INDIVIDUAL NOTES ⢠Senior quarterback Dominique
INDIVIDUAL NOTES Senior quarterback Dominique Davis completed 19 passes to set the East Carolina career record with 695 completions. James Pinkney (2003-06) was the previous record holder with 687 completions. o In addition, the 695 career completions are the 11th most in Conference USA history. Houston’s Case Keenum is the leader (1,428). o Davis is also second on the ECU single-season completions chart with 302. He set the program record last year with 393. Davis threw for 203 yards to move into fourth on the East Carolina single-season list with 2,940. Davis also established that record in 2010 with 3,967 yards. o In addition, Davis stands fifth on the Pirates’ career passing yardage chart with 6,704. David Garrard (1998-01) holds the record with 9,029 yards. Davis’ four touchdown passes in the game gave him 22 this season, tied for the third most during a campaign for an ECU quarterback. Davis set the record in 2010 with 37 scoring tosses. o Davis’ 59 career touchdown passes are the second most in East Carolina history, one behind Garrard’s 60 scoring tosses. o The four touchdown passes marked the 11th game of his career with three or more scoring tosses. Davis rushed for a career-high 62 yards and recorded 37 in the first quarter. His previous best was 43 versus Tulane Oct. 29. Freshman inside receiver Justin Hardy caught six passes to move his season total to 57, the ninth most in a year by an ECU receiver. Hardy’s second-quarter touchdown gives him six scores this season and four in his last four games played (MEM, USM, UTEP, UCF). Sophomore outside receiver Reese Wiggins hauled in a career-long 84-yard TD reception in the third quarter. It is the fourth-longest pass play in East Carolina history and the longest since an 85-yard pass from Marcus Crandell to Mitchell Galloway against Tulsa on Nov. 11, 1995. o Wiggins owns the Pirates’ two longest plays of the season after a 72-yard touchdown grab against Southern Miss. o Wiggins set career highs with two touchdown catches and 123 yards receiving. Sophomore running back Torrance Hunt ran for a 56-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter. It is the longest rush of the Ruffin McNeill era, and the longest by the Pirates since Norman Whitley tallied a 69-yard rush at Tulsa Dec. 6, 2008, in the C-USA Championship Game. o Hunt ran for a career-high 100 yards in the game and averaged 11.1 yards per carry. Sophomore inside receiver/running back Zico Pasut tallied a career high 11 rushes for 28 yards, including a personal-best nine-yard dash in the opening frame. Entering the game he had one carry for four yards (last week at UTEP). Sophomore inside receiver Justin Jones caught his first touchdown pass of the year in the first quarter, hauling in a nine-yard pass from Davis. It was Jones’ second reception of the season and first scoring grab since the 2010 Military Bowl against Maryland. Sophomore inside receiver Derrick Harris returned the opening kickoff of the second half a career-long 38 yards. It was the longest kickoff return for the Pirates this season and the best since a 47-yard runback by Dwayne Harris Oct. 30, 2010, at UCF. Senior strong safety Bradley Jacobs intercepted his first pass of the season in the opening quarter. It was his fifth career pick as he led the team with four a year ago. Freshman outside linebacker Jake Geary set a career high with three tackles for a loss. He dropped Latavius Murray for a one-yard loss in the second quarter and sacked Jeff Godfrey for losses of one and three yards in the third. Geary now has a TFL in three-straight games. o Geary is the first Pirate with three or more tackles for a loss in a contest since Josh Smith tallied 3.5 versus SMU on Nov. 26, 2010. o Geary had two TFL and only a half sack in his career entering today’s contest. Freshman inside linebacker Jeremy Grove recorded 11 tackles and pushed his season total to 113, the second-highest total by a Pirate in the last eight seasons. Since the start of the 2004 campaign, only Dustin Lineback in 2010 (119) has booked more hits than Grove’s 113. o Grove entered the game ranked seventh at the FBS level with an average of 11.3 stops per game. o Grove added his first career sack in the opening quarter, dropping Jeff Godfrey for a loss of nine yards. Sophomore free safety Damon Magazu booked a career-high and team-leading 12 tackles. Magazu intercepted his team-leading fourth pass of the season on UCF’s final pass of the game. All five career interceptions have been inside Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium. Senior kicker Michael Barbour converted his fifth consecutive field goal with a 36-yard make in the first quarter. o Barbour entered the game with the 15th highest field-goal conversion rate among active FBS kickers at 80.6 percent. WITH THE WIN With the win, ECU has … o Won 14 of its last 20 Conference USA games o Won 13 of its last 15 (and 18 of 22) C-USA home games o Won 13 of the last 15 (and 19 of 23) games against C-USA East Division opponents o Won 11 of the last 12 home games against C-USA East Division opponents The Pirates improve to 5-6 and need one more win to secure bowl eligibility for the sixth-straight season. It is East Carolina’s worst 11-game record since 2005, when the squad was also 5-6. From 2006-10, ECU was 6-5 three times (’06, ’07, ’10) and 7-4 in 2008 and 2009. East Carolina improves to 9-2 against UCF and has won six of the seven meetings in Greenville. The Pirates’ lone home setback was a 30-20 loss Oct. 29, 2005. The last four contests between the two teams have been decided by an average of 7.3 points.
