ECU Drops American Conference Opener At Navy, 45-21

Saturday, September 19

Annapolis, Md.

3:30 PM

East Carolina University

1-2 , 0-1

Navy

2-0 , 1-0

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

East Carolina

Navy

September 19, 2015 | Football

Box Score

Sept. 19, 2015

Final Stats | Photo Gallery

Game Book l ECU Notes l ECU Quotes l Navy Quotes l Sounds of the Game

By Mike Grizzard,
ECUPirates.com

ANNAPOLIS, Md. - Brief non-conference encounters with Navy on the football field have been less than pleasant for East Carolina. That did not change Saturday now that the two teams are fellow members of the American Athletic Conference.

In a dramatic contrast in styles on a historic day at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, old-school ball-control offense trumped the modern up-tempo passing game as the Midshipmen prevailed 45-21. A crowd of 34,717 witnessed Navy's first-ever conference game after 134 years of being an independent and saw Navy improve to 4-1 all-timer against ECU.

"Navy's got a lot of pride and tradition to our conference (after) 134 years of them being independent," ECU sixth-year head coach Ruffin McNeill said. "... We respect one another."

The Pirates have surrendered 35 or more points in four of five games against Navy's ground-oriented triple-option offense, including losses of 76-35 in 2010 and 56-28 in 2012. Heading into Saturday, McNeill knew possessions would be at a premium and falling behind would be dangerous.

ECU (1-2) had just five possessions each half, and the last of those came with just 35 seconds to play.

"Going into this game we knew we had to value possessions because there would not be many of them," McNeill said. "This offense is hard to prepare for. We did work in the fall. They did a great job of executing."

Navy (2-0) played keep-away much of the day with quarterback Keenan Reynolds, who scored five touchdowns, directing the show. The Midshipmen owned the ball for 36:38, compared to 22:47 for the Pirates, and churned out 415 if their 456 total yards on the ground.

Navy ran 82 total plays and passed just seven times, completing four for 41 yards.

Reynolds finished with 142 yards on 24 carries. His five touchdowns extends his NCAA record of touchdowns for a quarterback to 70.

Chris Swain added 123 yards on 29 carries and one touchdown.

"We game-planned for them," ECU linebacker Montese Overton said. "They are a good team, and they executed better than we did. We didn't come out and play like we were supposed to.

"Going into the game we thought we had a good game plan. In the game, we needed to adjust. It all comes down to basic execution. It's about standing up, being a man, and playing the play."

For the second straight week, the Pirates managed little on the ground. ECU had 80 yards rushing on 21 attempts, but 32 of those yards came on two carries on the final possession by walk-on Devin Anderson.

Blake Kemp, who was replaced by James Summers for three series last week at Florida, went the distance this week and once again showed an accurate touch by completing 36 of 49 passes for 325 yards and three touchdowns. But he had one crucial fumble and was stopped short on a fourth-down keeper.

Junior receiver Isaiah Jones followed up last week's 14-catch performance with 10 catches for 130 yards. Jimmy Williams had seven catches for 55 yards and one touchdown, and Bryce Williams had five receptions for 47 yards and two touchdowns.

"We keep learning things about our team each week," McNeill said. "This week we learned against the competition we played that every game you're going to have talented teams on both sides. You've got to learn as a football team that all three sides have got to play together at all times and feed off of one another."

Navy struck paydirt on all four first-half possessions, meticulously mounting drives covering 68 yards (10 plays), 56 yards (nine plays), 70 yards (nine plays) and 85 yards (13 plays). Of the 41 snaps for the Midshipmen, 37 were running plays and amassed 250 yards (an average of 6.8 yards per carry).

"The first half went how we wanted it to go on offense," Navy coach Ken Niumatalolo said. "We took care of the ball and didn't let their offense on the field."

The Pirates kept the ball 12 plays on their opening possession but turned the ball over on downs at the Navy 43 when a fourth-and-7 Kemp pass fell incomplete. Navy then proceeded to march to the end zone in nine plays - eight on the ground - for a 7-0 lead. Reynolds capped the drive, slipping in from the one for the first of his three first-half scores and five touchdowns on the day.

ECU answered with Kemp spreading the ball to five different receivers on an 11-play, 75-yard drive. Jimmy Williams leaped to grab a 2-yard pass for the score, and Davis Plowman tacked on the extra point to tie it.

But Navy dictated the remainder of the half to take a 28-14 lead to the break. Reynolds scored on another 1-yard run on the first play of the second quarter for a 14-7 lead, then after Plowman missed a 48-yard field goal attempt, the quarterback darted untouched from the 2 to make it 21-7.

Navy then forced the only punt of the first half and pieced together an 85-yard drive consuming nearly five minutes to extend the lead to 28-7. Chris Swain accounted for 28 of those yards on six carries, including the final four yards.

The Pirates got a jolt of life just before halftime as Kemp directed an eight-play, 75-yard drive culminating in a 17-yard touchdown pass to 6-foot-6 senior Bryce Williams to close the margin to 28-14.

The Pirates' defense stiffened early in the second half until an ECU fumble essentially sealed the deal. Navy came up a yard short on a fourth-and-7 pass from the ECU 33, but the Pirates returned the favor when Kemp was stuffed for no gain on a fourth-and-1 keeper at the Midshipmen 41.

Navy converted one fourth down on its next possession with the aid of an offside penalty but they punted from the Pirates' 37. However, on ECU's first play of the ensuing series, Kemp was stripped of the ball by Amos Mason and Will Anthony recovered at the 17.

The Midshipmen needed four plays - and one ECU penalty - to punch it in with Reynolds scoring from the 1 on the second play of the fourth quarter for his fourth of the day.

ECU kept its slim hopes alive when Kemp zipped a 12-yard pass to Bryce Williams for his second TD catch of the day.

But getting the ball back was a chore. Navy took possession with 10:20 to go and drained all but 3:45 with an 11-play, 75-yard drive. Reynolds again did the scoring honors, racing 17 yards for a 42-21 lead.

Kemp was picked off on the next possession, and Tyler Goble returned to the Pirates' 9. ECU kept Navy out of the end zone, but Austin Grebe knocked through a 25-yard field goal for a 45-21 lead.

Now ECU turns its attention to long-time rival Virginia Tech and welcomes a return to Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium after two road tests. Kickoff has been set for 3:30 p.m. (ET).

"We're looking forward to getting back to Dowdy-Ficklen, looking forward to getting around our own fans," McNeill said. "... It will be good to get in front of our home crowd, have a great week of practice and recover physically from this game. We'll learn from it, but we've got to get ready to move on."