ECU Tops WCU In Season Opener, 52-7

Saturday, September 3

Greenville, N.C.

6:00 P.M.

East Carolina University

1-0

Western Carolina

0-1

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Western Carolina

East Carolina

September 03, 2016 | Football

Box Score

Notes l Quotes l Game Book (PDF) l Photo Gallery

GREENVILLE, N.C. – The Scottie Montgomery era at East Carolina started behind a precision passing performance by senior quarterback Philip Nelson, who shredded the Western Carolina defense for 398 yards and five touchdowns in a 52-7 victory in front of an energetic opening-day crowd in Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium.

Multiple weapons carried the offense and a balanced defensive effort controlled the field as Montgomery enjoyed a solid start under cloudy skies.

In his first start in Purple & Gold, Nelson connected on 28 of 32 passes to stake the Pirates to a 45-7 lead with 6:55 remaining in the third period before turning the controls over to senior wildcat specialist James Summers. Nelson, a member of the Pirates' scout team last season after transferring from Rutgers, had not taken a snap since the 2013 season when he played at Minnesota. He obliterated his previous career highs in every category, showing no rust from the 2-season layoff.

"We knew that Phil (Nelson) was going to be special and he was going to be ready," Montgomery said. "It has been a long time since he played. We had a whole lot to worry about outside of Phil and he handled his emotions and dealt with them all week. He prepared all week and I wasn't shocked."

Summers, who helped key a couple of first half scores as the wildcat signal caller in the Pirates full-throttle attack, ran for 95 yards and connected on his only pass for 15 yards to help ECU amass 688 yards in total offense.

"James Summers, where do you want to play him. That's the question," the rookie coach added. "We have to continue to work to make sure to get him the football."

Montgomery became the third consecutive Pirate coach to start his career with a win in Dowdy-Ficklen, bringing the overall record for debuts for to 10-11. Seven of the last nine Pirate mentors have kicked off with a victory.

The 688 total yards rank as the most ever posted in a season-opener by the Pirates. It also is the second largest output in Dowdy-Ficklen by ECU, trailing only the 789 yards against North Carolina in 2014.

Led by junior inside linebacker Jordan Williams with 10 tackles, the Pirate defense limited the Catamounts to a 4-play, 32-yard scoring march which trimmed the ECU lead to 17-7 midway the second period.

After that Catamount tally, it was all Pirates as the home team went to the locker room up 31-7 before tacking on 21 unanswered points in the third period to end the scoring.

Senior wide receiver Zay Jones hauled in 10 passes for 180 yards with a 4-yard touchdown pass to cap a 6-play, 80-yard second period drive which staked ECU to a 17-0 lead. He was just a yard shy of his career high for receiving yardage in a game, while posting his seventh career double-triple (catches-yards) and extended his streak to 36 consecutive games with a catch.

Junior running back Anthony Scott piled up 210 all-purpose yards with his first career 100-yard rushing day plus nine catches for 90 yards. He pulled in a 5-yard scoring pass from Nelson to cap a 9-play, 73-yard drive in the second period and added an 18-yard catch from Nelson to finish a 6-play, 76-yard march to push the score to 38-7 early in the third period. His 3-yard touchdown run capped the scoring with 1:39 left in the third.

Catamount freshman quarterback Tyrie Adams, who passed for 167 yards and led Western Carolina in rushing with 51 yards on 11 carries, led the visitors on an 11-play, 67-yard game-opening drive to the ECU 10. But, junior free safety Travon Simmons picked off a pass at the Pirate 4-yardline, returning the theft to the 11 to set up an answering 9-play drive which gave ECU the lead for good when Nelson carried the final seven yards to paydirt.

Junior running back Detrez Newsome went through the right side from 13 yards out to complete Western Carolina's abbreviated touchdown drive set up by a short Pirate punt.

Senior kicker Davis Plowman booted a 42-yard field goal and added seven extra point kicks. He now has notched a field goal in six consecutive games.

Senior linebacker Cam White totaled six tackles, including two behind the line of scrimmage, while sophomore outside linebacker Yiannis Bowden rang up five tackles and hurried two passes. Two of Bowden's stops were in the backfield.

The Pirates extended their streak against FCS opponents to 25 wins with ECU's only loss to the division a 28-16 setback against Eastern Kentucky in 1980. The Catamounts suffered their 52nd loss to an FBS foe without a victory.

ECU's 52 points tied the most in a season opener with wins over Tennessee Tech in 1988, Old Dominion in 2013 and North Carolina Central in 2014. The 413 passing yards are tied for the eighth highest total in Dowdy-Ficklen history.

Next Saturday, N.C. State brings a high-powered, explosive attack and a stingy defense to Greenville for a major early-season test for the Pirates. The Wolfpack passed for 262 yards and churned out 259 yards on the ground in a season-opening 48-14 win over William & Mary in Raleigh on Thursday. NCSU throttled the visitors, allowing just 168 total yards.