Clear Corner Communication
August 09, 2018 | Football
GREENVILLE, N.C. – Big plays proved to be a thorn in the side for ECU last year.
The history books will state the Pirates gave up 77 plays and 25 touchdowns of 20 or more yards in 2017. Fifty-six of those plays were passes, including six touchdowns of 70 or more yards. New defensive coordinator David Blackwell brought in a different scheme, and the players have bought into it.
Communication is key.
"We've just had to adapt to knowing where our help is," said junior cornerback Colby Gore, who started nine games as a true freshman in 2016 and already has seen action in 22 overall contests. "I think that's the biggest thing with Coach Blackwell's scheme."
After overseeing the entire secondary last year in his first season with ECU, Brandon Lynch is coaching the cornerbacks this year. It's part of a philosophy change under Blackwell. Newcomer Daric Riley coaches the safeties, and both Lynch and Riley are in charge of the nickel backs.
"Not only has our defensive line improved, our scheme has improved, our second-level defenders and our linebackers have improved as well as our safeties and our corners outside," Lynch said. "So, at this point right now we're working the body and wanting to execute."
As a player, Lynch was a proven winner. He helped Middle Tennessee State to a conference title in 2001, and then was a Super Bowl champion with Indianapolis in 2007 and a Grey Cup champion with Saskatchewan of the CFL the next year. He's passing on his knowledge to the players under him.
"We want to be physical on the edges and really concentrate on executing outside and restricting space," he said. "So being outside predominantly with the corners, I'm making sure we can do that."
Lynch leads a group spearheaded by Gore and Corey Seargent, along with newcomers Michael Witherspoon and Warren Saba.
Gore was seventh on the team last year with 37 tackles (25 solo), including a sack against BYU, and was ECU's "Defensive Skill Player-of-the-Year." He's the projected starter at the boundary corner spot and should vie for honors in the American Athletic Conference. He has seven career pass break-ups, and as a freshman had two interceptions.
Seargent, a senior, also should be in the mix for conference honors, provided he can stay healthy. He logged significant time on the field the last three years, including as a true freshman in 2015, but also has been limited by injuries. Seargent, expected to start at field cornerback, got into seven games a year ago, with five starts, and totaled 19 tackles (11 solo).
Witherspoon, a junior, and Saba, a sophomore, are junior college transfers. Witherspoon was a two-year starter at Hutchinson (Kan.) Community College, and last year totaled 42 tackles, 10 pass breakups, one forced fumble and a blocked kick.
Saba had an outstanding season at Garden City (Kan.) Community College with 71 tackles, two forced fumbles, 22 pass breakups and five interceptions.
"Colby is doing a fantastic job," Lynch said. "He's been working the body, and he's really come out here and had zoom focus daily as far as with his practice habits. Corey Seargent is another one that has been consistently getting better. Witherspoon and Warren Saba, they're also really working the body and doing a great job of executing."
"We have a lot of competition in the corner room," Gore said. "I know we definitely have four potential starters with me, Seargent, Witherspoon and Warren Saba. Everybody makes plays and everybody has their days. Right now we're just seeing who can do that with the most consistency."
The secondary is tested daily in one-on-one drills in practice by an offense with a deep receiving corps, led by Trevon Brown.
"It's great to go against one of the best receivers in the country," Seargent said. "When I go out against other guys, I feel like nobody can compare. He's going to win some and I'm going to win some, but I'm going to make sure I win more, though."
•The offense and the defense took turns asserting their dominance today at the Cliff Moore Practice Facility as the Pirates worked out for the sixth time.
The defense got the better of it early as ECU worked on third-down situations. Head coach Scottie Montgomery said the defense dominated the drill as well as it ever has under him, and the reason was simple.
"Pass rush," he said. "Kendall Futrell was dominant again, Raequan Purvis showed up a couple of times. Some of our young guys showed up as well. The pass rush is presenting a little bit of a problem for (the offense) at certain times, especially in our second and third groups."
The last period of the day was work in the red zone, and the offense took its turn getting the better of the action.
"We've got to play better red-zone defense than we did today," Montgomery said. "I thought Coach Blackwell did a good job of mixing the calls up, but we just had some breakdowns in coverage, and we can't have that."
The Pirates will return to the practice fields on Friday, leading into their first scrimmage of camp on Saturday.
