(RB Rahjai Harris – 247Sports)
Key Players Returning:
RB Rahjai Harris, WR Chase Sowell, OC Dustyn Hall, OG Jacob Sacra, OT Hampton Ergle, OT Parker Moorer, DE JD Lampley, DE Chad Stephens, DT Elijah Morris, DT Suirad Ware, NT D’Anta Johnson, LB Mike Edwards III, CB Isaiah Brown-Murray, CB Shavon Revel, BS Jordan Huff, SS Dontavius Nash, PK Andrew Conrad, and PT Luke Larsen.
Key Players Departing:
QB Alex Flinn, WR/KR Jsi Hatfield, WR Jaylen Johnson, OT Owen Murphy, DE Jeremy Lewis, LB BJ Davis, and FS Julius Wood.
(WR Yannick Smith – The Post and Courier)
Top 10 Recruits:
4 Star Recruits: WR Yannick Smith (Summerville, South Carolina).
3 Star Recruits: WR Trenton Cloud (Greensboro, North Carolina), RB London Montgomery (Penn State transfer), DS Ayden Duncanson (North Carolina transfer), TE Casey Kelly (Oregon transfer), QB Katin Houser (Michigan State transfer), LB Kevon Merrell (Cordele, Georgia), CB Eric Fletcher (Ft. Myers, Florida), QB Jake Garcia (Missouri transfer), and WR O’Mega Blake (South Carolina transfer).
2023 Results:
G01 @ #2 Michigan L 3-30
G02 MARSHALL L 13-31
G03 @ Appalachian State L 28-43
G04 GARDNER-WEBB W 44-0
G05 @ Rice L 17-24
G06 SMU L 10-31
G07 CHARLOTTE L 7-10
G08 @ UTSA L 27-41
G09 #24 TULANE L 10-13
G10 @ Florida Atlantic W 27-7
G11 @ Navy L 0-10
G12 TULSA L 27-29
Team Info:
2023 Record: 2-10 (14th in AAC)
Home: 1-5
Away: 1-5
Neutral: 0-0
AAC: 1-7
Non-AAC: 1-3
Head Coach: Mike Houston
East Carolina: 24-34
Career: 104-58
Bowls: 1-0
(WR Chase Sowell – 247Sports)
Returning Statistical Leaders:
Passing: Raheim Jeter (1-2, 1 yard, 50.0%, 0.5 avg., 0 TD, 0 INT)
Rushing: Rahjal Harris (129 car., 485 yards, 3.8 avg., 5 TD)
Receiving: Chase Sowell (47 rec., 622 yards, 13.2 avg., 1 TD)
TDs Scored: Rahjai Harris (6)
Sacks: D’Anta Johnson (4)
Tackles: Michael Woods III (61)
Interceptions: Dontavious Nash/Shavon Revel (1)
Pass Deflections: Shavon Revel (11)
Tackles For Loss: Chad Stephens (12)
Forced Fumbles: D’Anta Johnson/Chad Stephens (1)
Kick Returns: Javious Bond (9 ret., 193 yards, 21.4 avg., 0 TD)
Punt Returns: None
Kickers: Andrew Conrad (18-25 fg/fga., 72%, 20-21 xp/xpa., 74 pts.)
Punters: Luke Larsen (60 punts, 2453 yards, 40.9 avg., 19 in20)
Projected Offensive Starters:
QB: 11 Jake Garcia (RS JR/TR)
RB: 47 Rahjai Harris (GR)
WR: 5 Chase Sowell (RS SO/TR)
WR: 13 Anthony Smith (RS SR/TR)
WR: 1 Winston Wright Jr. (GR/TR)
TE: 10 Casey Kelly (GR/TR)
LT: 52 Parker Moorer (GR/TR)
LG: 55 Darius Bell (RS JR/TR)
OC: 65 Dustyn Hall (GR/TR)
RG: 76 Jacob Sacra (RS SO)
RT: 74 Hampton Ergle (RS SR)
KR: 30 Javious Bond (SO)
PK: 95 Andrew Conrad (JR)
Projected Defensive Starters:
DE: 3 Chad Stephens (GR)
DT: 90 Elijah Morris (SR)
NT: 56 D’Anta Johnson (RS SR)
DE: 32 Ryheem Craig (RS JR/TR)
LB: 10 Mike Edwards III (SR/TR)
LB: 23 Dameon Wilson (RS JR/TR)
NB: 25 Kingston McKinstry (GR/TR)
CB: 11 Andrew Wilson-Lamp (RS JR/TR)
CB: 28 Shavon Revel (SR/TR)
FS: 6 Dontavius Nash (RS JR/TR)
BS: 21 Jordan Huff (RS SR/TR)
PR: 19 Josh Murphy (RS SO)
PT: 12 Luke Larsen (GR)
(CB Shavon Revel – 247Sports)
Team Grades:
Offense
Quarterbacks: C
Running Backs: C
Wide Receivers: C
Offensive Line: C
Defense
Defensive Line: B
Linebackers: B
Secondary: C
Special Teams
Kick Returners: C
Punt Returners: C
Kickers: B
Punters: B
Schedule:
08/31 NORFOLK STATE SPARTANS | First meeting between schools.
09/07 @ Old Dominion Monarchs | East Carolina leads the series 4-0. The Pirates won (39-21) the last meeting between schools in 2022.
09/14 APPALACHIAN STATE MOUNTAINEERS | East Carolina trails the series 12-21. The Pirates lost (28-43) last season’s meeting between schools, and their last series win (35-13) was in 2012.
09/21 @ Liberty Flames | First meeting between schools.
09/28 UTSA ROADRUNNERS | Last season’s 27-41 loss was the first meeting between schools.
10/05 @ Charlotte 49ers | Last season’s 7-10 loss was the first meeting between schools.
10/19 @ Army Black Knights | East Carolina leads the series 8-0. The Pirates won (38-28) the last meeting between schools in 2004.
10/26 TEMPLE OWLS | The series is tied 10-10. The Pirates are 3-6 since 2014, and they won (49-46) the last meeting between schools in 2022.
11/07 FAU OWLS | East Carolina leads the series 2-0. The Pirates won (22-7) last season’s meeting between schools, and they won (31-13) the inaugural meeting in 2013.
11/14 @ Tulsa Golden Hurricane | East Carolina trails the series 8-9. The Pirates are 2-4 since 2014, and their last series win (30-17) was in 2015.
11/23 @ North Texas Mean Green | First meeting between schools.
11/30 NAVY MIDSHIPMEN | East Carolina trails the series 2-9. The Pirates are 1-6 since restarting the series in 2015, and their last series win (38-35) was in 2021.
Predictions:
Home: 3-3
Away: 1-5
Neutral: 0-0
AAC: 3-5
Non-AAC: 1-3
Overall: 4-8 (11th in AAC)
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