Grinding Away For A Third-And-Two
August 14, 2018 | Football
GREENVILLE, N.C. – One of the things ECU is stressing this season is an improved running game. In fact, head coach Scottie Montgomery has specifically mentioned that he wants to see the Pirates average 4.0 yards per rush.
There are several components that need to work together to get there, but it all starts on the offensive line. With that in mind, Don Mahoney was hired as the new offensive line coach in January, hoping to pave the way for an improvement on last year's 3.3-yard average.
Mahoney has a rich history on the offensive line. With Cincinnati from 2010-12, he had five players earn All-Big East honors, and the Bearcats led the conference in rushing in 2011 and 2012.
He then went to Tennessee from 2013-16. In his last two years there, the Volunteers averaged more than 200 per game yards on the ground, and in 2015 they totaled 2,908 yards - their highest total since 1951.
Consistency, Mahoney said, is the key.
"We've placed a heavy emphasis on (the running game), starting back in the spring and going to now," he said. "It takes a complete understanding from us up front, and then the running backs' reads. There's a patience level that has to be with it. Sometimes you gain two yards, then three, then you pop one for 12 or 14. It's just a mater of continuing to grind away."
The Pirates are working to achieve a solid seven- or eight-man rotation, and they have some good building blocks to start with. Garrett McGhin, a preseason All-American Athletic Conference pick by Phil Steele's College Football Preview Magazine, is back for his senior year and has been moved out to right tackle.
McGhin, one of the team's leaders, played center and guard last year. He has shed about 20 pounds and placed a greater emphasis on footwork, techniques, angles, getting to a spot and using his length to his advantage as he makes the move.
"It's a completely different animal," he said. "Every position is its own beast. There was a big transition when I went to center, and now there's a big transition going out to tackle. I was used to going against guys that are 300 pounds, running 4.9s or 5.0s, and now I'm going against guys that are 260 running 4.5s. It's a different ballgame."
"It's all about knowing the ins and outs of that position, and Coach Mahoney is doing a great job of teaching that."
John Spellacy is back at center, where he started eight games last year as a true freshman. Spellacy, who got his first start at West Virginia, was named preseason All-AAC by Athlon.
"We need to come out and fire out on every play, whether it's pass or run," he said. "We can't give away the pass in our stances. We have to come out with a bruiser mentality and beat the person in front of us on every play."
Cortez Herrin is the projected starter at left guard, and D'Ante Smith is projected at left tackle, with others looking for time on the left side including Dqmarcus Shaw and Sean Bailey. The right guard spot is still up for battle, with Jordan Johnson, true freshman Peyton Winstead and Fernando Frye vying for time.
Brandon Pena is the backup at center, and also could play guard.
"We're looking for more consistency, and we just keep driving that home," Mahoney said. "Fortunately there is time between now and game one to get things better."
In the passing game, ECU surrendered only 15 sacks a year ago when it threw 543 passes. Mahoney said that's a tremendous accomplishment, but he's more concerned with the number of hits allowed on the quarterback.
"Those are the ones that sometimes go somewhat unnoticed because the ball's gone, but it's that over-and-over effect that it has," he said. "Our quarterbacks have such a great understanding of getting rid of the ball and knowing where their hots are and so forth, but I think from a protection standpoint, we're getting challenged every day by our defensive front, and that's a solid group.
"We're not where we need to be from that end of it yet. But this is a new year, a new protection and a new run game, so I wipe that slate clean from last year and build on what we need to do for this year."
•On the heels of Saturday's scrimmage and a sharp practice on Sunday, the Pirates took Monday off and returned to the Cliff Moore Practice Facility on Tuesday morning.
Montgomery had a mixed reaction how things went.
"I thought our defense throughout the day dominated drills," he said. "There were some splash plays from the offense where they scored touchdowns, but I didn't think we did the job that we needed to do on offense. Defensively, I thought we had a lot more energy and a lot more tempo coming out of the day-and-a-half break.
"Our challenge is offensively, the way we come back. I know that we'll respond, but I just didn't like the tempo of practice on offense."
After continued video analysis of the scrimmage, Montgomery was even more upbeat than he was immediately after it was over.
"I probably saw more spectacular plays in that scrimmage than we've seen here," he said. "We had some real spectacular plays out of our receivers and some spectacular plays out of some of our defensive backs. And then our front, I thought there were times when Jalen Price and Raequan Purvis looked like they were in midseason form, so we're happy about that."
