East Carolina University
Temple
Gameday: ECU Travels To Temple For Season Finale
November 24, 2016 | Football
| East Carolina Game 12: Temple | |
| Date | Saturday, Nov. 26 |
| Time | 7:30 p.m. (EST) |
| Location | Philadelphia, Pa. (Lincoln Financial Field) |
| Tickets & Parking | Game Tickets |
| Live Game Coverage | Radio: WNCT 107.9FM | TuneIn Radio Online | Television: ESPNews/WatchESPN |
| Internet Options | Live Stats |
| Official Web Sites | East Carolina | Temple | American Athletic Conference |
| Game Notes | East Carolina (PDF) | Temple (PDF) | The American (PDF) |
| 2016 Football Statistics | East Carolina | Temple |
| ECU Football Central | Roster | Fact Book (PDF) | The American | NCAA Football | College Scoreboard |
| Official Social Media Sites | |
| East Carolina | Temple | The American | |
| East Carolina | ECUScoreboard (In-Game Updates) l Temple | The American | |
| Twitter Hashtags | #ECUPirates | #ECUFootball | #TUFB | #AmericanRising | #ECUvsTEM |
| East Carolina | The American | |
GREENVILLE, N.C. – East Carolina will officially close out the 2016 season when it faces Temple in an American Athletic Conference contest at Lincoln Financial Field beginning at 7:30 p.m. (EST). The Pirates will try to earn their first road win of the campaign and again attempt to play the role of spoiler when they square off against the East Division-leading Owls. Temple has won five in a row, including an impressive 46-30 decision over preseason division favorite USF in Philadelphia on Oct. 21. Of the 19 departing seniors, 18 will be wearing an East Carolina uniform for the final time of their career (nine on offense, seven on defense and two on special teams) Saturday.
EAST CAROLINA RECORDS AND STREAKS
- Qualified for 10 bowl appearances since 2000 (three of the last five years) ...
- Has won 30 of the last 37 games when scoring 30 or more points ...
- Has lost 21-straight games when scoring 20 or less points (19-14 vs. UCF in '09/last win) ...
- Has won 19 of the last 22 games when gaining 200 or more rushing yards ...
- Has racked up 400 or more yards in 11-straight games (only once in previous six games) ...
- Has won 29 of the last 31 games when leading at the half ...
- Has lost 10 of the last 12 conference games ...
- Has lost five straight (and seven of the last eight) regular season road games ...
- Has lost four of the last six road games played in the month of November ...
THE SERIES
Officially, East Carolina leads the series 8-5 ... On the field, Temple has captured wins in six of the 13 matchups, but the Owls' 45-28 victory in 1986 was later forfeited to the Pirates because of the utilization of an ineligible player ... Including the forfeit, ECU has triumphs in five of seven meetings in Philadelphia, but the two teams have split six games in Greenville ... The series dates back to 1982 when the Pirates competed as an independent.
DEFENSE, SPECIAL TEAMS FUEL OWLS' RECENT SERIES SUCCESS
During its current two-game win streak against the Pirates, Temple has forced a total of seven turnovers (3.5 tpg) and penetrated the East Carolina backfield on a consistent basis as evidenced by a total of 21.0 tackles for lost yardage and 10.0 sacks ... The Owls initiated their takeaway frenzy in the first American Conference meetings between the two programs in 2014 with five fumble recoveries before adding a pair of takeaways last year ... Additionally, Temple's special teams units have recorded three blocks - two punts and a FG try.
NITTANY LIONS, PANTHERS AND OWLS
ECU is 10-9 against FBS programs from the state of Pennsylvania (Temple/8-5, Pitt/2-2 and Penn State/0-2).
THE AMERICAN - YEAR THREE
ECU has posted a 79-53 (.598) all-time mark against current members of the American Conference ... The Pirates currently own series records against Memphis (15-6), Cincinnati (12-8), Tulane (11-3), UCF (10-5), Temple (8-5), Tulsa (8-6), Houston (7-5), SMU (4-3) Connecticut (2-1), Navy (1-5) and USF (1-6).
