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Audio: Ruff Presser |
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  ECU
coach Ruffin McNeill
addressed members of
the media on Monday
in his weekly press
conference. (Audio
courtesy of Pirate
Radio 1250; file
photo by Al Myatt):
Select audio
clip... |
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Greg Vacek's Monday
Infographic |
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24 |
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31 |
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East Carolina's historical frustration
against SEC teams was prophetically summed
up by the Gainesville Sun's pregame 'Picks'
headline: "Different teams, same result."
The prediction by columnist Pat Dooley ahead
of the Pirates' Saturday matchup at Florida
was on the button as ECU fans experienced
another SEC 'Ground Hog Day' ...
Details and data from Greg Vacek... |
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Costly slip but Pirates moving
on |
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 GAINESVILLE,
FL � A wet ball after a day of
rain proved to be a deciding
factor Saturday night. East
Carolina was driving when
quarterback Blake Kemp lost the
handle in the closing seconds on
a 2nd-and-10 at the Florida
13-yard line. Alex McCalister
recovered for the Gators to
preserve a 31-24 win for the
tenants at Ben Hill Griffin
Stadium
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More from Al Myatt... |
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Pictured: East Carolina coach Ruffin
McNeill contemplates the action
during the ECU-Florida game. (Al
Myatt photo) |
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Ruff post-game
audio |
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  ECU
coach Ruffin McNeill
spoke with reporters
Saturday night after the
Pirates' loss at Florida
(recorded by Al Myatt):
Select audio clip... |
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FOOTBALL |
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Kevin's Keys to the Game |
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 East
Carolina will take on the
Florida Gators for the
second time in 2015 after
losing to them In the
Birmingham Bowl on Jan. 3 of
this year. That game ended
with the Pirates driving
with an opportunity to tie
the game.
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More from Kevin Monroe... |
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By
Brian Bailey
�2015 Bonesville.net
All rights reserved.
VIEW MOBILE VERSION OF THIS PAGE
This one slipped away in more ways than just the obvious.
East Carolina almost overcame several key turnovers but came up just
short in
a 31-24 loss to Florida at �The Swamp� in Gainesville
on Saturday night.
Quarterback Blake Kemp had his Pirates in position to beat the Gators
late, but the football slipped out of his hands as he cocked his arm to
fire a pass. Florida recovered and survived ECU's upset bid.
�The ball was wet and it just slipped out of my hand,� Kemp told
reporters after the loss. �It was my fault. I should have gripped the
ball better.�
Pirate head coach Ruffin McNeill had Sunday to digest the game�s finish
and he reacted at his weekly news conference on Monday.
�Blake is a team guy, a leader,� said McNeill. �It bothers Blake, but
he�s got a lot of pride about it, a lot of moxie. He and James (Summers)
both had great attitudes on Saturday and they were great teammates.
Blake is one of those guys who carries a team-first thought process. I
think he�ll be ready to get back to it. All of us were. We dove into
practice full speed and had a good one.�
Think about the last two losses to Florida. The Gators returned a
pick-six against record setting quarterback Shane Carden in the
Birmingham Bowl, and then
secured the win with an interception in the end zone.
Fast forward nine months later and once again Florida gets a pick-six.
The Gators also secured the victory with a defensive play, albeit not on
their own accord.
That�s now in the rear view mirror. Next up is Navy, and all ECU fans
know that the Middies have had the Pirates' number in the series.
Navy will end 134 years of football independence on Saturday with their
debut in the American Athletic Conference.
Story
continues after the following ad...
Commissioner Mike Aresco will flip the coin at midfield of Navy-Marine
Corps Memorial Stadium to help welcome Navy into the AAC.
Navy leads the series with East Carolina 3-1. The Pirates' only win
came in Annapolis in 2011, 38-35.
Navy was responsible for a couple of the longest days in Dowdy-Ficklen
Stadium history.
In 2010 the Middies
put up 76 points on Coach Ruff and Pirate defense in a 76-35 win.
The last meeting between these two came in 2012, when Navy came to town
and racked up 56 more points in a 56-28 win.
Navy�s offense is so unique that the ECU coaches worked on it at various
times during camp in August. That option attack is just too difficult to
defend with just a day or two to prepare.
�You try to touch on every opponent, but with Navy, it�s nothing like
the live action you�ll see on Saturday,� explained Coach McNeill. �Our
GA�s (graduate assistants) have done a really good job, yesterday and
last night, simulating the offense as close to possible with our scout
or 'victory' team.�
The Midshipmen are led by senior quarterback Keenan Reynolds. Reynolds
has a 22-11 record as the Navy starter. He�s 11-2 at home. McNeill knows
all about Reynolds and says he�s the key to that offense.
�With Keenan at quarterback, he understands the offense,� said McNeill.
�The fullback position is key in this offense and they�ve got two to
three guys they play there that really cause you to make sure you have
your respect on the inside game. Then of course, you have to account for
Keenan because he can throw the football, too.�
So with all of these weapons, what is the key to stopping Navy?
�You have to make sure you take care of all three options, and really,
it�s four options when you include Keenan,� explained McNeill. �With
Keenan, you have to account for play-action off of it. You have to be
excellent on defense. You have to have some changeups on all the areas,
such as who has dive, who has the quarterback and who has the pitch.�
Discipline is the big key. Ruff calls it "eye discipline�. The ECU
defense has to stay in control and each player has to fulfill his
assignment.
McNeill breaks it down with one simple phrase.
Ruff will tell his Pirates to �Go play, go react�.
I would add, �Stay disciplined!�
Navy was a great addition to the American Athletic Conference and the
Midshipmen would like nothing more than to open with a win.
Every week is a different challenge and this one is certainly unique.
BB
The
Brian Bailey Show
airs on Pirate Radio
1250 on Mondays at
6:30 p.m. Brian's
guest this week was
ECU defensive line
coach Marc Yellock (right):
