ECU Falls At Memphis In Season Finale

Saturday, November 25

Memphis, Tenn.

12:00 P.M.

East Carolina University

3-9 , 2-6

Memphis

10-1 , 7-1

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

ECU

Memphis

November 25, 2017 | Football

Box Score

Game Book | Notes l Gallery

By Joe Corley
ECUPirates.com

MEMPHIS, Tenn. - The 2017 season came to an end for the ECU football team with a 70-13 loss to Memphis Saturday at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium.

The Tigers started fast and never looked back, scoring on their first play and then leading 28-0 by the end of the first quarter and 49-0 at halftime. The Pirates had a few chances to get on the scoreboard and stay within striking distance in that first half, but they missed field-goal attempts of 53 and 40 yards and threw an interception at the Memphis 7-yard line.

ECU finished the season 3-9 overall and 2-6 in the American Athletic Conference. The Tigers, who broke a seven-game losing streak against the Pirates, improved to 10-1 and 7-1 and will play at UCF in the American championship game next Saturday.

"This probably was the best team that we've played, and it's going to be an interesting championship game next week," ECU Head Coach Scottie Montgomery said. "I thought they were playing on all levels. The difference in skill that we saw today came from a lot of places, especially at (defensive back), at corner and at receiver. They're really, really talented."

Quarterback Gardner Minshew completed 28 of 54 passes for 351 yards and a pair of touchdowns for ECU, but also was intercepted three times. One of those was deep in Memphis territory, and another was returned for a touchdown.

Seven of Minshew's completions went to Trevon Brown, who gained 128 yards and reached a milestone. He entered the game needing 59 yards receiving to reach 1,000 for the season, and he achieved that late in the first half on a 19-yard pass from Minshew. Brown finished the season with 60 catches for 1,069 yards and a team-leading seven touchdowns.

ECU now has had a 1,000-yard receiver each of the last six seasons, with Brown joining Justin Hardy (2012, 2013, 2014) and Zay Jones (2015, 2016).

Tahj Deans and Hussein Howe had five catches each, with Deans gaining 59 yards and Howe 44. Jimmy Williams had one catch, but it was 33 yards for a touchdown. Stephen Baggett had a pair of catches, including the other touchdown from five yards out.

Tyshon Dye, who got into the game late in the third quarter and finished with 12 carries for 71 yards, led the rushing attack. Howe had 14 rushes for 48 yards.

Still, ECU was outgained 457 to 193 in the first half and 635 to 466 overall. Memphis scored each time it had the ball in the first half, except a kneel-down on the last play of the half.

Tigers quarterback Riley Ferguson threw only 13 times, but completed nine for 299 yards and three touchdowns. Anthony Miller had three catches for 144 yards and one touchdown, Damonte Coxie had two catches for 78 yard and a score, and Phil Mayhue had one catch for a 46-yard touchdown.

Patrick Taylor Jr. had six carries for 127 yards and two touchdowns, and Darrell Henderson rushed 10 times for 122 yards and two more touchdowns.

"We're going to have to get better in a lot of phases, and it can't be just the players," Montgomery said. "The coaches, our nutrition, everything we do has to be everyday. We can play against a lot of teams in this league. There's going to be teams with speed, and there's the rest of the group. We can play with a lot of teams that are not these speed teams, but they expose you once they get you out in the open field. Today was a really clear sight of that."

The Pirates won the coin toss and elected to receive. They gained one first down, but had to punt from their own 44. Memphis took over on its own 11, and on its first play Ferguson hit Miller on an inside receiver screen and Miller eluded all defenders on an 89-yard touchdown.

ECU again had to punt, and the Tigers went 73 yards on 10 plays to score again. Henderson rushed six times for 58 yards and had one catch for 14 yards on the drive, and scored on a 4-yard run.

On ECU's third play after the score, Jonathan Cook of Memphis intercepted Minshew's pass at the Pirates 32 and took it back for a touchdown.

The Pirates then went three-and-out, and the Tigers put together a quick 5-play, 66-yard drive, with Ferguson connecting with Mayhue for his touchdown.

Memphis scored three more times in the second quarter, on a 19-yard run by Doroland Dorceus, a 41-yard run by Taylor, and a 14-yard run by Henderson.

The Tigers scored the first touchdown of the second half to go up 56-0 before ECU got on the scoreboard on Williams' only catch. But the point-after attempt was blocked. Then, Tony Pollard returned the ensuing kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown.

"We're going to be better (next season), and I can guarantee that," Montgomery said. "I haven't given a lot of guarantees since I've been here, but we'll be a better football team and we're going to go play in the postseason next year. I'm convicted; I know that our guys will be.

"We have to add some pieces to the puzzle, there's no question to it. We have to do some things differently, and I accept that willingly, and that's exactly what we'll do."