THE EAST HAS BEEN A BEAST
East Carolina owns a 2-7 mark (1-4/home, 1-3/road) against American Athletic Conference opponents in its own East Division since the league began divisional play in 2015 ... The Pirates' 44-7 win against UCF in their '15 road finale and a 41-3 win vs. Connecticut on Oct. 29 represents the only pair of triumphs ... In all, ECU is 1-1 vs. UCF, 1-1 vs. Connecticut, 0-2 vs. USF, 0-2 vs. Cincinnati and 0-1 vs. Temple while competing as division mates ... On the flipside, East Carolina is 2-4 against foes in the West Division so far (1-1 vs. SMU, 1-1 vs. Tulsa and 0-2 vs. Navy).
AMERICAN, NON-LEAGUE STATISTICAL COMPARISONS
In its seven American Athletic Conference contests (1-6) this year, ECU has averaged 28.1 points, 132.0 rushing yards, 337.3 passing yards and 469.3 total yards per game ... By comparison, the Pirates booked 29.2 ppg, 155.8 rypg, 368.0 pypg and 523.8 ypg averages in their four non-conference tilts in 2016.
ON THE ROAD - CLOSE TO .500 SINCE 2012
Since becoming a conference member in 1997, East Carolina is 54-77 (.412) when playing away from Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium ... Before an 0-5 clip this year, a 2-4 ledger in 2015, a 3-4 mark in 2014 and a 5-2 record in 2013,the Pirates were a combined 15-21 from 2012 to 2008 ... From a regular season standpoint, the Pirates have won 11 of the last 26 road contests dating back to 2012 (8-9 in conference play, 3-6 in non-conference action).
ATTENDANCE LEADERS
In addition to departing Conference USA as a six-time attendance champion - 2008 (42,016), 2009 (41,742), 2010 (49,665), 2011 (50,012), 2012 (47,013) and 2013 (43,985), as well as topping the American Athletic Conference during its first year of membership, East Carolina led all so-called "Non-Autonomy Five" conference members in attendance from 2012 to 2014 before following with a third-place standing in 2015 and a current first-place slot after 12 weeks of the 2016 season ... Overall, ECU ranks 53rd nationally in average attendance (44,113) and 50th in capacity percentage (88.23) after Week 12.
ANALYZING THE 2016 OVERALL SCHEDULE
East Carolina's 2016 schedule consists of games against two conference divisional champions (Navy and Temple/American West co-champs and East champs, respectively), eight bowl participants (NC State, Virginia Tech, USF, Navy, Cincinnati, Connecticut, Tulsa, Temple) and five programs that are either currently ranked or earning votes in the two major Top 25 polls (Associated Press/USA Today Amway Coaches) - Navy (RV/RV), Virginia Tech (RV/RV), USF (RV/RV), Temple (RV/--) and Tulsa (--/RV) ... Collectively, the Pirates' opponents this season are a combined 72-59 (.550) after the first 12 weeks of action.
CHARTING THE PIRATES MONTH-BY-MONTH
In all, ECU is 3-2-0 in August, 123-112-2 in September, 161-153-4 in October, 137-120-5 in November, 9-9-0 in December and 1-4-0 in January ... The Pirates continue play in November, a month in which East Carolina has captured 10 of the last 18 contests ... On the road however, ECU has dropped four of the last six (dating back to 2013).
MANY FIRST-TIME STARTERS SO FAR
There have been a combined 18 first-time starters in East Carolina's lineup so far this season -eight on the off ensive side of the ball with TE Stephen Baggett, WR Deondre Farrier, WR Terrell Green, G Garrett McGhin, QB Gardner Minshew, T Messiah Rice, T Justin Sandifer and RB Anthony Scott, and 10 on defense as OLB Kiante Anderson, DE Justin Brown, SS Bobby Fulp, OLB Kendall Futrell, CB Colby Gore, OLB Pat Green, CB Chris Love, DE Mike Myers, CB Corey Seargent and SS Devon Sutton have each made their respective starting debuts.