- Joe Corley
There are several components that need to work together to get there, but it all starts on the offensive line. With that in mind, Don Mahoney was hired as the new offensive line coach in January, hoping to pave the way for an improvement on last year's 3.3-yard average.
Mahoney has a rich history on the offensive line. With Cincinnati from 2010-12, he had five players earn All-Big East honors, and the Bearcats led the conference in rushing in 2011 and 2012.
He then went to Tennessee from 2013-16. In his last two years there, the Volunteers averaged more than 200 per game yards on the ground, and in 2015 they totaled 2,908 yards - their highest total since 1951.
Consistency, Mahoney said, is the key.
"We've placed a heavy emphasis on (the running game), starting back in the spring and going to now," he said. "It takes a complete understanding from us up front, and then the running backs' reads. There's a patience level that has to be with it. Sometimes you gain two yards, then three, then you pop one for 12 or 14. It's just a mater of continuing to grind away."
The Pirates are working to achieve a solid seven- or eight-man rotation, and they have some good building blocks to start with. Garrett McGhin, a preseason All-American Athletic Conference pick by Phil Steele's College Football Preview Magazine, is back for his senior year and has been moved out to right tackle.
McGhin, one of the team's leaders, played center and guard last year. He has shed about 20 pounds and placed a greater emphasis on footwork, techniques, angles, getting to a spot and using his length to his advantage as he makes the move.
"It's a completely different animal," he said. "Every position is its own beast. There was a big transition when I went to center, and now there's a big transition going out to tackle. I was used to going against guys that are 300 pounds, running 4.9s or 5.0s, and now I'm going against guys that are 260 running 4.5s. It's a different ballgame."
"It's all about knowing the ins and outs of that position, and Coach Mahoney is doing a great job of teaching that."
John Spellacy is back at center, where he started eight games last year as a true freshman. Spellacy, who got his first start at West Virginia, was named preseason All-AAC by Athlon.
"We need to come out and fire out on every play, whether it's pass or run," he said. "We can't give away the pass in our stances. We have to come out with a bruiser mentality and beat the person in front of us on every play."
Cortez Herrin is the projected starter at left guard, and D'Ante Smith is projected at left tackle, with others looking for time on the left side including Dqmarcus Shaw and Sean Bailey. The right guard spot is still up for battle, with Jordan Johnson, true freshman Peyton Winstead and Fernando Frye vying for time.
Brandon Pena is the backup at center, and also could play guard.
"We're looking for more consistency, and we just keep driving that home," Mahoney said. "Fortunately there is time between now and game one to get things better."
In the passing game, ECU surrendered only 15 sacks a year ago when it threw 543 passes. Mahoney said that's a tremendous accomplishment, but he's more concerned with the number of hits allowed on the quarterback.
"Those are the ones that sometimes go somewhat unnoticed because the ball's gone, but it's that over-and-over effect that it has," he said. "Our quarterbacks have such a great understanding of getting rid of the ball and knowing where their hots are and so forth, but I think from a protection standpoint, we're getting challenged every day by our defensive front, and that's a solid group.
"We're not where we need to be from that end of it yet. But this is a new year, a new protection and a new run game, so I wipe that slate clean from last year and build on what we need to do for this year."
•On the heels of Saturday's scrimmage and a sharp practice on Sunday, the Pirates took Monday off and returned to the Cliff Moore Practice Facility on Tuesday morning.
Montgomery had a mixed reaction how things went.
"I thought our defense throughout the day dominated drills," he said. "There were some splash plays from the offense where they scored touchdowns, but I didn't think we did the job that we needed to do on offense. Defensively, I thought we had a lot more energy and a lot more tempo coming out of the day-and-a-half break.
"Our challenge is offensively, the way we come back. I know that we'll respond, but I just didn't like the tempo of practice on offense."
After continued video analysis of the scrimmage, Montgomery was even more upbeat than he was immediately after it was over.
"I probably saw more spectacular plays in that scrimmage than we've seen here," he said. "We had some real spectacular plays out of our receivers and some spectacular plays out of some of our defensive backs. And then our front, I thought there were times when Jalen Price and Raequan Purvis looked like they were in midseason form, so we're happy about that."
- Joe Corley
Players Mentioned
Offensive Line
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Offensive Line
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Offensive Line
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Offensive Line
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Offensive Line
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Defensive Tackle
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Defensive Tackle
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Offensive Line
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Offensive Line
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Offensive Line
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Offensive Line
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