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Notes, Quotes and Slants
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Pirate Notebook
No. 7
Wednesday, September 12, 2001
By Denny O'Brien |
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©2001 Bonesville.net
Syracuse
Running Game Concerns Logan
ECU head coach Steve Logan knew exactly what to expect from the Tulane
offense a large dose of quarterback
Patrick Ramsey and his speedy receiving corps, mixed in with a few Mewelde
Moore runs.
What he expects out of Syracuse this Saturday is totally different.
"This Syracuse team is going to present the opposite of what we were
dealing with last week defensively," he said. "We're going to see 10-15
well-called and well-timed throws mixed in with probably 60 running plays
that are going to come right down hill in your face.
"This will be one of the more physical teams we play all year long."
Syracuse ball carriers had great success against the Pirates last season,
rushing 48 times for 247 yards in a losing effort. Leading the way was James
Mungro, who bulled his way to 106 yards on ten carries, including a
touchdown. Mungro, a senior, will get his share of carries again on
Saturday.
The catalyst behind the Syracuse running game is the quarterback, who is
asked to execute the option and efficiently complete passes off play-action.
Thus far, the Orangemen have utilized a two-quarterback system, much like
East Carolina's first opponent Wake
Forest.
"Troy Nunes he's their steady
operator type of guy," Logan noted. "In the meantime, they're playing
another young man that comes in he's a
little bit more dramatic type of player that can make a play. I think
they're trying to groom him to be the next guy."
That 'next guy' to whom Logan referred is R.J. Anderson, whom Syracuse
head coach Paul Pasqualoni has named as the starter for Saturday. Nunes
sustained an upper hamstring pull in SU's 21-10 win over Central Florida
last Saturday.
Many observers in Syracuse believe Nunes has been out-performed by
Anderson, a sophomore, so far this season, but Logan doesn't seem to think
it makes a difference which quarterback Syracuse has on the field.
"It's kind of a non-event from the standpoint of what they are doing on
offense lining up with a lot of
condensed, constricted type of sets and just running the ball straight down
hill," he said. "They've got a very sophisticated, creative running game. It
is not as simplistic as it may look. They've got a lot of blocking schemes
up front a lot of tackle traps."
And the Pirates will see plenty of those schemes on Saturday.
Defense a Tradition at Syracuse
Logan vividly remembers his last trip to the Carrier Dome
a 56-0 loss to the Orangemen in 1997.
It was a season during which Syracuse was a high-profile juggernaut while
the Pirates stumbled to an uncharacteristic 5-6 finish.
"That particular year, they were threatening for a national
championship," Logan said. "They had one of the finest football teams I've
ever seen.
"I believe they had a kid named Marvin Harrison. They had a fullback (Rob
Conrad) that should have been illegal, he was so physical
he was frightening. The quarterback, I
believe, was that Donovan (McNabb) that year?"
Harrison, Conrad, and McNabb have since moved on to the NFL, but Logan
notes one area that the Orangemen have maintained a level of excellence
defense.
"What they (Syracuse) have continued to do since then is put together a
great defense," Logan noted. "Last year they had
I think I'm accurate
they had six of the 11 first team
All-Big East football players on their team last year, which is ridiculous.
Four of those kids graduated, but they have successfully reloaded."
Included on this year's unit is Dwight Freeney, a 6'1" 250-lb. defensive
end. Freeney has already tallied six sacks in the young season, and has
totaled nine tackles for a loss. The Pirates will no doubt be mindful of
Freeney's whereabouts on Saturday.
In addition to Freeney, there are several other capable playmakers on
defense, including senior free safety Quentin Harris.
"As usual, this year, they've got two safeties that are absolutely
marvelous, marvelous tacklers," Logan added. "Paul (Pasqualoni) spends a
great deal of time with the pro people and has pro thinking on the defensive
side of the ball. He's able to do that because of the talent that he always
ends up with."
Logan says mistakes must be at a minimum on Saturday. If not, it could be
a long day at the office for the Pirates.
"The mistakes will be magnified a million times over if we do something
silly," he said.
Not-so Friendly Confines
A lot has been made about East Carolina's recent success in domed
stadiums. And for good reason.
The Pirates topped off an 8-4 season last year by routing Texas Tech in
the GalleryFurniture.com Bowl, which was played in the Houston Astrodome.
Last week, East Carolina found itself another home in the Louisiana
Superdome, where it toppled Tulane 51-24.
Both games were played before virtually neutral crowds, but Logan knows
that will not be the case this week in Syracuse.
"This particular deal that we're going through now is going to be
entirely different," he said. "This place, to me, is one of the most
exciting and, without a doubt, the loudest place I've ever coached. There's
no place for the noise to go the fans
are right on top of you.
"It's going to create a lot of difficulty if we don't pay attention to
detail. We're going to have to work out our hand signals in practice on
offense and defense. You cannot verbally communicate in the dome."
Like last week, Logan plans to leave early to acclimate the players to
the Carrier Dome surface. The strategy paid off against Tulane, as the
Pirates piled up over 500 yards of total offense and suffered no significant
injuries.
Unlike last season, when ECU bombed the Orangemen 34-17 in a driving
rainstorm in Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium, Logan isn't figuring on the weather
being an ally.
"I really thought that when we walked out of the locker room and it was
raining last year, that was to our advantage," Logan added. "I don't think
it's going to rain in the dome."
Griffin Reminiscent of Koonce
If there is a knock against Pernell Griffin, it would have to be his
speed. This summer, the 6'1" 253-lb. inside linebacker ran the 40-yard dash
in 5.1 seconds, which isn't eye-popping by NFL standards.
That statistic could scare many NFL scouts away come draft day, but Logan
is quick to remind anyone who'll listen of a former Pirate linebacker that
wasn't particularly swift afoot.
"George Koonce played football here, and George ran a 4.9 40-yard dash
and tackled everybody in sight for two years" Logan noted. "The 4.9 40-yard
dash was a knock on George, and, of course, he had to fight his way into the
NFL where he has since expressed a beautiful ten-year career.
"Pernell reminds me of the same deal. Pernell's 40-yard dash time may not
be real sexy, but at the same time, he tackles and gets to every football
against every opponent we've played."
And like fine wine, Griffin seems to get better with age. This season,
the Williamston native is making tackles in record-breaking proportions. His
24-tackle effort against Wake Forest was a single-game record at East
Carolina and garnered C-USA defensive player of the week honors.
So, what did he do for an encore?
How about 15 tackles against Tulane last week. Not too shabby for a slow
guy.
"This young man's got a bright future ahead of him," Logan added. "He's
got an indomitable spirit.
Antwaan Randle Who?
Indiana head coach Cam Cameron's little experiment of moving Antwaan
Randle El to the all-everything back position didn't work out too well
against N.C. State last Thursday.
Randle El caught a mere four passes for 30 yards while carrying the ball
seven times on option keepers for 40 yards. He also completed one pass.
Certainly not Heisman numbers.
In the process, the Hoosiers looked mighty lethargic on offense with the
immobile Tommy Jones at quarterback.
But how about the less publicized off-season move of ECU's Richard Alston
from backup quarterback to backup H-back?
Against Tulane, the junior from Warrenton carried the ball twice for 52
yards, caught a crucial pass on third and long for 22 yards, and completed
his only pass attempt for 54 yards and a touchdown.
Now that's efficient.
It doesn't take a financial advisor to determine that East Carolina is
getting more bang for its buck with Alston
without having to spend thousands on a Heisman campaign.
I guess that would make Randle El a rich man's Richard Alston.
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02/23/2007 01:41:17 AM
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