WITH THE WIN (cont.) ECU ups its record in Conference USA play to 4-3. The last five seasons, the Pirates had been 5-2 (2010, 2008-06) or 6-1 (2009) through seven league tilts. o Since C-USA’s divisional format was implemented in 2005, East Carolina joins Southern Miss and Houston as the only league programs to win four or more conference games every season. TEAM NOTES The Pirates ended their home season with a 3-3 record, good for the program’s seventh consecutive non-losing home campaign. The last time ECU finished below .500 inside Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium was in 2004, when the squad went 2-3 at home. East Carolina ensured its sixth-straight winning season against C-USA East Division foes as it is now 3-1 against Memphis, Southern Miss, UAB and UCF with Marshall remaining. The Pirates went 4-1 in 2010, 5-0 in 2009, 4-1 in 2008, 3-2 in 2007 and 4-1 in 2006. ECU held a 10-7 lead at the end of the first quarter. In the last two games the Pirates have outscored UTEP and UCF 17-7 in the opening frames after foes held a 62-17 advantage during the first quarters of the previous six contests (UNC, UH, MEM, NAVY, TLN, USM). The game was tied 17-17 at the half. Opponents have outscored East Carolina 164-85 during the first half of the last eight games. o In Conference USA games this season the Pirates have been outscored 139-79 in the opening half, but hold a 104-71 advantage over the foes after intermission. East Carolina’s 17 points in the opening half were tied for the second most the Pirates have scored before intermission this season (24 vs. South Carolina in the first game of the year). The Pirates passed for 38 yards in the opening half today and tallied just 26 before intermission last week. ECU passed for 203 yards, pushing its 2011 total to 3,148. It is the third-straight season, and sixth in program history, surpassing 3,000 aerial yards. The yardage total is the third highest in program history. The 2010 squad set the record with 4,143 passing yards. East Carolina rushed for a season-best 186 yards and is averaging 138.7 yards per game in the last six contests after totaling just 345 rushing yards in this season’s first five matchups (69.0 ypg). o The rushing yardage is the most for ECU since tallying 194 against Marshall on Oct. 23, 2010. The Pirates also tallied one rushing touchdown. East Carolina has rushed for 12 touchdowns the last six weeks after registering only three ground scores in the first five games. Entering the game, the Pirates ranked last at the FBS level in turnovers per game with 2.90 and committed two turnovers in the contest with a fumble and interception. o East Carolina now has 31 giveaways this season, the most since committing 32 in 2003. ECU forced a pair of UCF turnovers with first and fourth-quarter interceptions. It is the seventh time this season, and 11th time in the last 19 contests, ECU has caused two or more turnovers. o In the Ruffin McNeill era, the Pirates are 9-4 when creating two or more turnovers and 2-9 when they don’t. East Carolina kept UCF from scoring two times when the Knights were inside the redzone. The pair of stops gives the Pirates 12 holds when an opponent has been inside the redzone this season. A year ago, the Pirates had just nine total redzone stops in 13 contests. The Pirates converted two fourth-down opportunities and have been successful on seven of their last eight tries. UCF converted nine-of-18 opportunities (50.0 percent) on third down after foes had been successful on just 19-of-62 third-down opportunities (30.6 percent) in the last six contests. The Pirates recorded a season-high tying four sacks, bringing their season total to 19. In 2010, ECU tallied 14 sacks. o ECU also set a year best with eight tackles for a loss. In the last two weeks, the Pirates have tallied 14 TFL after having just 11 in the previous three contests. UCF totaled just 198 yards passing. It is ECU’s sixth-straight game holding an opponent under 200 aerial yards, the longest streak for the program since nine consecutive contests during the 1980-81 seasons (North Carolina, William & Mary, Miami (Fla.), Eastern Kentucky, N.C. State/’80; Western Carolina, North Carolina, N.C. State, Toledo/’81). The Knights totaled only 313 yards against the Pirates. In the last five Conference USA games, ECU has allowed an average of 288.0 yards per contest. East Carolina allowed 37 punt return yards and has surrendered 255 in the last four games (63.8 ypg). With its first-quarter touchdown, ECU extended its streak to a school-record 179 games without suffering a shutout. OTHER Team Captains: Offense: Steven Baker, Dominique Davis; Defense: Emanuel Davis, Derek Blacknall; Special Teams: Ben Ryan Up Next: The Pirates play their final regular-season game of the 2011 season next Saturday at Marshall (5-6, 4-3 C-USA). East Carolina holds a 9-3 advantage in the all-time series against the Thundering Herd and has won the last three meetings. The game will kick off at 3:30 p.m. ET with national television coverage provided by CBS Sports Network, formerly called CBS College Sports.
