INDIVIDUAL NOTES ⢠Senior quarterback Dominique Davis ...
INDIVIDUAL NOTES Senior quarterback Dominique Davis completed 18 passes to move ahead of David Garrard (1998-2001/666) and into second on the Pirates’ career completions chart with 676. James Pinkney (2003-06) is the all-time leader with 687. o In addition, the 676 career completions are the 15th most in Conference USA history. Houston’s Case Keenum is the leader with 1,398. o Davis is also second on the ECU single-season completions chart with 283. He set the program record last year with 393. Davis threw for 133 yards to move into seventh on the East Carolina single-season list with 2,737. Davis also established that record in 2010 with 3,967 yards. Davis’ 10-yard touchdown pass in the third quarter was his 18th of the season, the sixth most during a campaign for an ECU quarterback. Davis set the record in 2010 with 37 scoring tosses. Freshman inside receiver Justin Hardy caught three passes to move his season total to 51 receptions, the most by a freshman in program history. Jason Nichols’ 42 grabs in 1994 was the previous best. o The 51 receptions are also the 10th most in a year by an ECU receiver. Dwayne Harris (2007-10) established the singleseason record last year with 101 grabs. o Hardy’s 530 yards this season are also the most by a rookie, surpassing Nichols’ 450 yards in 1994. Hardy’s third-quarter touchdown gives him five scores this season and three in his last three games played (MEM, USM, UTEP). Junior outside receiver Andrew Bodenheimer caught one pass that were good for a first down. Of Bodenheimer’s last 19 receptions, 13 have gone for a first down. o In the last four games, Bodenheimer has caught 17 passes for 203 yards (4.3 catches and 50.8 yards/contest). Sophomore running back Michael Dobson rushed for his third career touchdown, and second in the last three games, in the opening quarter. Dobson registered a career second-best 22-yard rush in the third quarter. Against Tulane on Oct. 29, he recorded a 23-yard ground gain. Sophomore inside receiver Zico Pasut recorded his first career carry out of a fullback set in the third quarter. Freshman right guard Drew Gentry started the first game of his career. Sophomore inside linebacker Kyle Tudor registered a career-high 14 tackles. His previous best was 13 at Houston. Freshman outside linebacker Jake Geary stopped Leilyon Myers for a five-yard loss in the first quarter. It is Geary’s second-straight game with a tackle for lost yardage. Geary ended the game with a career-high 10 tackles, including six solo hits. In the fourth quarter, Geary jarred the ball loose from Mike Edwards for the first forced fumble of Geary’s career. o Sophomore free safety Damon Magazu picked up the fumble for his second recovery of the season (UAB). Sophomore outside linebacker Justin Dixon recorded his first solo sack of the season, dropping Carson Meger for an 11-yard loss in the second quarter. Dixon now has 4.5 sacks in his career. Senior strong safety Bradley Jacobs tallied a career-best 11 tackles. Junior defensive back Rahkeem Morgan recovered his second career fumble in the first quarter, scooping up a Mike Edwards dropped ball on a punt return. Morgan recovered his other fumble on a kickoff return at UAB on Nov. 11, 2010. Freshman inside linebacker Jeremy Grove recorded seven tackles, pushing his season total to 102, the most by a freshman in program history. Daren Hart booked 97 hits in 1993 for the previous record. o Grove entered the game ranked seventh at the FBS level with an average of 11.9 stops per game. o In his five league games (missed Memphis due to injury), Grove has tallied 55 hits, good for 11.0 stops per contest. Senior kicker Michael Barbour converted his fourth consecutive field goal with a 19-yard make in the third quarter. WITH THE LOSS With the loss, ECU has … o Won 13 of its last 19 Conference USA games o Won seven of its last 12 C-USA road games o Won nine of its last 15 C-USA games against West Division opponents The Pirates fall to 4-6 this season, the program’s worst mark through 10 games since a matching 4-6 record in 2005. From 2006-10, ECU was 6-4 through 10 contests. ECU slips to 3-3 in Conference USA play. The Pirates had been 5-1 or 4-2 through six league games since 2006. The 2005 squad was the last to be .500 or below after six league tilts, going 2-4. UTEP recorded its first victory over East Carolina after falling in overtime 45-42 at home in 2007 and dropping a 53-21 decision in Greenville for the 2008 regular-season finale. The Pirates had been the only team in Conference USA the Miners had never defeated.
