Im not going to add to the ECU boards thread because it kind of got mixed up in a lot of smack talk, and that's not why I'm here. Like most ECU fans, I'm looking forward to the game. It's been a long time since last season, and that one left a bad taste in our mouths. We dealt with a lot of turnovers (led the nation), injuries and youth during 2011. We were in the second year of a new offense and coaching staff and the first year of a new defense (3-4). We were extraordinarily young with lots of freshmen and sophs getting a lot of playing time. The turnovers were a disaster. We have a few uestion

EDIT: OK, guys, I'm back. The board screwed me on my first post. When I went to correct something, it submitted the post, and then I couldn't edit until this morning because I guess the post had to be approved by an administrator. Back to my thoughts ...

We have a few question marks; most notably, at quarterback where we'll be breaking in someone new. The coaching staff is keeping that close to the vest, so I doubt we'll know until gametime who the starter is. I think we've got some capable candidates, but who knows under live fire? Running back was a serious problem last year. So much so, that by the end of the season we were using a converted tight end. We have a pretty good stable of RBs going into the season, including last year's starter who went down with injury, a big, speedy trasnfer from UNC and some younger players who show a lot of promise. O-line is solid and experienced but will have to be better at run blocking for some offensive balance. Inside and outside receiver is our strongest offensive position, and we have some speed there in addition to the possession-type receivers that have been our bread and butter the last two years. We hope to stretch the field more than we have for the past two years, but pass protection is a key there, too.

Defensively, we expect to be very strong. The change in defensive scheme last season took us from 119th to 56th in defensive ranking, and we were incredibly young. Most of those guys are back, and we will be more experienced, bigger and faster than last season. Linebacker is the key in this scheme, and we have some good talent there, including our leading tackler from last year by far, who was a freshman. We bought in a couple of JC D-backs to fill some gradation gaps, and we expect to be a strong defensive team. Hopefully, we will have the stopping power to give our rookie QB time to get comfortable.

I am optimistic going into the season. We've had two years under Ruff. The first year, our defense was horrible. The second year, we turned the ball over so often we took ourselves out of a lot of games. I think we can limit mistakes this season and finally see what kind of future we will have under Ruff. I know you guys will not be an easy out, but I do expect a W. And, yes, I remember who was cramping up in Greenville two years ago. Should be a good opener.

We too had a less than perfect last year. Off the field issues, and some coaching issues. An 8-4 season for App is a dissapointment. Over the offseason our offensive staff was basically replaced. It was by far the weak point of the team last year, in large part because our OL had some issues, and plenty of attrition. We've added some great coaches, including an ECU OL guy, in Dwayne Ledford. There is alot of young talent on our offense, and alot of speed.

The 2011 defense was App's first in the 3-4 also, and despite starting 2 true freshmen at DE, was surprisingly good. We had a couple of games that were hiccups, but if you take out Vtech, our very first game in the 3-4, the defense's stats were pretty good. 8 of the 11 starters are back, though there has been some shifting of positions. This years starting DT actually is a RS freshman. Came in as a LB at 6'3 235, and will be starting his first game at ECU in the 285 lb range.

Welcome....To add just a little to GO's post we lost several defensive starters to off the field issues and that has hurt but the players that replaced them have stepped up. It's going to take a while to get them fully into the new roles but by mid season we should be a force. Might still be sorting a few things out on the 1st but hopefully they will be playing good enough. We lost several players in camp but most should be back by the game. We did lose a "super freshman" DB, who many said would be a starter, for the year with a knee injury. We've got questions and it's going to take time for the new coaches to get the players used to the new systems. If we were playing at the end of the year I would say you would see an entirely different team than you will see on the 1st but I guess most teams can say that.

Anyway, as I say before every out of conference and out of division game, I wish both teams the best and I hope we both come out of the game with no injuries and with a good, hard fought, game. Good Luck to ECU for the rest of the season and, hopefully, we'll be seeing each other much more in the future. I believe that we have made and would make a good rival for ECU and a much better conference addition than UNCC or ODU. But I guess the presidents decided to go with market over tradition and quality, something I believe ECU has had to deal with in the recent past also. Again, good luck for the rest of the way, after the 1st, and to our former coaches, Ruff and JW.

I will pull for ECU in games after Sep 1 because your athletic staff has the balls to play us - not meaning you guys should be afraid to play us just that you are open to play an in-state rival without using excuses like the tarholes do - Please beat the crap out of the holes for all of us

There are many ECU supporters that do not understand that if you are going to ask Chapel College and State to play ECU then you should play ASU.

Good luck to ASU ...after the game with ECU

tw521 wrote:There are many ECU supporters that do not understand that if you are going to ask Chapel College and State to play ECU then you should play ASU.

Good luck to ASU ...after the game with ECU

Thanks, good luck to you guys too, I'd like nothing more than both of these teams to go on after sept1 undefeated.