East Carolina is struggling this season, But, they have some elements to their team that will cause the Hokies problems. Defensively, they scheme in a very similar manner to Delaware. They switch back and forth between a 30-odd front (nose and two five techniques) and a 40 front (the three down guys slide weak and a stand up linebacker aligns to the strong side on the line of scrimmage). Against West Virginia, their linebackers played deep and ran in space to the football. This makes it tough for the offensive line to get to the second level. DE Kiante Anderson (No. 96) is their most disruptive player on film. They look much more long and lean than the stout squatty ECU defensive linemen that have caused problems in the past.
Against WVU, ECU also played a bunch of the soft zone that we saw Delaware use. Will Grier was more assertive than Josh Jackson was against Delaware fitting the ball into the seams of coverage. Similar to Jackson's touchdown to Cam Phillips against man coverage, East Carolina's defensive backs — FS Korrin Wiggins (No. 15) and CB Chris Love (No. 35) — could not handle the West Virginia receivers in man-to-man coverage.
Offensively, they still have familiar names at wide receiver and concepts that give the Hokies fits. When the Hokies show press man, they will check to rub routes. When the Hokies show zone and quarters coverage, ECU will slant/post their outside guy and run a fade from the slot and force VT's inside secondary guys to make plays with their back to the ball. Wide receivers Davon Grayson (No. 85), Jimmy Williams (No. 81), and Trevon Brown (No. 88) have a history of making plays against the Hokies. Grayson and Brown are also big bodies at 6'2" tall.
ECU's defeats are misleading. They aren't finishing drives, but their offense has generated 300+ yards passing a game and have only 4 fewer first downs than their opponents. Quarterback Thomas Sirk (No. 10) has beaten the Hokies as a quarterback before. However, he and his backup, Gardner Minshew, are both completing less than 54% of their passes. Sirk in particular was missing open receivers before West Virginia pulled away from the Pirates. Their offensive line wasn't much help either, as the Mountaineers generated tons of pressure.
Comments
Just tell me it's going to be ok French
It's going to be OK, French.
I see ghosts and goblins behind every tree.
Goddamnit that's the wrong answer French, run it again!
No pirates, though. We're good here.
It's ok, this will be Turk after the game:
This team is poooisooooooooooooon
While this is technically correct, ECU is giving up just under 200 yds in offense more than they are gaining (basically 2/3 yds gained vs what they give up). So while the number of 1st down may be equal, they are giving up big yards per 1st down vs what they are gaining.
That said, this team has some serious athletes at WR, who have more experience than the WVU WR's. If we allow Sirk or Minshew to get in a rhythm with the WR's, it could be a long day for VT.
Big plays- WVU and JMU made them. ECU was more dink and dunk because Sirk was missing open guys down the field.
I hadn't watched the video to confirm this, so I was reluctant to state it.
That said, it would be completely in character for ECU to hit on those plays, this week, since they are playing VT (much like Syracuse hit on plays vs us when they were missing vs everyone else, last year).
I'll have to look at the stats again tomorrow but from what I saw this morning ECU struggled badly against WVU before the starters came out. They had around 120 total yards in the first half, most of which coming in the first series. 4 times they went 3 and out out of their 7 first half drives. They started piling up yards in the second half but by then WVU had pulled everyone due to the 49-3 halftime deficit. They piled up yards in the second half of JMU as well, but that ended up being a shootout and they were still outgained nonetheless.
As I said earlier, before WVU pulled their starters ECU allowed a TD on 7 of their 8 defensive series, and the lone remainder ended in a missed FG. That place is such a mess right now I can't imagine Fuente not being able to feast upon it.
God I hate playing this team every year
We will make them look golden!
We need to finish off our Drive on every possession
That oughta do it.
End every possession on the foot of Joey Slye.
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Any word on if Sirk has been cleared from concussion protocol?
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Here's an Article from Tuesday that says he would be re-evaluated either yesterday or today. He was a non-contact participant in practice on
Tues/Weds. He did not participate in their practice at all on TuesdayIf they're going to play a 3-man front with the LB's off the ball, I would rather bang Holston at them at 4-5 yards a rush all day long. Delaware's defense played our strengths, the short passing game was clogged up. Fuente has a history of using a big back to bang on a team if they do that, he did it with Marshawn against ND last year.
Get Holston involved.
The next time I get into a verbal fight I am calling them stout squatty and trying not to laugh as they try to figure it out.
God help you if your next argument is with a wife or girlfriend...
If it's BOTH then even God wont be able to help you!