ECU-Cincinnati Football Postgame Notes & Quotes

ECU-Cincinnati Football Postgame Notes & Quotes

12/06/2002

East Carolina Postgame Notes

Junior fullback Art Brown sat out his second straight game due to a groin injury. Brown, who rushed for 1,029 yards through the first 10 games this season, was again replaced in the starting lineup by senior Christshawn Gilliam.

Senior place-kicker Kevin Miller completed his ECU career as the school's all-time leading scorer with (287) points.

Senior punter Jarad Preston finished his career with an ECU-record 43.7-yard career punting average. The old record was 43.5, set by Andrew Bayes (1996-99).

Senior split end Richard Alston had a career-high eight receptions tonight, giving him at least one reception in each of his last 23 games. His 120 receiving yards were also a career best.

The Pirates moved to 52-53 all-time in televised games, including a 13-14 mark on ESPN/ESPN2.

ECU fell to 0-8 in games in which they have not held an advantage in turnover margin this season.

Christshawn Gilliam's 19-yard touchdown run in the third quarter was the first offensive touchdown of his career. It was his second career touchdown as he had an interception return for a defensive touchdown last season. Gilliam added a four-yard TD run later in the third quarter.

Senior wide receiver Torey Morris recorded his 15th straight game with at least two receptions.

The Pirates' 458 yards of total offense marked their third-highest output of the season and most in four games.

Cincinnati Postgame Notes

LaDaris Vann caught a pass in his 45th straight game, the third-longest active streak in the nation.

Blue Adams' first-quarter interception tied the UC marks for interceptions in a season (six) and career (12). He tied the season mark shared by four other players and the career mark held by Jocelyn Borgella.

The Cincinnati defensive touchdown (by Blue Adams) was the fifth by the UC defense in the last six games.

DeMarco McClesky broke the UC season record for rushing attempts as his 30 carries tonight pushed his total to 292. The old mark was 264 by Reggie Taylor in 1985.

McCleskey's second-quarter fumble ended a streak of 177 straight carries and 195 straight touches without a fumble.

The 78-yard touchdown pass from Guidugli to Olinger was the longest of both players' careers. It surpasses the 75-yard TD this year vs. TCU. It was the eighth-longest pass in Cincinnati history.

Jon Olinger recorded his fifth career 100-yard receiving game and fourth of the season. He tied the UC school record with three receiving touchdowns.

Gino Guidugli broke several UC passing records for the season, including attempts (438, surpassed old mark of 411 set by Greg Cook in 1968), completions (239, surpassed old mark of 237 set by Danny McCoin in 1986), total offense (3,354, surpassed old mark of 3,210 set by Cook in 1968), and passing yards (3,319, surpassed old mark of 3,272 set by Cook in 1968).

McCleskey recorded his sixth 100-yard rushing game this year and the 14th of his career. McCleskey's 161 yards pushed his season total to 1,276 and moved him into third place on the UC season rushing list.

With 30 carries, McCleskey broke the C-USA career mark with 752 rushing attempts. The old record was 743 by Houston's Ketric Sanford (1996-99).

Postgame Quotes

ECU Head Coach Steve Logan
"I pointed out to our team how close but also how far away we are from re-establishing ourselves. We just have too many youngsters in key positions on our football team."

On Christshawn Gilliam's performance ...
"He is one of the finest college football players in my experience as a coach. He understands intuitively everything about the game. Christshawn is just a great player, period. I was extremely fortunate that I got to coach that youngster."

On Richard Alston ...
"He did everything he could to help us try to win the game. He had some explosive plays, kept us in the game and gave us a chance to win. He is a player that might have a chance to play some more football."

On the seniors ...
"The seniors that are here -- most of which are fifth year and this is the first losing season they have experienced -- they have had three bowl games, which is a pretty good run and I don't think anyone else in the state can make that statement."

Overall perspective of this year ...
"We had a tough little ol' year this year, somewhat predictable from my perspective ... relating to the parallel journeys at the quarterback position, and our program flows with the quarterback play but we will get it squared away."

Cincinnati Head Coach Rick Minter
"We are trying to build our program to level of ECU, Louisville, and Southern Miss. I think we are at that level now. We are trying to be consistent. We have had two straight second places and now finally got over the hump and won the C-USA title with a good football team. It is all about our players, people, character, and work ethic. My hats off to our kids for going out there and getting the job done. They have the heart of champions. We have overcome so much this year, but for our players to have the toughest schedule in the conference and to have been champions says a lot about them. It was either "Champs or Chumps" tonight. We were going to be champions or chumps. We rescued it and we are looking forward to playing in the New Orleans Bowl."

On the third quarter shootout and the confidence he had in his team ...
"We talked to our kids about making big plays. We scored twice on defense and that is what we have been doing the last five weeks. East Carolina got after us tonight. They ran on us and it wasn't one of our best defensive performances statistically, but that was because of ECU. They made plays, but we hung in there and showed our character and answered with big plays. We have big playmakers that stepped up tonight in a big game for us. We were challenged by a very good, structured offense. They have good players and I know they are disappointed, but they will be back.

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