TEAM NOTES East Carolina held a 7-0 lead at the end of the first quarter after being outscored 62-17 during the opening frames of the last six contests. o Despite the deficit, the Pirates have scored first in their last three games. UTEP led 16-7 at the half. Opponents have outscored East Carolina 147-68 during the first half of the last seven games. o In Conference USA games this season the Pirates have been outscored 122-62 in the opening half, but hold an 83-57 advantage over the foes after intermission. At the end of the third quarter, ECU held a 17-16 lead, but lost 22-17. East Carolina had won the last 17 contests when leading entering the fourth quarter (last loss Jan. 2, 2009, to Kentucky in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl). The Pirates failed to score in the second quarter, snapping its streak of consecutive frames with a score at 12. Their last scoreless quarter was the opening frame at Navy. East Carolina surrendered 22 points. In its last seven road games, ECU has allowed 299 points (42.7 ppg). Foes have tallied 42 or more points in nine of 12 road tilts during the Ruffin McNeill era. The three exceptions, however, are the last three contests (Memphis/17, Navy/35). East Carolina was held to a season-low 26 yards passing in the opening half. It was the fewest passing yards for the Pirates in a half since tallying 14 after intermission at No. 5 West Virginia on Sept. 22, 2007. East Carolina rushed for 121 yards and is averaging 129.4 yards per game in the last five contests after totaling just 345 rushing yards in this season’s first five matchups (69.0 ypg). The Pirates also tallied one rushing touchdown. East Carolina has rushed for 11 touchdowns the last five weeks after registering only three ground scores in the first five games. East Carolina finished the game with a three-of-three performance in the redzone and have gone 22-of-24 inside the 20-yard line the last five weeks. In the previous three games, ECU had converted just 6-of-10 opportunities inside the opponent’s 20-yard line. On third down, East Carolina converted seven-of-16 opportunities (43.8 percent), giving it a 51.2 conversation rate (42-of-82) on third down the last five games (3-2 record). Entering the game, the Pirates ranked last at the FBS level in turnovers per game with 3.00 and committed two turnovers in the contest with a pair of interceptions. Despite the giveaways, the Pirates are averaging 1.6 turnovers per game in the last five contests after averaging 4.2 giveaways a contest through the first five games. o East Carolina now has 29 giveaways this season. East Carolina forced a pair of UTEP turnovers with first and fourth-quarter fumbles. It is the sixth time this season, and 10th time in the last 18 contests, ECU has caused two or more turnovers. o In the Ruffin McNeill era, the Pirates are 8-4 when creating two or more turnovers and 2-9 when they don’t. East Carolina kept UTEP from scoring three times when it was inside the redzone. The trio of stops gave the Pirates 10 holds when an opponent has been inside the redzone this season. A year ago, the Pirates had just nine total redzone stops. The East Carolina defense limited UTEP to a six-of-13 performance (46.2 percent) on third down. In the last five games, foes have converted just 19-of-62 third-down opportunities (30.6 percent). o The Miners also failed to convert on all three fourth-down attempts. UTEP scored its first touchdown on a 44-yard interception return by Darren Woodard. It is the fourth interception returned for a TD by opponents this season. o Foes have now scored 10 non-offensive touchdowns against ECU in 2011 (4 INT, 2 PR, 2 FR, 1 KOR, 1 blocked punt). UTEP’s Joe Banyard ran for a 77-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter. It was the longest run by an opponent this season. Virginia Tech’s David Wilson has the previous-long run with a 39-yarder Sept. 10. East Carolina allowed 62 punt return yards and has surrendered 218 in the last three games (72.7 ygp). The Pirates recorded one sack during the contest, giving them 13 during this season’s six C-USA contests (2.2 sacks/game). UTEP totaled just 188 yards passing. It is ECU’s fifth-straight game holding an opponent under 200 aerial yards, the longest streak for the program since five consecutive contests during the 1999 season (South Carolina, Miami (Fla.), Army, Southern Miss and Tulane). East Carolina’s defense held UTEP to 429 total yards. In the last four Conference USA games, ECU has allowed an average of 306.8 yards per contest. The Pirates’ punt return unit tallied five yards on one attempt. In C-USA action, East Carolina is averaging 18.0 yards per punt return. With its first-quarter touchdown, ECU extended its streak to a school-record 178 games without suffering a shutout. OTHER Team Captains: Offense: Andrew Bodenheimer, Dominique Davis; Defense: Emanuel Davis, Jeremy Grove; Special Teams: Rahkeem Morgan Up Next: The Pirates play their final home game of the 2011 season next Saturday against UCF (4-5, 2-3 C-USA). East Carolina holds an 8-2 all-time record against the Knights and has gone 5-1 in Greenville. The game will kickoff at 7:00 p.m. ET with television coverage provided by FOX Sports.