WITH THE WIN (cont.) ECU ups its record in Conference USA play to 4-3. The last five seasons, the Pirates had been 5-2 (2010, 2008-06) or 6-1 (2009) through seven league tilts. o Since C-USA’s divisional format was implemented in 2005, East Carolina joins Southern Miss and Houston as the only league programs to win four or more conference games every season. TEAM NOTES The Pirates ended their home season with a 3-3 record, good for the program’s seventh consecutive non-losing home campaign. The last time ECU finished below .500 inside Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium was in 2004, when the squad went 2-3 at home. East Carolina ensured its sixth-straight winning season against C-USA East Division foes as it is now 3-1 against Memphis, Southern Miss, UAB and UCF with Marshall remaining. The Pirates went 4-1 in 2010, 5-0 in 2009, 4-1 in 2008, 3-2 in 2007 and 4-1 in 2006. ECU held a 10-7 lead at the end of the first quarter. In the last two games the Pirates have outscored UTEP and UCF 17-7 in the opening frames after foes held a 62-17 advantage during the first quarters of the previous six contests (UNC, UH, MEM, NAVY, TLN, USM). The game was tied 17-17 at the half. Opponents have outscored East Carolina 164-85 during the first half of the last eight games. o In Conference USA games this season the Pirates have been outscored 139-79 in the opening half, but hold a 104-71 advantage over the foes after intermission. East Carolina’s 17 points in the opening half were tied for the second most the Pirates have scored before intermission this season (24 vs. South Carolina in the first game of the year). The Pirates passed for 38 yards in the opening half today and tallied just 26 before intermission last week. ECU passed for 203 yards, pushing its 2011 total to 3,148. It is the third-straight season, and sixth in program history, surpassing 3,000 aerial yards. The yardage total is the third highest in program history. The 2010 squad set the record with 4,143 passing yards. East Carolina rushed for a season-best 186 yards and is averaging 138.7 yards per game in the last six contests after totaling just 345 rushing yards in this season’s first five matchups (69.0 ypg). o The rushing yardage is the most for ECU since tallying 194 against Marshall on Oct. 23, 2010. The Pirates also tallied one rushing touchdown. East Carolina has rushed for 12 touchdowns the last six weeks after registering only three ground scores in the first five games. Entering the game, the Pirates ranked last at the FBS level in turnovers per game with 2.90 and committed two turnovers in the contest with a fumble and interception. o East Carolina now has 31 giveaways this season, the most since committing 32 in 2003. ECU forced a pair of UCF turnovers with first and fourth-quarter interceptions. It is the seventh time this season, and 11th time in the last 19 contests, ECU has caused two or more turnovers. o In the Ruffin McNeill era, the Pirates are 9-4 when creating two or more turnovers and 2-9 when they don’t. East Carolina kept UCF from scoring two times when the Knights were inside the redzone. The pair of stops gives the Pirates 12 holds when an opponent has been inside the redzone this season. A year ago, the Pirates had just nine total redzone stops in 13 contests. The Pirates converted two fourth-down opportunities and have been successful on seven of their last eight tries. UCF converted nine-of-18 opportunities (50.0 percent) on third down after foes had been successful on just 19-of-62 third-down opportunities (30.6 percent) in the last six contests. The Pirates recorded a season-high tying four sacks, bringing their season total to 19. In 2010, ECU tallied 14 sacks. o ECU also set a year best with eight tackles for a loss. In the last two weeks, the Pirates have tallied 14 TFL after having just 11 in the previous three contests. UCF totaled just 198 yards passing. It is ECU’s sixth-straight game holding an opponent under 200 aerial yards, the longest streak for the program since nine consecutive contests during the 1980-81 seasons (North Carolina, William & Mary, Miami (Fla.), Eastern Kentucky, N.C. State/’80; Western Carolina, North Carolina, N.C. State, Toledo/’81). The Knights totaled only 313 yards against the Pirates. In the last five Conference USA games, ECU has allowed an average of 288.0 yards per contest. East Carolina allowed 37 punt return yards and has surrendered 255 in the last four games (63.8 ypg). With its first-quarter touchdown, ECU extended its streak to a school-record 179 games without suffering a shutout. OTHER Team Captains: Offense: Steven Baker, Dominique Davis; Defense: Emanuel Davis, Derek Blacknall; Special Teams: Ben Ryan Up Next: The Pirates play their final regular-season game of the 2011 season next Saturday at Marshall (5-6, 4-3 C-USA). East Carolina holds a 9-3 advantage in the all-time series against the Thundering Herd and has won the last three meetings. The game will kick off at 3:30 p.m. ET with national television coverage provided by CBS Sports Network, formerly called CBS College Sports.
