Pirates Run Past Huskies, Rack Up Records On Senior Day

Saturday, November 17

Greenville, N.C.

7:00 P.M.

East Carolina University

3-7 , 1-6

Connecticut

1-10 , 0-7

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

UCONN

ECU

November 18, 2018 | Football

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Game Book (PDF) l ECU Notes (PDF) l Quotes (PDF)

GREENVILLE, N.C. -- It was an evening of milestones, records, big numbers and big emotions for ECU on Saturday as the Pirates celebrated Senior Day with a 55-21 American Athletic Conference victory over Connecticut on Bagwell Field inside Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium.

Trevon Brown had four catches for 31 yards and one touchdown, boosting his season totals to 64 catches for 1,030 yards and pushing him past 1,000 for the second year in a row. Nate Harvey had five total tackles, including three sacks. That gives him 24 tackles for loss for the season, a new AAC record.

A ground game that had mostly struggled this season broke out in resounding fashion as the Pirates totaled 415 yards on 54 carries, their first time over 400 since a game against Memphis in 2007.

Additionally, after not having a 100-yard rusher in any contest this season, they had two as quarterback Holton Ahlers carried 12 times for 130 yards and running back Trace Christian rushed 13 times for 102. Ahlers, who also completed 22 of 31 passes for 242 yards and four touchdowns, had the third-highest single-game rushing total by an ECU signal-caller and most since 1990.

The last time ECU had two 100-yard rushers in a game was in 2003, when Vonta Leach (111) and Marvin Townes (107) did it against USF.

The Pirates scored the last 41 points of the game as they improved to 3-7 overall and 1-6 in the AAC. UConn dropped to 1-10 and 0-7.

"It was a great night for our seniors, first and foremost," said head coach Scottie Montgomery, whose team will return to action at Cincinnati at 3:30 p.m. Friday. "It's been about them all week, and really emotional the last couple of days. We just did everything around them this week. We let them pick the uniforms, let them stand up in front of the team and stay thank you for everything Pirate Nation has meant to them. It was a special night to be able to go out and win in the fashion that we did."

ECU outgained UConn 657-274. The Huskies scored on their first three drives, accumulating 225 yards in the process, but were shut down after that as the Pirates made adjustments. ECU had two interceptions - by Colby Gore and Damel Hickman - and Harvey forced a fumble that he also recovered.

UConn quarterback David Pindell entered the game with 1,115 yards rushing, but was held to 30 yards on 15 carries. He also was 15-for-25 passing for 156 yard and all three of his team's touchdowns, but in addition to the interceptions, was sacked four times

"Defensively, that was as dominant of a performance after the second quarter that we've had," Montgomery said. "The takeaways were just beautiful to see. They say you get one, then they'll come in bunches. Let's just hope the come in bunches now and our offense can continue to use those turnovers and turn them into points."

Cannon Gibbs, who had seven tackles including 2.5 for losses, said it was a bittersweet feeling playing his final home game.

"I'm very thankful and blessed to be here and be a part of this program," he said. "Tonight is something I'll never forget, my last game in Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium and winning with all my brothers."

ECU received the second-half kickoff and immediately went to work on increasing its 34-21 advantage. Tyler Snead caught his third touchdown pass of the game from Ahlers from five yards out to make it 41-21 with 9:52 left in the third. The key play on the drive was a 26-yard run by Anthony Scott on fourth-and-2 from the 31.

"I think one of the things that was really rewarding was seeing guys like Snead get three touchdowns," senior offensive tackle Garrett McGhin said. "That's unreal. And Holton Ahlers getting his first career win, to say I was a part of stuff like that is probably what means the most."

After forcing a punt, the Pirates scored again on their next possession. A 34-yard run by Scott gave them first-and-goal from the 10, and two plays later Ahlers hit Brown in the back of the end zone on a 9-yard touchdown pass. That made the score 48-21 with 2:28 left in the third quarter.

Scott finished with six rushes for 67 yards.

ECU forced another punt, then closed the scoring with an 8-yard touchdown run by Christian with 10:14 to play. Christian ran for 40 yards on the drive, which was kept alive by a 17-yard completion from Ahlers to Terrell Green on third-and-9 from the UConn 39.

ECU had taken a 34-21 lead to the locker room at halftime after scoring the last 20 points of the half, including the last six after a pair of turnovers

The Pirates took the lead at 28-21 on a 5-yard touchdown run up the middle by Scott with 2:03 left in the second quarter. On UConn's ensuing possession, Harvey forced a fumble by Pindell and recovered at the UConn 26. Four plays later, Jake Verity made it 31-21 with a 26-yard field goal with 51 seconds left in the half.

"It was a stab-swipe move," Harvey said. "All year I've been going up and under, so he was prepared for it. I saw him kicking out real slow, so I put my hand on his shoulder and smacked his hand down and just wrapped. I didn't even know it came out until I fell down and saw it, so I jumped on it."

The Huskies then committed another turnover on their second play when Pindell was intercepted deep downfield by Gore at the ECU 29. The Pirates quickly worked their way up the field with a 21-yard pass across the middle to Blake Proehl, a 16-yard run by Ahlers to the 34, and a 12-yard completion over the middle to Snead. As time expired, Verity was true on a 39-yard field-goal attempt.

After allowing UConn to score on its first three possessions — passes of 41 and 13 yards from Pindell to Tyler Davis and a 6-yard pass to Hergy Mayala — ECU'S defense clamped down and forced punts on the Huskies' next two drives before forcing the two turnovers.

The ECU offense, meanwhile, was clicking on all cylinders. It scored on its first three possessions on a 6-yard pass to Snead in the right side of the end zone, a 24-yard pass to Snead and a 2-yard run by Ahlers on which he somersaulted into the end zone over a UConn defender.

After the play, Ahlers got some advice from Montgomery.

"I told him, 'Don't jump anymore. Step to the side of him. You're in the end zone. Score, hand the ball to the official, and come back over to me healthy,'" Montgomery said. "But he's got the Superman in him, no question. Sometimes he pulls that cape out, and I'd like to see it a lot less and just let him stay on his feet and stay healthy."

ECU was forced to punt only once in the first half. Despite having the ball for more than four minutes less than UConn (17:11-12:49), the Pirates held a 385-226 edge in total offense. ECU did the bulk of its damage on the ground, totaling 211yards.

Ahlers was 13-for-19 passing for 174 yards in the first half, including a 12-yard completion to Trevon Brown, which put Brown over 1,000 yards for the second season in a row.

"I did everything in my power over the summer, back in the spring, to work hard just so I could get this opportunity," Brown said.

Montgomery said Brown's work ethic is what sets him apart.

"I've said it before, Trevon hasn't missed a practice," he said. "When you're a receiver, there are all kinds of things that come up. Fingers, hamstrings, turf toe, knees, shoulders, a plethora of things that can come up. But he hasn't missed."

Ray Tillman led the defense with 10 tackles (3 for loss). Devon Sutton closed his career at home with nine stops, and Colby Gore had five tackles.

"It means a lot to win on Senior Night," Ahlers said. "It was special night for those seniors, and I'm glad we won for them."

- Joe Corley