East Carolina University

Type of Offense: Spread. Zone read running plays and nearly all passing plays from the shotgun formation.  There is rare to no use of a fullback.  Tight End is used primarily as a blocking back (extra OL).  Nearly all runs are made by the RB and QB save the occasional end around with the WR.

Type of Defense: 3-4. The defense that is in vogue for professional football is only used by teams that have a skill set of: a large NT that can take up space and blocks, 2 DEs that can also handle multiple blockers and read blocks to make plays, a couple MLB that can make lots of tackles in the run game, a WLB that can cover all over the field on passing plays, and a SLB that is stout versus the run and can make plays at the LOS. The attractiveness of this defense is the ability to blitz all 11 players in many different ways. On the average play, 1-2 players are blitzing and the offense can never settle into a pattern that is more likely in a 4-3 base defense. A team must have DBs who can cover but aren’t afraid to hit people and break up plays in the backfield on blitzes. 

• Run/Pass %: 36/64
• Run/Pass Attempts: 358/632
• Points Per Game: 36.8
• Points Allowed Per Game: 44.0

Key Returning Players:
• Dominique Davis, QB: Returning starting quarterback threw for 3967 yards and 37 TDs in McNeal’s pass happy offense in 2010. He also had 9 rushing TDs as well. Davis should be able to emulate similar number in 2011 with the talent level as high as it has ever been for the Pirates. Expect him to break the 4000 yard mark by the end of the season.
• Bradley Jacobs, SS: The leading returning tackler for a defense that was not very good at all in 2010. He must make more spectacular plays to keep the Pirates in some of the bigger games of the season.

Key Incoming Freshmen:
• Chevelle Buie, RB: This 4 star running back out of Cocoa Beach, Florida has the tools to be a huge figure in the spread offense of ECU. A little on the small and frail side coming in at 5-7 and 153 pounds, he is incredibly elusive but may be injury prone at the college level.
• Cody Keith, QB: This 3 star quarterback seems to have a strong chance to be the heir apparent to Davis once his eligibility finally runs out. He is 6-3, 195 pounds and runs a verified 4.7 40 yard dash putting him a perfect fit for the offense. Should be quite the player for the Pirates for years to come.

Overall Assessment:
76. This is the number Navy put on ECU in their 2010 matchup. This was part of a trend in 2010 that ended with 10 teams scoring 40+ points on the Pirates. A bowl game was a nice treat to get another chance to show off that offense on a national stage but going out on a small limb, this was the worst defense in division 1 football last season. On offense, Davis and company should be able to shred up opposing defenses and put up a lot of points in 2011 keeping ECU in games. On defense, can anyone step up and pretend to play defense for just a minute or two. Best case scenario is going 2-2 out of conference and 8-4 overall going to a nice bowl and ending the season on a high note. Worst case scenario is… well bad. Overall, the Pirates should be able to outscore enough opponents to make it to another bowl game while wondering what could have been if the defense was even passable in Conference USA.