Pirates, Blues and Barbecue - Day 4
December 31, 2009 | Football
Dec. 31, 2009
Dec. 31, 2009 - Holtz Post-Practice Interview
AutoZone Liberty Bowl Photos - Day 4 | AutoZone Liberty Bowl Photos - Day 3 | AutoZone Liberty Bowl Photos - Day 2 | AutoZone Liberty Bowl Photos - Day 1
Pirate Nation:
A Happy New Year’s Eve from Memphis and day four of our trip.
The weather here improved slightly as the rain subsided, but it’s still in the low 40s with cloudy skies.
Today was a simple day for the team as the only planned activities were the AutoZone Liberty Bowl Awards Luncheon and afternoon practice.
Tomorrow the team will enjoy its final day in Memphis before Saturday’s game against Arkansas. The players will spend three hours Friday morning exploring a local mall before doing a walk-through at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium. ECU will then enjoy dinner before watching the Rose Bowl and Sugar Bowl.
Awards Luncheon
The event began with numerous speakers welcoming and congratulating the players, coaches and administrators for making it to Memphis for the AutoZone Liberty Bowl. Steve Ehrhart, the executive director of the AutoZone Liberty Bowl; AC Wharton, Memphis’ mayor; and Joe Ford, the mayor of Shelby County, all spoke before lunch.
Highlight videos of Arkansas’ and East Carolina’s seasons were then shown before administrative personnel, coaches and a player from each school spoke. For ECU, Chancellor Steve Ballard, Athletics Director Terry Holland, Head Coach Skip Holtz and senior defensive lineman C.J. Wilson all addressed the crowd.
Following the speeches, Alfred White, the associate commissioner of Conference USA, and Debbie Corum, the associate commissioner of the Southeastern Conference, recognized all the players in attendance who had received first-team, second-team, honorable mention or specialty awards from the leagues.
The featured speaker at the lunch was Leigh Anne Touhy, who is the mother of Michael Oher, current Baltimore Ravens’ offensive lineman and the subject of the recently released movie The Blind Side. In the film, East Carolina alum Sandra Bullock plays Touhy. Oher grew up in Memphis and was virtually homeless before being taken in by the Touhy family. Oher went on to be an All-America offensive lineman at Ole Miss before being the No. 23 draft pick by the Ravens in April.
Afternoon Practice
It was the final practice of the 2009 season and the last time ECU’s 28 seniors would take the practice field and spirits were high. The players were focused but relaxed. Everybody was enjoying their time on the field. The rain stayed away for the entire 3-5 p.m. window, which was a nice change of pace from yesterday.
The team followed the traditional Thursday practice plan and focused heavily on special teams execution. After beginning practice with individual skill and drill work, the team spent time working on punt returns and kickoff returns. To close the practice, offensive and defensive units worked on final preparations against the Arkansas scout teams.
Today’s practice also had a special surprise guest as Coach Thomas “Rock” Roggeman flew in for this weekend’s game and was at the field this afternoon.
When Holtz blew the whistle to end practice, the players began heading toward him. Holtz was on one field while the defense was on another. Senior defensive lineman Jay Ross started jogging toward the field Holtz was on, and suddenly belly flopped into one of the numerous puddles caused by all of yesterday’s rain. Ross surfaced covered in mud from head to toe. All the players had a good laugh. Ross said he intended to fall into the puddle, but those in attendance were left to wonder.
The hear Holtz’ interview from after practice, click on the link at the top of the page.
ESPN Conference Call
After yesterday’s practice, Holtz, offensive coordinator Todd Fitch and defensive coordinator Greg Hudson took part in a conference call with ESPN television personalities Ed Cunningham, Ron Franklin and Jeannine Edwards. Cunningham, the analyst, and Franklin, the play-by-play announcer, are very familiar with the Pirates, having called the Conference USA Championship Game against Houston. Edwards, Saturday’s sideline reporter, last worked an ECU game at the 2007 Sheraton Hawai’i Bowl.
During the teleconference, Fitch, Hudson and Holtz all discussed the challenges Arkansas presents and how focused the Pirates have been this week. The three also talked about some ways the team might try to attack the Razorbacks. Because Cunningham and Franklin worked ECU’s most recent game, they had fewer questions than are usually posed during an ESPN teleconference.
Tonight, the players were given a few hours after dinner to go enjoy Beale Street one final night. However, individuals were not given all of New Years’ Eve downtown as Holtz said the team would be together in the lobby of the hotel when the ball dropped at midnight.
Pirates, Blues and Barbecue - Day 3
Pirates, Blues and Barbecue - Day 2
Pirates, Blues and Barbecue - Day 1
