your legs!

7:40 PM - When does UF-Kentucky start? UW three-and-out. Does NO ONE understand the NCAA rule? A punt trickles to the endzone and is batted out, but after it crosses the plane. It's a touchback, but the announcers think it's because the player was in the endzone. Not so.

7:42 PM - Say what? "They said their offense was too predictable versus Rice." Um. Okay.

7:48 PM - Meanwhile: KU and USF thrillingly tied at zero! Thrill to the thrills!

7:55 PM - Catch us in the official land of late game liveblog. MSU-ND, being the only game worth a flying fig, is the focus.

Weird Twilight 7-8 PM Window Liveblog originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Sat, 23 Sep 2006 19:04:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Brian CookSat, 23 Sep 2006 19:04:00 EST ECU Halftime Thoughtshttp://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2006/09/23/ecu-halftime-thoughts/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2006/09/23/ecu-halftime-thoughts/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2006/09/23/ecu-halftime-thoughts/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

On a day when no one seems to be taking care of lesser opponents, West Virginia is having some trouble with the Pirates. The rushing game was ho-hum in the first half. Passing game has been good for the most part. Need to work the play action more than the bomb. ECU was hot in the passing game in the first quarter, but cooled off in the second quarter. East Carolina has two yards rushing for the first half. Way to many stupid penalties for West Virginia. Total yards: WVU-234, ECU-85.

In one of the worst decisions in the existence of ESPN, they put Lou Holtz with Linda Kohn to do the half-time update of games around the country. Lou needs to pay more attention to the names of players if he's going to continue with this added responsibility. I think he went through three wrong names doing a California touchdown before Kohn jumped in. Linda did not sound happy. I think Ben Stein would be a huge upgrade over Lou to be Linda's sidekick.

ECU Halftime Thoughts originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Sat, 23 Sep 2006 18:18:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>John RadcliffSat, 23 Sep 2006 18:18:00 EST East Carolina Predictionhttp://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2006/09/22/east-carolina-prediction/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2006/09/22/east-carolina-prediction/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2006/09/22/east-carolina-prediction/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

The picture at right is my friend Bill at the Sugar Bowl right before the fake punt, I believe. And while he had good reason to seek the intervention of a higher power in that game, I use it more to describe my hope that West Virginia is taking this weeks game with the Pirates seriously. If so, I see no reason that this game shouldn't be over by about the 10 minute mark in the second quarter. However, if they don't, it could be a gut wrenching event that I would just as soon wasn't.

East Carolina has a dangerous pass-catch combination with quarterback James Pinkney and receiver Aundrae Allison. So far this season, the two have connected on 15 passes for 210 yards with one touchdown. The running game of East Carolina doesn't bother me as much, as they only run about half as many times as they pass the ball.

From what I have been reading this week, West Virginia is taking the game seriously. It doesn't seem to be just coach speak blown up our, well you know. I believe the team has bought into the idea that every game is the most important game on the schedule.

Having said that, I look for West Virginia to jump on the Pirates early in the same way they have every game so far. Maybe not as quickly as they did on Maryland, but 21-0 by the end of the first quarter. And the final score will be 48-7. Double stampies, no erasies, and take it to the bank!

East Carolina Prediction originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Fri, 22 Sep 2006 17:31:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>John RadcliffFri, 22 Sep 2006 17:31:00 EST Not Couch Burning, But Hey...http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2006/09/21/not-couch-burning-but-hey/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2006/09/21/not-couch-burning-but-hey/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2006/09/21/not-couch-burning-but-hey/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

It was nice to read today that West Virginia fans aren't the only ones being called out in the press. Apparently, East Carolina fans got excited and did some silly stuff because they were in the process of winning their first game of the year. Now I'm not picking. I'm just saying that maybe, just maybe, all the stuff that everyone accuses West Virginia fans of doing is really happening all over the country.

I don't care for all the throwing things at opposing fans and trying to start fights, but it is nice to hear that someone else's fans have a pulse. East Carolina Athletic Director Terry Holland addressed the issue with the press.
Of primary concern to the fans whose e-mails Holland cited in his response was the close proximity between visiting fans and what some described as ECU students. Memphis fans reported ECU supporters deliberately interfering with the visitors section, mainly after the Pirates had taken the lead in the game in the second half.

"The biggest problems actually tend to occur when students find empty seats near the visiting team," Holland said. "Since we have to hold about 4,000 seats for opponents and Memphis brought only a few hundred fans, that left oodles of empty seats for students to "squat" in that were in close proximity to visiting team seats."

Ok, so that headline makes it sound a lot worse than what really went on. Holland went on to say that it shouldn't be a problem with West Virginia this weekend.

