Kasey Ross

Height:
6-0
Weight:
180
Class:
Senior
Hometown:
Alachua, Fla.
High School:
Gainesville

Has quickly developed into one of the top-rated cornerbacks in Conference USA ... Perhaps derived more benefit from coaching change, especially the arrival of Rick Smith, than any other member of the defensive unit, earning full-time starting role after experiencing limited duty as a backup safety under previous staff ... Closed spring drills as the undisputed starter at one of the corner slots ... Has also contributed stellar special teams play during his career ... A speedy and savvy member of the Pirates[apos] secondary who already has 32 collegiate games under his belt ... Statistical totals are a little misleading as opponents consistently opted to throw in opposite direction as season progressed ... Booked one tackle in [apos]06 Purple-Gold Spring Game ... Originally signed with ECU program as a highly-heralded quarterback.

2005: Played in and started all 11 games at the cornerback position after making move from safety slot a year earlier ... Was among ECU[apos]s top 10 tacklers with 35 stops (32 coming as solo hits) ... Also credited with 2.0 tackles for lost yardage (-3), three interceptions and a team-high eight pass breakups ... Picked of passes against West Virginia, Marshall and UAB ... Posted both tackles behind line of scrimmage at SMU ... Top tackle-effort came against Marshall (six) ... Opened season with a unit-high three pass breakups vs. Duke and closed year with a pair against UAB ... Two tackles came as member of the special teams unit ... Recipient of team[apos]s 'Blackbeard Award' (defensive great plays) ... vs. Duke (9/3): Notched one tackle and broke up three passes ... vs. Wake Forest (9/17): Deflected one Demon Deacon pass and registered five tackles (four solo) ... vs. West Virginia (9/24): Brought down two Mountaineer defenders on two solo tackles in the secondary ... Recorded his first career interception and made a 14-yard return, setting up Pirates at the WVU 36-yard line ... vs. Southern Miss (10/1): Made two tackles ... vs. Rice (10/8):Recorded multiple tackles (two) for a third straight game and notched a pass breakup vs. the Owls ... vs. SMU (10/15):Recorded four solo stops, including two tackles for lost yardage (-3), and a pass deflection ... vs. Memphis (10/22): Tallied four solo tackles ... vs. UCF (10/29): Recorded three stops ... vs. Tulsa (11/12): Notched one tackle ... vs. Marshall (11/19): Recorded a season-high six tackles (three solo) against the Thundering Herd - his highest total since posting seven against Southern Miss in the season finale of the 2003 season ... Picked off his second pass of the year, thwarting a potential game-winning Herd drive late in the fourth quarter ...vs. UAB (11/26):Established a new personal-best with five solo hits vs. the Blazers ... Also picked off Darrell Hackney once (29-yard return) and logged a pair of pass breakups.

2004: Played in all 11 games off the bench as a key reserve at free safety ... Suffered a slight drop in statistical numbers but contributed solid role play and was an active member of the special teams unit ... Of his five overall tackles (two solo), three came on special teams play ... Posted his top game of the season in his home state with a three-tackle outing vs. USF in Tampa[apos]s Raymond James Stadium ... Booked single stops against Wake Forest and Memphis during the home finale.

2003: Played in 10 games as a true freshman and started the final three games of the season (USF, Tulane and Southern Miss) ... Finished the season with 16 tackles, including two for lost yardage, and one pass breakup ... Made his first career collegiate start against Bulls in Homecoming clash ... Recorded a career-best seven tackles in the season finale against Southern Miss at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium ... Also finished with multiple stops against USF (two) and Tulane (four) ... In fact, closed season with 13 combined tackles in his last three contests ... Made ECU debut in the third game of the year against Miami at the Orange Bowl.

High School: Passed for 1,529 yards, rushed for 985 yards and accounted for 16 touchdowns as a senior quarterback at Gainesville (Fla.) High School ... Earned second-team all-state and first-team all-area accolades ... Selected by the Gainesville Sun as the Class 3A-5A Offensive Player-of-the-Year ... Chosen to honorable mention all-state squad as a junior ... Posted three interceptions and a fumble recovery while playing as a third-down back on defense ... In all, picked up four football letters and served as team captain for coach Rick Swain.

Personal: Full name is Kasey Ezavous Ross ... Born December 13, 1984 .... Major is criminal justice.