Game Day Preview -
East Carolina
Take any analysis and throw it out the window. Things like:
- The 3-Step Drop. ECU uses a quick passing game to get the ball into space with the hopes that their receivers can break a tackle for a big play. This will put stress on our secondary. While we get Jabari Price back, this year our biggest weakness defensively has been the secondary. This quick passing game is an extension of their running game and we must be prepared to make one-on-one tackles in space. ECU has one of the youngest offensive coordinators, Lincoln Riley, in the country and he studied under Mike Leach at Texas Tech. He is going to spread it out and create space with 3, 4 and maybe even 5 wide receiver sets.
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| Eric Highsmith against ECU last year at Kenan. |
- Red Zone Efficiency. UNC has put 6 on the board in 12 of 14 visits to the red zone. On the other two visits, there was a fumbled snap against UVA and a game ending Victory-formation against Rutgers. Needless to say, we are efficient in the best possible sense. However, ECU eighteenth in the country in red zone defense, allowing only 9 TDs on 16 red zone possessions by the opposition. This is the same team that held VT to 17 at home.
Yup. Toss out the analysis. This is an intrastate game rivalry with a school that feels it has a stronger football tradition and more passionate fan base than UNC. It is their Super Bowl. Ask NC State. The Pirates have something to prove. It is a night game. A night game at a school that is known more for its partying than anything else. It is going to be loud. It is going to be rowdy. It is going to be intense. It is going to hostile.
If we are prepared and can handle the environment, we win big. Period. Their talent does not stack up to our talent. If we let it get away from us a little, we win, but it will be too close for comfort. If we aren't focused and it get loose, we could loose, but I don't think that will happen. Withers will have this team ready to play.
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