Pirates Battle Scouts In Final Scrimmage
August 25, 2006 | Football
Aug. 25, 2006
Holtz Post-Scrimmage Quotes (audio)
GREENVILLE, N.C. - East Carolina's top offensive unit turned in a balanced attack which quickly erased a 7-0 deficit with 35 unanswered points while the Pirates' top defensive unit allowed just a field goal in the last seven possessions during ECU's less than spirited final full intra-squad scrimmage Friday afternoon at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium.
In a game which matched Pirate starters and top reserves against scout teams emulating first opponent Navy's offensive and defensive schemes, East Carolina's No. 1 offense picked up two rushing scores off 181 ground yards and netted three passing touchdowns off 192 air yards. Although ECU's first defensive unit did not record a turnover during the contest, the Pirates tallied three tackles for lost yardage and held the scout unit to just four-of-14 third down conversions.
"Overall, I didn't think we were as sharp and crisp as we needed to be," second-year head coach Skip Holtz said. "This is the first time that we have seen a lot of Navy's stuff coming at us. I just don't think we responded well as a team. I'm not sure if it is that we are at the end of camp, tired, or if we need a couple of days off to come back mentally. But we didn't come out and play with the energy that we need."
Senior quarterback James Pinkney, who completed 11-of-16 passes for 114 yards, hooked up with junior receiver Phillip Henry for 30 and eight-yard TD strikes during first half action. Redshirt freshman Rob Kass accounted for the game's only other aerial score, connecting with junior Steven Rogers on a 15-yarder in the third quarter.
"James Pinkney and the receiving corps have been a bright spot this camp," Holtz added. "James has been throwing the ball well and feeling comfortable behind center. It is a matter of everyone being in the same offense for another year. At the same time, it is also all of the hard work that everyone put in during the summer, throwing on their own. The passing game is all about timing and you have to keep working on it."
Senior running back Brandon Fractious led all rushers with 83 yards on eight carries, which included a three-yard scoring run, while sophomore quarterback Patrick Pinkney accounted for the other score with a 17-yard rush.
After surrendering a touchdown during the scout team's second possession of the contest, the Pirate defensive starters and top reserves allowed just a Ben Hartman 31-yard field goal during the remaining seven series. Junior linebacker Fred Wilson and junior tackle Wendell Chavis recorded 12 stops each while sophomore end Zach Slate and sophomore linebacker Pierre Bell contributed nine and seven tackles each, respectively.
Bell left the contest midway through the third quarter after suffering an apparent shoulder injury. Additional tests and evaluations are scheduled to be performed over the weekend before his game status will be revealed. Senior center Drew Sutton also left the game prematurely after suffering a knee injury early in the first half.
"We have some bumps and bruises and I am a little worried from an injury standpoint with a couple of guys," Holtz said.
The Pirates will take Saturday off before heading into game week preparations Sunday prior to their season opener against the Midshipmen Sept. 2 at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis, Md.
