Wealth In Numbers & Talent For Receivers

GREENVILLE, N.C. – The bad news for ECU's opponents is that Trevon Brown is back. Perhaps more concerning to foes is that the Pirates have a very deep corps of receivers, all of whom are capable of stepping up with big plays and big games.

With Brown and other players such as Deondre Farrier, Blake Proehl, Leroy Henley, Terrell Green and Tahj Deans leading the way in a pass catching group that goes pretty deep, ECU appears set. As an added bonus, those players feed off each other, making an already sturdy group even stronger.

All that brings a smile to the face of receivers coach Keith Gaither, now in his second season with the Pirates.

"I told my guys that I've had a number of players in the past who played in the NFL, but I've never had a collectively talented group like we have here this year," he said. "Every day I'm going in and changing the depth chart so they don't know where they're going to be playing. They don't know whether they're first team or second team, but they do know this: They can't have a day off, because if they do they're going on the elevator in the wrong direction."

Gaither's main goal in camp has been finding the right combination. After a breakout season a year ago in which he had 1,069 receiving yards, Brown will start on the outside. But who gets grouped with him? Farrier, set to have a possible honors-winning season of his own, is slated to start in the slot, but he'll be pushed hard by Proehl, who missed last year with an injury suffered on the first day of camp.

Henley also missed last year with an injury, but he has come back strong and likely will be behind Brown on the outside along with Deans, whom coaches say needs better consistency but is in a solid position to continue making strides after seeing action in nine games as a redshirt freshman a year ago.

Then there's Terrell Green, who is blessed with good size (6-4, 210) and an abundance of speed. Green, a senior, is looking to end his ECU career in style.

"I'm fortunate enough to have seven or eight guys that can play at a high level," Gaither said. "The hardest part is finding the right combination and getting them on the field. Once we get everybody on the same page and find the right group of guys, we're going to be a force."

That force clearly begins with Brown, who has been tabbed as preseason first-team All-American Athletic Conference by both Athlon's and Phil Steele's College Football Preview Magazine. He had a pair of 95-yard touchdown catches among his 60 receptions a year ago, when he totaled seven touchdown receptions and 1,539 all-purpose yards.

Just as vital as Brown's on-field play is how he has transformed himself into a team leader. Gaither has been able to use him almost as an extra coach at times in camp because of the way Brown leads both by example and by word.

"When you go back and look at my time since I've been here, it's unbelievable," Brown said. "I never thought I'd be sitting in this spot right now with all the problems I've had grade-wise, family-wise and other things outside of football. Not being able to be on the field two years ago, then coming back and having a great season last year. It's just been a great journey and I'm ready to finish writing my story."

Farrier has played in 20 career games as a part-time starter at ECU and made 45 catches for 516 yards and four touchdowns. He had a very productive offseason, and at the conclusion of spring ball was named "Most Improved Offensive Player."

Gaither called Farrier the most reliable player he has, one that he knows is going to play all-out every down from the snap to the end of the whistle.

"I feel like this is going to be my breakout season," Farrier said. "I have to progress. We have a very deep group in the receivers room. We push each other and hold each other accountable."

The way Proehl has returned to action has been the biggest surprise of the camp for Gaither. When players suffer the kind of injury Proehl had, sometimes they don't come back to the same level they were at before. Proehl, however, is playing so well that the coaches are having a hard time keeping him off the field.

"I can't say enough about him," Gaither said. "I didn't know how he'd recover, but he's done extremely well. His catch radius and his knowledge of the game are excellent. I expect him to be a big-time performer."

Henley also has returned to a high level and is looking for more consistency. Like Proehl, he was held out of contact work during the spring, but coaches like his hands, quickness, agility and explosiveness.

"Those two players, you're going to see and hear their names a lot this season." Gaither said.

Should any of those players get on the elevator headed down, as Gaither said, there are others ready to move up. Jonathan Johnson, Cam Marshmon, Duce Fuller and Mydreon Vines also are pushing for spots on the two-deep, along with freshman Juwan Moody.

•Going into the final scrimmage of camp on Saturday on Bagwell Field inside Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium, the Pirates worked out for about 90 minutes in helmets and shoulder pads Friday morning in the stadium.

"It was a nice little tune-up for tomorrow," head coach Scottie Montgomery said. "I think we got their attention. It's been really good this week getting to watch our ones and our twos gel. Tomorrow will be the last detail that we need to come across to join them as a team."

Camp has gone as well as the coaching staff had hoped. The Pirates will treat each of the next two weeks as game weeks as they prepare to play host to North Carolina A&T on Sept. 1 in the opener.

"These guys have really done what we've asked them to do to this point in camp," Montgomery said. "I'm really excited about moving forward now and preparing to go against a very skilled and well-coached opponent."

- Joe Corley

Players Mentioned

Trevon Brown

Tahj Deans

Deondre Farrier

Duce Fuller

Terrell Green

Leroy Henley

Jonathan Johnson

Cam Marshmon

Juwan Moody

Blake Proehl

Mydreon Vines

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