Holland noted Mountaineer fans would not likely face any ECU squatters Saturday. "WVU fans will fill their allotted seats so that will take care of any potential proximity problem," Holland said.

I still wouldn't be surprised to see about 10,000 Mountaineer fans at the start of the game. And, about 40,000 WVU fans by the end of the game!

Not Couch Burning, But Hey... originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Thu, 21 Sep 2006 18:50:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>John RadcliffThu, 21 Sep 2006 18:50:00 EST High Praise From Holtzhttp://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2006/09/19/high-praise-from-holtz/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2006/09/19/high-praise-from-holtz/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2006/09/19/high-praise-from-holtz/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

No, not that one. Son of Lou Holtz, Skip Holtz is heaping high praise on the Mountaineers. Now in the days of his dad, Lou could tell you he thought he was going to have a tough time beating a midget league team, and somehow manage to keep a straight face. And I'm not picking, because Don Nehlen did it too.

However East Carolina coach Skip Holtz is backing his praise up with facts, and for that he's already miles ahead of the old man in our book.

"I've looked at so much talent that West Virginia has that I don't know that I'd compare this one Saturday to the one a year ago," Holtz said.

"I'm sure they're watching that film today and talking about that game from a year ago. And they're definitely not going to come in here overlooking East Carolina."

West Virginia barely escaped with a 20-15 win last year in Morgantown. Holtz went on to say,
"They're very explosive. They're fast on offense. I think the thing that makes their engine work is their offensive line." He called WVU's front five one of the better lines he has seen in a long time. He rates All-America Dan Mozes as one of the top three centers he has ever seen.

Having said that, I believe that Skip is going to turn East Carolina into a winning program. From what I've seen he carries himself with a lot of class, and I take him at his word. Plus, it's kind of what I've been saying about the difference in the Mountaineers since Patrick and Steve have been in the starting line-up.

High Praise From Holtz originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Tue, 19 Sep 2006 21:04:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>John RadcliffTue, 19 Sep 2006 21:04:00 EST Navy's Triple Option too Much for East Carolinahttp://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2006/09/03/navys-triple-option-to-much-for-east-carolina/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2006/09/03/navys-triple-option-to-much-for-east-carolina/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2006/09/03/navys-triple-option-to-much-for-east-carolina/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Skip Holtz still has some work do.


After months of anticipation, Navy and East Carolina finally squared off yesterday, and as I predicted, the Midshipmen came out on top, winning a thrilling 28-23 contest that came down to the last drive. While not as pretty as I think many of us Navy fans would have liked to see, a win is a win, and their certainly were many positives Coach Johnson can take into the season.


One of the positives was the running game. Against what was suppose to be a much improved (and certainly very physical) ECU defense, the Midshipmen put up an eye-opening 406 rushing yards. Quarterback Brian Hampton lead the way with 149 yards on 34 carries, while Fullback Adam Ballard ground out an impressive 97 yards on thirteen carries, including an impressive 16-yard Touchdown scamper in which he broke several tackles.


Despite the amount of yards Navy rushed for, I don't believe they did it against a truly bad ECU defense. The speed and physicality in which the ECU linebacker corps and defensive line played with was really quite impressive. No more was this more apparent then when Linebacker Van Eskridge swatted down a Brian Hampton pitch in mid-air, ending a threatening third-quarter Navy drive.


Yet the Navy running game just kept coming. Despite taking some absolute monster hit, Navy's slotbacks were able to pick up five-eight yards a carry. Hampton made some good option reads and some strong runs. I was really impressed with the strength of Hampton, who seemed to break at least one tackle a run. While not the fastest guy, he put some nice moves on, and always kept his feet moving through contact. As usual, Reggie Campbell had a solid outing, using his size and speed to allude defenders. His best play may have actually been a six yard first-down catch in the first quarter, where Campbell used all of his 57 inches to shield off the ECU defender. Also, I was pleasantly surprised to see sophomore Shun White get some quality carries in the game, including a three yard touchdown run in the first quarter in which he had the composure to recover his own fumble and find a hole into the endzone. Despite the fine play of Navy's offensive skill players, the 406 rushing yards were only made possible by the efforts of the offensive line. All five members of the line frustrated the ECU defensive line throughout the day, and by the fourth quarter had sapped the strength out of ECU's big boys. It was, as Paul Johnson said, a running game played within a "phone booth."

Navy's Triple Option too Much for East Carolina originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Sun, 03 Sep 2006 09:01:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Adam ballardAdamBallardEast Carolina footballEastCarolinaFootballNavy footballNavyFootballAdam RankSun, 03 Sep 2006 09:01:00 EST