By
Kevin Monroe
©2013 Bonesville.net
All rights reserved.
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East
Carolina is on the road for the second straight week after
a convincing non-league win at North Carolina
State last week. Friday’s game against Conference
USA East Division co-leader Marshall in Huntington, WV, presents much
bigger stakes. Since
dropping a tough C-USA road game
in mid-October to Tulane, the Pirates have won five straight. In order
to keep that streak intact and play in the conference championship game
next week, ECU must win this East Division title game against the
talented Thundering Herd. Accomplishing that objective will require
executing in both the physical and mental aspects of the game.
EMBRACE THE MOMENT
The Pirates
have played in some big games over the years, including bowl games and other
high-profile contests. In games of that magnitude, players can play loose
and perform as expected or they can tense up and let the moment overwhelm
them. The Pirates went into the
2008 and
2009 Conference USA Championship
games as as underdogs to Tulsa and Houston, respectively. Both times, the
team rose to the occasion and got the victory. The difference is that those
ECU teams relished the underdog role. Today’s program is usually favored
coming in and plays from the front. On Friday, the Pirates will need to dig
deep and play loose but keep things in perspective. When the ball is
snapped, it's just another game. If the Pirates play their game hard and
fast and refuse to let the moment get to them, they will be fine.
WIN
THIRD DOWN
Marshall quarterback Rakeem Cato is the second best
quarterback in C-USA behind ECU's Shane Carden and one of the best in the
country. He has been a fixture at the QB position for The Herd for what
seems like a decade. Cato’s stats are almost identical to Carden’s with both
throwing 32 TDs and 7 interceptions so far this season. The Herd's offense
will move the ball and will score points. A key for the Pirate defense will
be to make the most of its opportunities and to make plays on third down.
Marshall is converting 52% of its third downs this season and ECU’s defense
is giving up conversions 45% of the time. The Pirates have to be better on
third down Friday if they want to beat Marshall.
BIG GAME, BIG PLAYERS
We have all
heard the saying big time players make big plays in big games. Friday’s game
will be no different. Shane Carden has been at the steering wheel of this
Pirate offense, Vintavious cooper is the engine that gets things moving and
Justin hardy is the gas pedal that makes this offense unstoppable. In order
to win this game, all three of these guys need to play well. ECU will need
to establish the running game early and make Marshall play the run before
attacking through the air. Once the Pirates go to the air, they must get the
ball to Justin Hardy. He is one of the nation’s leaders in total receptions
and receptions per game. Whenever he gets the ball, good things happen.
BOTTOM LINE
The Pirates have the opportunity
to go out on top this season, to leave their mark on Conference USA by
dominating it before moving up to the American Athletic Conference next
season. Marshall is ECU's toughest opponent of the season and the game is on
the Herd's home turf. It won’t be easy, but if the Pirates embrace the
moment, get some crucial third down stops and get the ball to their
playmakers, they will win this game on Friday.
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The
Steve Logan Show
is simulcast on
radio stations FM 103.7 and
FM 94.1 on Mondays
from 6-8 p.m. Replay
this week's show:
The
Brian Bailey Show
airs on Pirate Radio
1250 and 930 on Mondays at
6:30 p.m. This week's
guests were ECU
director of football
operations Brian
Overton and high
school coaches Dave
Wojtecki, Paul
Cornwell, Sport
Sawyer and Jim Bob
Bryant:
ECU
coach
Ruffin
McNeill
discussed
the
Pirates'
road
win
over
ACC
foe
N.C.
State
and
looked
ahead
to
their
Conference
USA
clash
at
Marshall:
