East Carolina Football: A Brief History

East Carolina Pirates:

First Season: 1932

Head Coach: Ruffin McNeal (3 seasons, 17-18)

All-Time Record: 390-257-11

Bowl Record: 8-10 (Lions, Elks, Eastern, Tangerine 2X, Independence, Peach, Liberty 4X, Mobile Alabama, Galleryfurniture.com, GMAC, Papajaohns.com, Hawaii, Military, New Orleans)

Playing Field: Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium, Bagwell Field (Capacity of 50,000)

Conference Affiliations:

• Independent: 1932-1946, 1962-1964, 1977-1996
• North State Conference: 1947-1960
• Carolinas Conference: 1961
• Southern Conference: 1965-1976
• Conference USA: 1997-Current

Attendance: 46,089 (5-year average)

Claimed National Titles: None

Conference Titles: 7

• 1953 North State Conference
• 1966 Southern Conference Co-Champions
• 1972 Southern Conference
• 1973 Southern Conference
• 1976 Southern Conference
• 2008 Conference USA
• 2009 Conference USA

Record Versus Rivals (15+ meetings):

• Cincinnati: 12-5
• Memphis: 15-6
• North Carolina: 2-12-1
• North Carolina State: 11-16
• South Carolina: 5-12
• Southern Mississippi: 11-27
• Virginia Tech: 5-12
• West Virginia: 3-18

Year-By-Year Record

1930s: 11-38-2

1940s: 24-25-2

1950s: 48-47-4

1960s: 62-34-2

1970: 3-8

1971: 4-6

1972: 9-2 1972 Southern Conference Champions

1973: 9-2 1973 Southern Conference Champions

1974: 7-4

1975: 8-3

1976: 9-2 1976 Southern Conference Champions

1977: 8-3

1978: 9-3 Independence Bowl (W, 35-13)

1979: 7-3-1

1980: 4-7

1981: 4-5

1982: 7-4

1983: 8-3

1984: 2-9

1985: 2-9

1986: 3-8

1987: 5-6

1988: 3-8

1989: 6-5

1990: 5-6

1991: 11-1 (W, Peach Bowl)

1992: 5-6

1993: 2-9

1994: 7-5 (L, Liberty Bowl)

1995: 9-3 (W, Liberty Bowl)

1996: 8-3

1997: 5-6

1998: 6-5

1999: 9-3 (L, Mobile Alabama Bowl)

2000: 8-4 (W, Galleryfurniture.com Bowl)

2001: 6-6 (L, GMAC Bowl)

2002: 4-8

2003: 1-11

2004: 2-9

2005: 5-6

2006: 7-6 (L, Papajohns.com Bowl)

2007: 8-5 (W, Hawaii Bowl)

2008: 9-5 2008 Conference USA Champions (L, Liberty Bowl)

2009: 9-5 2009 Conference USA Champions (L, Liberty Bowl)

2010: 6-7 (L, Military Bowl)

2011: 5-7

2012: 8-5 (L, New Orleans Bowl)

Coaching/Team History:

Starting in 1932, the East Carolina Pirates have a football history that encompasses 18 bowl berths and 7 conference titles including six bowl berths in the last seven years.

Starting the program was head coach Kenneth Beatty who coached 11 games in two seasons for the Pirates going 1-10 during that span. Beatty left the program after 2 seasons giving way to G.L. Mathis. Mathis, J.D. Alexander, O.A. Hankner, John Christenbury, Jim Johnson, and William Dole all succeeded Beathhy with none of the seven coaches staying any longer than 3 seasons. Christenbury was by far the most successful of those coaches leading the Pirates to a 12-2 record during his two seasons with the program. Christenbury led the Pirates to a 7-0 record in 1941, his final year of coaching.

After watching 8 coaches enter and leave in less than 4 years, the Pirates needed some stability and got that with head coach Jack Boone. Boone took over in the 1952 season and while he wasn't sucessful to the level of Christenbury, Boone led the Pirates for 10 seasons and 49 wins. Boone's most successful season was an 8-2 season in 1953 followed by a 7-3 year in 1960. Boone left after the 1961 season on the heels of a 5-4-1 season.

Replacing Boone was Lenoir-Rhyne coach Clarence Stasavich. Stasavich ran the program for 8 seasons compiling a 50-27-1 overall record with back-to-back-to-back 9-1 seasons including two straight trips to the Tangerine Bowl. After going 8-2 in the 1967 season, Stasavich went 4-6 and 2-7 before being let go after the disappointing 1969 season.

Mike McGee took over in 1970 going 3-8 before bolting immediately for the Duke job leaving East Carolina in the dust. Coach Sonny Randle took over for McGee and stayed with the Pirates for 3 seasons including two conference titles and back-to-back 9-2 seasons. Randle left for Virginia to take over the Cavalier job leaving the Pirates after the 1973 season with a 22-10 record under his tutelage.

 Again looking for stability with a short tenured coach, the Pirates hired Alabama assistant Pat Dye. Dye led the Pirates to winning records in each of his 6 seasons with the program including one conference titles and a 1978 trip to the Independence bowl beating Louisiana Tech 35-13. Dye led the Pirates to a 7-3-1 season the following year (1979) before taking the job with Wyoming for a year before ending up at Auburn where he led 5 squads to top 10 finishes.

After the highs of the Pat Dye era, East Carolina fell back to earth with the disappointing hires of Ed Emory (5 seasons, 26-29) and Art Baker (4 seasons, 13-31). Putting Emory and Baker in the past, the Pirates hired Georgia assistant Bill Lewis to take over the program. Lewis got the Pirates back to .500 football a 5-5-1 in 1989 and 5-6 in 1990 before breaking through for an 11-1 season in 1991 that ended with a Peach Bowl win over North Carolina State and a #9 final ranking in both major polls. Lewis left the program after the bowl game taking the head coaching job with Georgia Tech never reaching the heights of his East Carolina days.

Needing a replacement for Lewis, the Pirates stayed in house and hired assistant Steve Logan. Logan struggled in his first two seasons going 5-6 and 2-9 in 1992 and 1993 before taking the Pirates to the Liberty Bowl in back-to-back seasons (1994 and 1995) and even ending the 1995 season as the #23 team in the nation according to the coaches poll. Logan brought the Pirates into Conference USA in 1997 and led the program to three more bowl berths in 1999, 2000, and 2001 before resigning after a disappointing 2002 season that saw the Pirates go 4-8.

Replacing Logan was Florida defensive coordinator John Thompson. Thompson was an unmitigated disaster with East Carolina going 3-20 in two seasons before quickly being fired after the 2004 season.

Needing to fix the issues of a disappoint tenure with John Thompson, the Pirates targeted South Carolina assistant Skip Holtz. Holtz quickly accepted the position and took over for the 2005 season. The Pirates went 5-6 in his first season with the program but quickly turned things around the following season with the first of 4 consecutive bowl berths (Papajohns.com Bowl, Hawaii Bowl, Liberty Bowl, Liberty Bowl). The final two seasons Holtz ran the program, the Pirates were the Conference USA champions. Holtz resigned after the 2009 season to take over the newly vacated South Florida job.

Taking over for Holtz was former Pirates player and assistant Ruffin McNeill who was the defensive coordinator at Texas Tech. McNeill has only had one winning season in three years with the Pirates but has led them to two bowl games in three years with the program. McNeill is 19-19 overall with the Pirates and enters his fourth season with the program.

All-Americans:

• 2001 Pernell Griffin, LB The Sporting News 4th Team All-American
• 2009 Matt Dodge, P Phil Steele Magazine 4th Team All-American
• 1950 Roger Thrift, QB Honorable Mention All-America
• 1953 Dick Cherry, QB Honorable Mention All-America
• 1953 Bobby Hodges, E Honorable Mention All-America
• 1954 Willie Holland, T Honorable Mention All-America
• 1954 Claude King, FB Honorable Mention All-America
• 1964 Dave Bumgarner, E Honorable Mention All-America
• 1964 Ted Day, T Honorable Mention All-America
• 1966 Kevin Moran, T Honorable Mention All-America
• 1966 Johnny Crew, C Honorable Mention All-America
• 1966 Bobby Ellis, B Honorable Mention All-America
• 1966 Walter Bostic, B Honorable Mention All-America
• 1967 Butch Colson, B Honorable Mention All-America
• 1968 Don Tyson, T Honorable Mention All-America
• 1970 Dick Corrada, FL Honorable Mention All-America
• 1970 Rich Peeler, OT Honorable Mention All-America
• 1972 Carlester Crumpler, RB Honorable Mention All-America
• 1972 Carl Summerell, QB Honorable Mention All-America
• 1972 Danny Kepley, LB Honorable Mention All-America
• 1973 Carl Summerell, QB Honorable Mention All-America
• 1973 Carlester Crumpler, RB Honorable Mention All-America
• 1973 Danny Kepley, LB Honorable Mention All-America
• 1974 Kenny Moore, OT Honorable Mention All-America
• 1974 Butch Strawderman, DE Honorable Mention All-America
• 1975 Cary Godette, DE Honorable Mention All-America
• 1975 Jimbo Walker, OG Honorable Mention All-America
• 1976 Jim Bolding, DB Honorable Mention All-America
• 1976 Harold Randolph, LB Honorable Mention All-America
• 1977 Harold Randolph, LB Honorable Mention All-America
• 1981 Jody Schultz, DE Honorable Mention All-America
• 1982 Clint Harris, DB Honorable Mention All-America
• 1983 Clint Harris, FS Honorable Mention All-America
• 1983 John Robertson, OT Honorable Mention All-America
• 1983 Earnest Byner, RB Honorable Mention All-America
• 1983 Jeff Pegues, DE Honorable Mention All-America
• 1985 Tony Baker, TB Honorable Mention All-America
• 1985 Kevin Walker, DB Honorable Mention All-America
• 1988 Tim James, FB Honorable Mention All-America
• 1988 Anthony Thompson, LB Honorable Mention All-America
• 1989 Anthony Thompson, DE Honorable Mention All-America
• 1989 Robert Jones, LB Honorable Mention All-America
• 1989 Walter Wilson, WR Honorable Mention All-America
• 1991 Jeff Blake, QB Honorable Mention All-America
• 1991 Hunter Gallimore, WR Honorable Mention All-America
• 1991 Luke Fisher, TE Honorable Mention All-America
• 1991 Dion Johnson, WR Honorable Mention All-America
• 1991 Tom Scott, OT Honorable Mention All-America
• 1991 John Jett, P Honorable Mention All-America
• 1992 Michael Anderson, QB Honorable Mention All-America
• 1992 Junior Smith, RB Honorable Mention All-America
• 1992 Carlester Crumpler, Jr., TE Honorable Mention All-America
• 1992 Bernard Carter, DE Honorable Mention All-America
• 1992 Jerry Dillon, OLB Honorable Mention All-America
• 1992 Greg Grandison, DB Honorable Mention All-America
• 1993 Bernard Carter, DE Honorable Mention All-America
• 1993 Junior Smith, RB Honorable Mention All-America
• 1993 Carlester Crumpler, Jr., TE Honorable Mention All-America
• 1993 Mark Libiano, LB Honorable Mention All-America
• 1994 Junior Smith, RB Honorable Mention All-America
• 1996 Scott Harley, RB Honorable Mention All-America
• 2002 Jarad Preston, P Honorable Mention All-America
• 2002 Brian Rimpf, OT Honorable Mention All-America
• 2003 Chris Moore, LB Honorable Mention All-America
• 2004 Travis Williams, PR Honorable Mention All-America
• 2007 Chris Johnson, RB Honorable Mention All-America
• 2008 Matt Dodge, P Honorable Mention All-America
• 2009 Matt Dodge, P Honorable Mention All-America
• 2009 Van Eskridge, FS Honorable Mention All-America
• 2009 Dwayne Harris, KR/WR Honorable Mention All-America

NFL/CFL Players:

