Pirates Bounce Back In First Two-A-Day
August 06, 2008 | Football
Aug. 6, 2008
GREENVILLE, N.C. - East Carolina completed its first two-a-day schedule of preseason camp Wednesday, working a little over two hours each during the morning and evening on Hight Field inside the Cliff Moore Practice Complex.
The Pirates, who have two more double practice days remaining during camp, also began their in-season preparation work in earnest after five introductory sessions which stressed fundamentals and an orientation-based review of head coach Skip Holtz' offensive and defensive schemes.
"Overall today was a much better day than what we had yesterday," Holtz said. "This morning we emphasized the passing game and tonight was about full team work, which I thought went real well. I was pleased with the way we bounced back in the heat and humidity out here. Now we just need to carry this over to the next practice and keep getting better."
After coming out in shells (helmets, shoulder pads and shorts) and emphasizing the passing game during the morning session, the Pirates worked in full pads under the lights and keyed teamwork before closing the action with red zone drills. East Carolina also spent its first significant time of the preseason stressing its two-minute package as the No. 1, No. 2 and No. 3 units devoted the last four periods of the morning to clock management - a critical phase of the game which helped the Pirates to late wins over North Carolina, UTEP and Boise State last year.
"We have talked about competing for a conference championship and have had the opportunity to do so," Holtz added. "We've gone deep into the last two years with an opportunity to represent our division and stubbed our toe in two away games as favorites. That's obviously the next hurdle we have to climb. We want to represent the East and win the conference championship. We were 1- 3 against BCS schools last year and we want to really pick that up and go 2-2 or 3-1. Are we there yet? That's what we're out here practicing to find out. I think we're close to where we need to be."
NOTES: ECU will return to its single workout schedule Thursday and Friday in preparation for the program's first intra-squad scrimmage Saturday afternoon which will produce the season's initial depth chart ... Thursday's Practice Time: 6:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.; Season Opener: Aug. 30 vs. Virginia Tech (12 noon) in Charlotte, N.C. (Bank of America Stadium).
