Pirates Fall To Midshipmen In Annapolis

Saturday, November 18

Annapolis, Md.

12 Noon

East Carolina University

2-9 , 1-6

Navy

5-5 , 4-3

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

East Carolina

Navy

November 18, 2023 | Football

Box Score Game Book (PDF)Postgame Notes (PDF)

ANNAPOLIS, Md. – East Carolina's stout defense contributed its part to a bid for a second straight win, but season-long struggles on offense led to a 10-0 loss to Navy on Saturday at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium.

ECU (2-9, 1-6 American Athletic Conference) finished with 189 total yards, committed three first-half turnovers and also gave up the ball in its territory when Luke Larsen dropped the ball while attempting a rugby-style punt. The Pirates failed to piece together more than a five-play drive in their first 12 possessions and did not amass more than 29 yards on any series until their last (39 yards).

"I'm not pleased with our production, obviously, and not pleased with our three turnovers," fifth-year head coach Mike Houston said. "I think we've got to be better. We've got to coach better; we've got to play better; that's obvious. There are obviously some things I've got to get addressed significantly."

Alex Flinn started again Saturday and never found a rhythm against Navy's constant pressure, completing 24 of 38 passes for 151 yards and a pair of interceptions.

Flinn led ECU in rushing with 41 yards on 12 carries. Javious Bond, Gerald Green and Rahjai Harris netted a mere 16 yards on six carries. All told, the Pirates had a season-low 34 yards on the ground and rushed for less than 100 yards for the sixth time this season.

"The biggest thing is they shut our run game down," Houston said. "It was very frustrating not being able to run the football; made us very one-dimensional. We made too many mistakes to keep drives going."

The Pirates' defense, meanwhile, kept Navy in check in a sloppy game that featured almost as many tackles for loss (20) as first downs (22), five turnovers, one missed field goal, one blocked field goal and 14 punts.

Senior Xavier Arline, Navy's fourth starting quarterback this season, completed 10 of 11 passes for 155 yards and rushed for 68 yards on 18 carries but also fumbled twice. His 39-yard scamper in the first quarter set up the game's only touchdown.

"We felt like if we made them operate and put stress on the quarterback, we can create some situations just like what happened in the first half with a couple of deals where he's trying to pull it late and we've got somebody right in his face. That's what causes those fumbles," Houston said. "It's just very frustrating that we gave the ball right back to them. That's what we couldn't do. We could not turn the ball over if we wanted to win this ballgame."

Navy (5-5, 4-3 AAC), which has now forced 22 turnovers this season, picked off an overthrow by Flinn on the game's opening series and again late in the first half, but did not score.

The only first-half score came when Navy cashed in excellent field position on its third series, taking over at the 47 and finding the end zone in just two plays for their seventh scoring drive in less than a minute this season. After a first-down penalty, Arline sprinted 39 yards down the right sideline to the 19.

Alex Tecza, who had a game-high 94 yards on 24 carries, also found a crease on the right side and ran untouched for the score.

ECU could not answer after forcing fumbles on Navy's next two possessions and taking over near midfield. Jason Shuford gave the Pirates their first opportunity when he pounced on a fumble at the Navy 48. A 16-yard keeper by Flinn moved the ball to the 32, but the drive stalled there, and Andrew Conrad pulled a 49-yard field goal attempt left of the upright.

Teylor Jackson stripped the ball from Arline on Navy's next series after the Midshipmen reached the ECU 37. Elijah Morris scooped up the bounding ball and rumbled to the 47. Three plays later, Clay Cromwell blindsided Flinn and knocked the ball loose, and Justin Reed made his fourth recovery of the year.

Neither team mounted a serious threat in the third period until Arline hooked up with Eli Heidenreich for a 49-yard pass – Navy's longest pass play of the year. But Shavon Revel, who had eight tackles, blocked a Nathan Kirkwood field goal attempt to keep the Pirates within one score.

The Midshipmen did not let their next chance go to waste. After recovering Larsen's fumble at the ECU 18, Navy extended its lead to 10-0 with Kirkwood's 27-yard boot.

Now the Pirates turn their attention to one final chance for a win, hosting Tulsa next Saturday at 2 p.m.

"We have a chance to finish things off on a positive note with a win at home next week against a very talented Tulsa team," Houston said. "I know what kind of effort we will get this week in practice from our players. Our coaches are going to work their tails off to make sure we're prepared, and we want to try to win the last one on Dowdy-Ficklen and send our seniors off the way they deserve."