• Aundrae Allison New York Jets
• Richard Alston Cleveland Browns
• Mike Applewhite Phoenix Cardinals
• Steven Baker* Indianapolis Colts
• Glenn Bass Buffalo Bills
• Andrew Bayes Tampa Bay Buccaneers
• Ja’Warren Blair Cleveland Browns
• Jeff Blake Chicago Bears
• Reggie Branch Washington Redskins
• Willie Brookins Carolina Panthers
• Stanley Bryant Denver Broncos
• Lamont Burns Oakland Raiders
• Rashon Burns Chicago Bears
• Matt Butler Detroit Lions
• Earnest Byner Baltimore Ravens
• Bernard Carter Green Bay Packers
• DeVone Claybrooks Arizona Cardinals
• Roderick Coleman Atlanta Falcons
• Tony Collins Miami Dolphins
• Terrance Copper* Kansas City Chiefs
• Mondell Corbett Seattle Seahawks
• George Crump New England Patriots
• Carlester Crumpler, Jr. Minnesota Vikings
• Carlester Crumpler, Sr. Buffalo Bills
• David Daniels Pittsburgh Steelers
• Kwaku Danso Cleveland Browns
• Emanuel Davis* Cleveland Browns
• Dominique Davis* Atlanta Falcons
• Matt Dodge New York Giants
• Davon Drew* Baltimore Ravens
• Damane Duckett New England Patriots
• Mitchell Galloway Buffalo Bills
• David Garrard* Miami Dolphins
• Eric Graham Carolina Panthers
• Chris Hall Dallas Cowboys
• Lou Hallow Los Angeles Rams
• Steve Hamilton Detroit Lions
• Clint Harris New York Giants
• Dwayne Harris* Dallas Cowboys
• Marcellus Harris Jacksonville Jaguars
• Dwight Henry San Diego Chargers
• Leonard Henry New York Jets
• Eddie Hicks New York Giants
• John Jett Detroit Lions
• Chris Johnson* Tennessee Titans
• Dion Johnson Houston Oilers
• Robert Jones Washington Redskins
• Linval Joseph* New York Giants
• Jeff Kerr Cleveland Browns
• George Koonce Seattle Seahawks
• Richard Koonce Pittsburgh Steelers
• Vonta Leach* Baltimore Ravens
• Dwayne Ledford New Orleans Saints
• Wayne Lineberry Buffalo Bills
• Ernie Logan New York Jets
• Terry Long Pittsburgh Steelers
• Grant Lowe Washington Redskins
• Chad Martin Miami Dolphins
• Norris McCleary Cincinnati Bengals
• Emmanuel McDaniel Arizona Cardinals
• Reggie McKinney Miami Dolphins
• Jerris McPhail Detroit Lions
• Billy Michel Denver Broncos
• Tom Michel Minnesota Vikings
• Khalif Mitchell San Francisco 49ers
• Kevin Monroe Carolina Panthers
• Ricky Nichols Indianapolis Colts
• Jeff Pegues Cleveland Browns
• Reggie Pinkney Indianapolis Colts
• Brian Rimpf Baltimore Ravens
• Tootie Robbins Green Bay Packers
• John Robertson Philadelphia Eagles
• Shaun Rose Oakland Raiders
• Kenneth Roskie Detroit Lions
• Jay Ross* Buffalo Bills
• Jody Schulz Philadelphia Eagles
• Tom Scott Cincinnati Bengals
• Walter Scott Green Bay Packers
• Larry Shannon Oakland Raiders
• Anthony Simpson Tampa Bay Buccaneers
• James Singletary Indianapolis Colts
• Troy Smith Philadelphia Eagles
• Vinson Smith New Orleans Saints
• Willie Smith* Washington Redskins
• Hal Stephens Detroit Lions
• Keith Stokes San Francisco 49ers
• Les Strayhorn Dallas Cowboys
• Kevin Suggs New York Giants
• Carl Summerell New York Giants
• Zack Valentine Philadelphia Eagles
• Norwood Vann Los Angeles Rams
• Kevin Walker Tampa Bay Buccaneers
• Guy Whimper New York Giants
• Henry Williams Philadelphia Eagles
• Travis Williams Pittsburgh Steelers
• C.J. Wilson* Green Bay Packers
• Jamie Wilson Tampa Bay Buccaneers
• Walter Wilson Tampa Bay Buccaneers