- Joe Corley
The history books will state the Pirates gave up 77 plays and 25 touchdowns of 20 or more yards in 2017. Fifty-six of those plays were passes, including six touchdowns of 70 or more yards. New defensive coordinator David Blackwell brought in a different scheme, and the players have bought into it.
Communication is key.
"We've just had to adapt to knowing where our help is," said junior cornerback Colby Gore, who started nine games as a true freshman in 2016 and already has seen action in 22 overall contests. "I think that's the biggest thing with Coach Blackwell's scheme."
After overseeing the entire secondary last year in his first season with ECU, Brandon Lynch is coaching the cornerbacks this year. It's part of a philosophy change under Blackwell. Newcomer Daric Riley coaches the safeties, and both Lynch and Riley are in charge of the nickel backs.
"Not only has our defensive line improved, our scheme has improved, our second-level defenders and our linebackers have improved as well as our safeties and our corners outside," Lynch said. "So, at this point right now we're working the body and wanting to execute."
As a player, Lynch was a proven winner. He helped Middle Tennessee State to a conference title in 2001, and then was a Super Bowl champion with Indianapolis in 2007 and a Grey Cup champion with Saskatchewan of the CFL the next year. He's passing on his knowledge to the players under him.
"We want to be physical on the edges and really concentrate on executing outside and restricting space," he said. "So being outside predominantly with the corners, I'm making sure we can do that."
Lynch leads a group spearheaded by Gore and Corey Seargent, along with newcomers Michael Witherspoon and Warren Saba.
Gore was seventh on the team last year with 37 tackles (25 solo), including a sack against BYU, and was ECU's "Defensive Skill Player-of-the-Year." He's the projected starter at the boundary corner spot and should vie for honors in the American Athletic Conference. He has seven career pass break-ups, and as a freshman had two interceptions.
Seargent, a senior, also should be in the mix for conference honors, provided he can stay healthy. He logged significant time on the field the last three years, including as a true freshman in 2015, but also has been limited by injuries. Seargent, expected to start at field cornerback, got into seven games a year ago, with five starts, and totaled 19 tackles (11 solo).
Witherspoon, a junior, and Saba, a sophomore, are junior college transfers. Witherspoon was a two-year starter at Hutchinson (Kan.) Community College, and last year totaled 42 tackles, 10 pass breakups, one forced fumble and a blocked kick.
Saba had an outstanding season at Garden City (Kan.) Community College with 71 tackles, two forced fumbles, 22 pass breakups and five interceptions.
"Colby is doing a fantastic job," Lynch said. "He's been working the body, and he's really come out here and had zoom focus daily as far as with his practice habits. Corey Seargent is another one that has been consistently getting better. Witherspoon and Warren Saba, they're also really working the body and doing a great job of executing."
"We have a lot of competition in the corner room," Gore said. "I know we definitely have four potential starters with me, Seargent, Witherspoon and Warren Saba. Everybody makes plays and everybody has their days. Right now we're just seeing who can do that with the most consistency."
The secondary is tested daily in one-on-one drills in practice by an offense with a deep receiving corps, led by Trevon Brown.
"It's great to go against one of the best receivers in the country," Seargent said. "When I go out against other guys, I feel like nobody can compare. He's going to win some and I'm going to win some, but I'm going to make sure I win more, though."
•The offense and the defense took turns asserting their dominance today at the Cliff Moore Practice Facility as the Pirates worked out for the sixth time.
The defense got the better of it early as ECU worked on third-down situations. Head coach Scottie Montgomery said the defense dominated the drill as well as it ever has under him, and the reason was simple.
"Pass rush," he said. "Kendall Futrell was dominant again, Raequan Purvis showed up a couple of times. Some of our young guys showed up as well. The pass rush is presenting a little bit of a problem for (the offense) at certain times, especially in our second and third groups."
The last period of the day was work in the red zone, and the offense took its turn getting the better of the action.
"We've got to play better red-zone defense than we did today," Montgomery said. "I thought Coach Blackwell did a good job of mixing the calls up, but we just had some breakdowns in coverage, and we can't have that."
The Pirates will return to the practice fields on Friday, leading into their first scrimmage of camp on Saturday.
- Joe Corley
Players Mentioned
Wide Receiver
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Defensive End
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Defensive Back
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Defensive Tackle
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Defensive Back
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Defensive Back
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Defensive Back
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