SPREADING THE WEALTH & TRIPLE-TRIPLES
ECU has featured a 100-yard receiver (13 times by three different players - Zay Jones/9, Jimmy Williams/3 and Quay Johnson/1) in 10 of 11 games this season ... Williams (145), Jones (137) and Johnson (113) all surpassed the century mark against UCF on Oct. 1 ... Most recently, Jones has topped all Pirate receivers in four consecutive games – 185 yards vs. UConn, 206 at Tulsa, 173 vs. SMU and a career-high 212 vs. Navy last Saturday.
ZAY'S STREAK
Senior WR Zay Jones, who was announced as a finalist for the 2016 Biletnikoff Award on Nov. 21, has caught at least one pass in 46-straight games ... The streak, which began vs. North Carolina on Sept. 28, 2013, ranks as the fourth-longest among all active receivers ... His 12-catch, personal best 212-yard day vs. Navy last week represented his 18th double-digit reception outing and his 19th triple-digit yard total at ECU … In his last four games, Jones has made 56 (14.0 rpg) receptions for 776 yards (194.0 ypg).
ZAY AGAINST THE FBS ... ENTIRE TEAMS
Zay Jones has more receptions than 15 entire FBS teams, including eight P6 programs – Jones 151, Kansas State 148, LSU 138, Rutgers 137, Kentucky 134, Kent State 133, Georgia Southern 131, Boston College 129, UNLV 129, San Diego State 128, Tulane 98, New Mexico 89, Georgia Tech 71, Navy 67, Air Force 58, Army 50 ... Of the P6 members, schools represent the Atlantic Coast (2), American (2), Southeastern (2), Big 10 (1) and Big 12 (1) conferences.
SPEAKING OF THE P6 .... #AMERICANPOWER
During Saturday's game, both East Carolina and Temple will continue to wear P6 helmet stickers, recognizing Commissioner Mike Aresco's long-standing message that the American Athletic Conference is a Power 6 Conference based on the league's competitive results and commitments made at all the conference's institutions.
IMPROVING REDZONE EFFICIENCY
Despite still ranking near the bottom of FBS units in redzone efficiency (73.3 percent), the Pirates have rebounded strongly with a near-perfect 18-of-19 combined performance vs. USF (3-3), Cincinnati (2-2), Connecticut (5-5), Tulsa (2-3), SMU (5-5) and Navy (1-1) in their last six games ... ECU got off to a slow start by converting only six-of-16 RZ trips (37.5 percent) in contests against South Carolina, Virginia Tech and UCF.
NOT EXACTLY LIVING A PIRATE'S LIFE
East Carolina has netted only eight (8) takeaways in 2016 and will likely establish a new single season record for fewest overall thefts (16 set in 2001 and 2015) ... From an interception standpoint, the Pirates have pilfered only five (5) passes this season and need two vs. Temple to avoid setting a new standard in that category as well (6/1986) ... The Pirates have managed just a combined 13 INTs in the last two campaigns.
FAR RANGING SNAP TOTALS
The Pirates have experienced offensive extremes this year ... ECU set a single-game record with 102 plays vs. UCF (Oct. 1) before getting off only 50 vs. Navy last week (fewest since '09).
SENIOR SENDOFF
A total of 18 Pirates will be dressing out for their final collegiate game when ECU meets Temple in Philadelphia on Saturday: DaShaun Amos (DB), DaShawn Benton (DB), Brandon Bishop (WR), J.T. Boyd (OL), Will Dancy (OL), Bladen Gatling (OL), Worth Gregory (P), Brian Hardy (WR), Zay Jones (WR), Demetri McGill (DL), Philip Nelson (QB), Davis Plowman (PK), Dayon Pratt (OLB), Fred Presley (DL), Terrell Richardson (ILB), James Summers (RB), Cam White (ILB) and Jimmy Williams (WR).
