GAME DAY ANALYSIS
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Kevin's Keys to the
Game
Saturday, September 23, 2006
By Kevin Monroe |
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Week 4: WVU at ECU
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Each week, Kevin Monroe, Sideline Reporter for the Pirate ISP
Sports Network, provides “Kevin’s Keys to The Game,”
outlining what East Carolina must do to beat its opponent.
Monroe brings a unique perspective to the task, not only as an
analyst on the radio broadcast, but also as a former defensive
back for the Pirates (1995-99). |
©2006 Bonesville.net
All Rights Reserved.
East
Carolina can defeat West Virginia if it accomplishes these key objectives:
1.
Expect to Win:
Regardless of West Virginia’s record, East Carolina
has to go into this football game expecting nothing but a victory. West
Virginia has been picked by all the prognosticators to run the table and
play in a BCS Bowl, but East Carolina is no slouch. With a top notch QB in
James Pinkney and one of the nation's top receivers in
Aundrae Allison, the Pirates have the ability to score
points. Terry Holland and Skip Holtz share the same goal of turning the
Pirates into a perennial top 25 team. The first step toward reaching that
goal is believing that you not only can, but will beat every opponent you
face.
2.
Slow Down the Rush:
The Mountaineers are one of the top rushing teams in the country at over 380
yards per game. WVU’s top running back, Steve Slaton, is currently third on
the Heisman watch list behind Troy Smith and Adrian Peterson. Slaton is
averaging more than eight yards per carry this season. QB Pat White is also
a huge threat to run the football. West Virginia would rather run first, run
second and pass as a last resort. The Pirates can’t afford give up more than
200 yards on the ground. Asking them to stop the rush would be a bit much,
but slowing down the Mountaineers shouldn’t be out of the question.
3.
Attack Through the Air: Anyone who has been to an East Carolina football game knows that the
passing game is its bread and butter. The Pirates’ offense has a number of
capable receivers’ — Kevin Roach, Phillip Henry, Steven Rogers, Bobby Good —
but Aundrae Allison is the one that can change a game. Last year, Allison
had 10 catches for 123 yards versus the Mountaineers and, this year, they
will certainly have to structure a defense to try to stop him. A little
extra attention paid to Aundrae could leave other receivers open to make
plays. Of course, its tough to throw the football when you have no running
game, so the Pirates will have to show they can run the ball early in order
to slow the West Virginia rush.
4.
Turnovers Must Equal 6
Points:
East Carolina leads the nation in fumbles recovered and total turnovers
forced, but, up until the Memphis game, they were unable to get any points
from those turnovers. In the second half of the Memphis game, ECU turned
four turnovers into touchdowns. In last season's WVU game, the Pirates
forced four turnovers and could only manage a couple of field goals. The
Mountaineers are one of the nation’s best teams and, if and when they make
mistakes, ECU must make them pay with nothing less than a touchdown.
The Bottom
Line: West
Virginia has been absolutely dominant in its three games this year, and it
doesn't make many mistakes. The Mountaineers do have vulnerabilities — they
aren’t a great passing team and they don't do a particularly impressive job
of defending the pass. They are awesome up front on offense and defense and
will have better talent than the Pirates at several positions. A couple of
key intangibles remain: The Pirates are playing at home and West Virginia's
players are probably assuming an easy victory. The challenge facing ECU is a
formidable one indeed, but a well-played game by the Pirates could find them
with a chance to win late in the game. Conversely, a poorly-played game will
surely result in a blowout by the Mountaineers.
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02/23/2007 10:32:23 AM
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