TEAM NOTES East Carolina held a 7-0 lead at the end of the first quarter after being outscored 62-17 during the opening frames of the last six contests. o Despite the deficit, the Pirates have scored first in their last three games. UTEP led 16-7 at the half. Opponents have outscored East Carolina 147-68 during the first half of the last seven games. o In Conference USA games this season the Pirates have been outscored 122-62 in the opening half, but hold an 83-57 advantage over the foes after intermission. At the end of the third quarter, ECU held a 17-16 lead, but lost 22-17. East Carolina had won the last 17 contests when leading entering the fourth quarter (last loss Jan. 2, 2009, to Kentucky in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl). The Pirates failed to score in the second quarter, snapping its streak of consecutive frames with a score at 12. Their last scoreless quarter was the opening frame at Navy. East Carolina surrendered 22 points. In its last seven road games, ECU has allowed 299 points (42.7 ppg). Foes have tallied 42 or more points in nine of 12 road tilts during the Ruffin McNeill era. The three exceptions, however, are the last three contests (Memphis/17, Navy/35). East Carolina was held to a season-low 26 yards passing in the opening half. It was the fewest passing yards for the Pirates in a half since tallying 14 after intermission at No. 5 West Virginia on Sept. 22, 2007. East Carolina rushed for 121 yards and is averaging 129.4 yards per game in the last five contests after totaling just 345 rushing yards in this season’s first five matchups (69.0 ypg). The Pirates also tallied one rushing touchdown. East Carolina has rushed for 11 touchdowns the last five weeks after registering only three ground scores in the first five games. East Carolina finished the game with a three-of-three performance in the redzone and have gone 22-of-24 inside the 20-yard line the last five weeks. In the previous three games, ECU had converted just 6-of-10 opportunities inside the opponent’s 20-yard line. On third down, East Carolina converted seven-of-16 opportunities (43.8 percent), giving it a 51.2 conversation rate (42-of-82) on third down the last five games (3-2 record). Entering the game, the Pirates ranked last at the FBS level in turnovers per game with 3.00 and committed two turnovers in the contest with a pair of interceptions. Despite the giveaways, the Pirates are averaging 1.6 turnovers per game in the last five contests after averaging 4.2 giveaways a contest through the first five games. o East Carolina now has 29 giveaways this season. East Carolina forced a pair of UTEP turnovers with first and fourth-quarter fumbles. It is the sixth time this season, and 10th time in the last 18 contests, ECU has caused two or more turnovers. o In the Ruffin McNeill era, the Pirates are 8-4 when creating two or more turnovers and 2-9 when they don’t. East Carolina kept UTEP from scoring three times when it was inside the redzone. The trio of stops gave the Pirates 10 holds when an opponent has been inside the redzone this season. A year ago, the Pirates had just nine total redzone stops. The East Carolina defense limited UTEP to a six-of-13 performance (46.2 percent) on third down. In the last five games, foes have converted just 19-of-62 third-down opportunities (30.6 percent). o The Miners also failed to convert on all three fourth-down attempts. UTEP scored its first touchdown on a 44-yard interception return by Darren Woodard. It is the fourth interception returned for a TD by opponents this season. o Foes have now scored 10 non-offensive touchdowns against ECU in 2011 (4 INT, 2 PR, 2 FR, 1 KOR, 1 blocked punt). UTEP’s Joe Banyard ran for a 77-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter. It was the longest run by an opponent this season. Virginia Tech’s David Wilson has the previous-long run with a 39-yarder Sept. 10. East Carolina allowed 62 punt return yards and has surrendered 218 in the last three games (72.7 ygp). The Pirates recorded one sack during the contest, giving them 13 during this season’s six C-USA contests (2.2 sacks/game). UTEP totaled just 188 yards passing. It is ECU’s fifth-straight game holding an opponent under 200 aerial yards, the longest streak for the program since five consecutive contests during the 1999 season (South Carolina, Miami (Fla.), Army, Southern Miss and Tulane). East Carolina’s defense held UTEP to 429 total yards. In the last four Conference USA games, ECU has allowed an average of 306.8 yards per contest. The Pirates’ punt return unit tallied five yards on one attempt. In C-USA action, East Carolina is averaging 18.0 yards per punt return. With its first-quarter touchdown, ECU extended its streak to a school-record 178 games without suffering a shutout. OTHER Team Captains: Offense: Andrew Bodenheimer, Dominique Davis; Defense: Emanuel Davis, Jeremy Grove; Special Teams: Rahkeem Morgan Up Next: The Pirates play their final home game of the 2011 season next Saturday against UCF (4-5, 2-3 C-USA). East Carolina holds an 8-2 all-time record against the Knights and has gone 5-1 in Greenville. The game will kickoff at 7:00 p.m. ET with television coverage provided by FOX Sports.
