(Photo Credit: AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
Key Players Returning:
OG Isaiah Foote, DE Jeremy Lewis, DE Chad Stephens, DT Elijah Morris, CB Juan Powell, DS Shawn Dourseau, BS Teagan Wilk, DS Julius Wood, KR Jsi Hatfield, PK Andrew Conrad, and PT Luke Larsen.
Key Players Departing:
QB Holton Ahlers, RB Keaton Mitchell, WR CJ Johnson, WR Isaiah Winstead, TE Ryan Jones, OC Avery Jones, OT Noah Henderson, OT Justin Redd, OG Nishad Strother, DE Immanuel Hickman, DT Shaundre Mims, LB Chance Bates, LB Myles Berry, LB Xavier Smith, CB/PR Malik Fleming, and DS Gerard Stringer, DS Jireh Wilson and PK Owen Daffer.
Top 10 Recruits:
3 Star Recruits: LB RaRa Dillworth (North Carolina transfer), DS Dontavius Nash (North Carolina transfer), WR Nate Branch (Hopkins, South Carolina), WR Ryan King (Georgia Tech transfer), CB Tymir Brown (North Carolina Transfer), ATH Javious Bond (Gray, Georgia), WR Malik Leverett (Evans, Georgia), ATH Rico Watkins (Tallahassee, Florida), QB Raheim Jeter (Spartanburg, South Carolina) and EDGE Demoris Jenkins (Huntersville, North Carolina).
2022 Results:
G01 #13 NC STATE L 20-21
G02 OLD DOMINION W 39-21
G03 CAMPBELL W 49-10
G04 NAVY L | 2OT 20-23
G05 vs. South Florida W 48-28
G06 @ Tulane L 9-24
G07 MEMPHIS W | 4OT 47-45
G08 UCF W 34-13
G09 @ BYU W 27-24
G10 @ Cincinnati L 25-27
G11 HOUSTON L 3-42
G12 @ Temple W 49-46
BOWL vs. Coastal Carolina W 53-29
Team Info:
2022 Record: 8-5 (7th in AAC)
Home: 4-3
Away: 2-2
Neutral: 2-0
AAC: 4-4
Non-AAC: 3-1
Head Coach: Mike Houston
East Carolina: 22-24
Career: 102-49
Bowls: 1-0
Returning Statistical Leaders:
Passing: Mason Garcia (7-12, 54 yards, 58.3%, 4.5 avg., 0 TD, 0 INT)
Rushing: Marlon Gunn Jr. (67 car., 344 yards, 5.1 avg., 0 TD)
Receiving: Jaylen Johnson (26 rec., 340 yards, 13.1 avg., 4 TD)
TDs Scored: Rahjai Harris (6)
Sacks: Jeremy Lewis (4.5)
Tackles: Julius Wood (87)
Interceptions: Julius Wood (2)
Pass Deflections: Teagan Wilk (5)
Tackles For Loss: Chad Stephens (10)
Forced Fumbles: Julius Wood (3)
Kick Returns: Jsi Hatfield (14 ret., 387 yards, 27.6 avg., 1 TD)
Punt Returns: None
Kickers: Andrew Conrad (8-12 fg/fga., 67%, 26-26 xp/xpa., 50 pts.)
Punters: Luke Larsen (44 punts, 1779 yards, 40.4 avg., 14 in20)
Projected Offensive Starters:
QB: 10 Mason Garcia (RS SO)
RB: 21 Marlon Gunn (SO)
WR: 00 Kelan Robinson (RS SO/TR)
WR: 88 Jsi Hatfield (SR)
WR: 1 Jaylen Johnson (RS SR/TR)
TE: 80 Shane Calhoun (JR)
LT: 52 Parker Moorer (RS JR/TR)
LG: 00 Dustyn Hall (GR/TR)
OC: 74 Hampton Ergle (RS JR)
RG: 66 Isaiah Foote (JR)
RT: 99 Owen Murphy (RS SR/TR)
KR: 88 Jsi Hatfield (SR)
PK: 00 Jerry Rice (RS SR/TR)
Projected Defensive Starters:
DE: 40 Chad Stephens (RS JR)
DT: 90 Elijah Morris (JR)
NT: 56 D’Anta Johnson (RS JR)
DE: 11 Jeremy Lewis (SR)
LB: 00 BJ Davis (GR/TR)
LB: 6 Teylor Jackson (JR)
LB: 32 RaRa Dillworth (JR/TR)
CB: 26 Isaiah Brown-Murray (RS FR)
CB: 28 Shavon Revel (JR/TR)
FS: 4 Julius Wood (SR/TR)
BS: 9 Teagan Wilk (JR)
PR: 1 Jaylen Johnson (RS SR/TR)
PT: 00 Archer Trafford (RS SR/TR)
Team Grades:
Offense
Quarterbacks: C
Running Backs: B
Wide Receivers: C
Offensive Line: B
Defense
Defensive Line: B
Linebackers: C
Secondary: B
Special Teams
Kick Returners: A
Punt Returners: C
Kickers: C
Punters: B
Schedule:
09/02 @ Michigan Wolverines | First meeting between schools.
09/09 MARSHALL THUNDERING HERD | East Carolina leads the series 11-5. The Pirates won (42-38) the last meeting between schools in 2021.
09/16 @ Appalachian State Mountaineers | East Carolina trails the series 12-20. The Pirates lost (19-33) the last meeting between schools in 2021, and their last series win (25-13) was at the prior meeting in 2012.
09/23 GARDNER-WEBB Runnin’ Bulldogs | First meeting between schools.
09/30 @ Rice Owls | The series is tied 2-2. The Pirates lost (38-62) the last meeting between schools in 2010.
10/12 SMU MUSTANGS | East Carolina leads the series 5-4. The Pirates won (52-38) the last meeting between schools in 2020.
10/21 CHARLOTE 49ERS | First meeting between schools.
10/28 @ UTSA Roadrunners | First meeting between schools.
11/04 TULANE GREEN WAVE | East Carolina leads the series 12-7. The Pirates are 2-5 since 2013 and their last series win (52-29) was in 2021.
11/11 @ FAU Owls | East Carolina won (31-13) the only prior meeting between schools in 2013.
11/18 @ Navy Midshipmen | East Carolina trails the series 2-8. The Pirates are 1-5 since renewing the series in 2015 and their last series win (38-35) was in 2021.
11/25 TULSA GOLDEN HURRICANE | The series is tied 8-8. The Pirates lost (30-34) the last meeting between schools in 2020 and their lasts series win (30-17) was in 2015.
Predictions:
Home: 5-1
Away: 1-5
Neutral: 0-0
AAC: 3-5
Non-AAC: 3-1
Overall: 6-6 (10th in AAC)
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