By Denny O'Brien
©2010 Bonesville.net
All Rights Reserved.

GREENVILLE — You had to figure there would be brighter days for the East Carolina defense, days underscored by better statistical performances and finer showings on the scoreboard.

It just didn't seem logical for it to occur against N.C. State. Not against an offense that possessed a multitude of weapons and a penchant for scoring at will.

Certainly not against a quarterback in the midst of a Heisman campaign, or against a receiving corps that is as deep and talented as any around.

It seemed more like the appropriate setting for the Wolfpack to mercilessly name its score.

Had the Wolfpack dropped 50 or 60 on its in-state rival, not many of the 50,410 who were in Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium would have exited in complete shock. The fact that State produced far short of that in a thrilling 33-27 ECU win left many who were familiar with the Pirates' previous defensive struggles astonished by the sudden turnaround.

Save for maybe ECU head coach Ruffin McNeill.

“You see them growing up,” McNeill said after the biggest win in his six-game tenure. “It was something that magically couldn't happen. They could only develop through experience and repeating situations. They are doing that now.

“They are developing. The first game, we had nine new starters. We've got to remember that. We had three starters missing today. You see, and I've mentioned it before, the development of the defense can only happen through situations and experiences like today and like last week at Southern Miss.”

That East Carolina produced its best defensive effort with three key ingredients missing from the lineup is a testament to how much the Pirates have matured through the first half of the season. The defense that often looked out of sorts and unsure about positioning, apparently has grown more comfortable in defensive coordinator Brian Mitchell's aggressive system.

The Pirates clearly took a significant step forward last week after spotting Southern Miss 20 points in the opening quarter. They added another layer to that foundation by holding a State offense to its lowest point total to date.

And, for the most part, the Pirates limited the big play. Except for a couple of long distance connections, you didn't see too many Pack receivers wandering uncovered behind the secondary.

Those short underneath routes that had routinely burned the ECU linebackers earlier this year were often met with thunderous hits and harmless four-yard gains.

The Pirates performed well enough to disguise a 322-yard passing effort by Russell Wilson, largely because they made him incredibly inefficient. Credit that to a solid defensive plan tailored to disguising coverages and keeping Wilson in the pocket, where he often looked uncomfortable during a three-interception day.

“We did a good job of trying to mix up coverages,” McNeill said. “With an experienced quarterback, the rule of thumb is you blitz the young guy and defend the veteran.

“He's the veteran. So, with a veteran you have to mix coverages, and you also have to blend some blitzes, which Brian (Mitchell) did.”

Against the Pack, Mitchell threw man and zone coverage packages at Wilson in an effort to keep him guessing. And on occasions when he called for a blitz it provided just enough pressure to cause discomfort for State's celebrated quarterback.

It was altogether impressive when you consider this is still a defense minus nine starters from last season's unit and with three regulars either suspended or on the mend. The attrition left a thin and green defense even more depleted and less experienced at key positions on the field.

To put it in proper perspective, the game-clinching interception was snagged by a freshman first-time starter who saw his first significant action last week. Damon Magazu is so new to the routine of college football that he was unsure during postgame interviews about which questions he could answer without “giving our secrets away.”

Magazu and his teammates are definitely guilty of revealing the secret that they are better than we thought. Just when when many of us left the East Carolina defense for dead, it came to life with a solid effort against an offense most figured would bully it around.

East Carolina's young defense grew up a little on Saturday. And it's largely the reason for the Pirates' victory over N.C. State.