THIS AND THAT
INDIVIDUAL NOTES: OL J.T. Boyd (34 games) and CB Colby Gore (7) own the program's longest starting streaks on their respective side of the ball entering the Temple game ... Two "long-time" defensive starters - FS Travon Simmons (22) and ILB Cam White (10) - had their streaks snapped against SMU and Navy, respectively ... WR Zay Jones has caught multiple passes in 48 of 49 career games (none vs. VT in 2013) ... Of his 392 career receptions, 170 have gone for 10 or more yards (49 for 20-plus) ... His career-high 212 receiving yards vs. Navy marked the fifth time in school history a Pirate pass catcher had surpassed 200-plus yards (230/Justin Hardy vs. Tulane in 2013, 224/Cam Worthy vs. Virginia Tech in 2014, 218/Terry Gallaher vs. Appalachian State in 1975, 206/Jones vs. Tulsa in 2016) ... After making 13 catches for 200 yards in back-to-back weeks vs. Cincinnati and UConn, WR Jimmy Williams has caught a collective seven balls for 62 yards vs. Tulsa, SMU and Navy ... In his last six games (starts against USF, Cincinnati, UConn, Tulsa, SMU and Navy), RB James Summers has rushed for a combined 572 yards (95.3 ypg) on 97 carries (18-114/USF, 21-95/CIN, 19-84/UCONN, 13-54/TLS, 12-89/ SMU, 14-134/NAVY) ... He's scored a rushing TD in four consecutive contests (and in five of the last six) ... Summers has also accounted for 21 career TDs (15/rushing, 6/passing) and became the fi rst Pirate in the modern era to score via a pass, catch and run in the same game (vs. UConn) ... QB Gardner Minshew has completed 63-of-104 (60.6%) passes for 744 yards and fi ve TDs in his last three games (extended relief appearances vs. Tulsa and SMU, start vs. Navy) ... He set career highs in completions (29), attempts (49) and passing yards (336) against the Golden Hurricane and tossed a personal-best three TDs vs. the Mids ... ILB Ray Tillman (18) and FS Devon Sutton (8) each registered career-high tackle totals vs. Navy ... Tillman's tally was the most by an ECU defender since 2003 (18/Chris Moore vs. WVU) ... PK Davis Plowman was perfect in his only FG try vs. Navy (43-yarder) and has now made eight in a row and 10 of his last 11 attempts (3-4/USF, 2-2/CIN, 2-2/UCONN, 1-1/TLS, 1-1/SMU, 1-1/NAVY) along with 21-straight PAT conversions (since a first-quarter miss vs. NCSU back on Sept. 10) ... He's booked seven career multi-FG games and 150 total points.
TEAM NOTES: The Pirates have thrown at least one TD strike in 62 of their last 68 games ... ECU has tallied a combined four rushing TDs vs. SMU and Navy (after scoring only a collective four in their seven previous games) ... ECU has recorded seven sacks in its last four contests (0 in previous five games) ... The Pirates have featured a 100-yard receiver and rusher in the same game twice this season (Summers 114 rush/Jones 145 receive vs. USF, Summers 134/Jones 212 vs. Navy) ... East Carolina has allowed 24 or more first-half points in three-straight outings (24/TLS, 38/SMU, 31/Navy) ... ECU will enter the Temple contest with an active streak of 242 games of not suffering a shutout - a school record ... The last time the Pirates were blanked was on Oct. 4, 1997 (56-0 at Syracuse) ... A total of nine (9) players have had their redshirts removed in 2016 – OLB Kendall Futrell, CB Colby Gore, OG Cortez Herrin, RB Hussein Howe, QB Gardner Minshew, DE Jalen Price, DS Anthony Ratliff, OT D'Ante Smith and DE Alex Turner ... A total of seven (DB DaShaun Amos, OL J.T. Boyd, WR Jeff rey Coprich, OL Will Dancy, ILB Drayvon Fairley, P Worth Gregory, ILB Terrell Richardson) Pirates are competing as ECU graduates this season, which ranks in the top 20 nationally.
