I’m too lazy to look it up. You guys are good at investigating how we will match up.

I know I’m a homer but I know we will be a handful for anyone. If we establish the run game this year even remotely close to the past it will be a fun year. ECU will be drastically better no doubt and we better be ready.

In my opinion, it all comes down to how well our OL rebuilds...or improves from last year. That's a combination of the new starters and the additional year of experience for Cardwell as an OL coach. I think they will be much more cohesive because it's been a more "normal" off-season with in-person meetings, team building and normal practicing schedules. That's the key that will release Brice, or WRs and our RBs to perform and if that happens, we are going to put on an offensive show. I expect ECU to be a solid opponent, but App should have a solid win if we perform as expected.

I think our D also has the advantage and will play lights out. Even if the OL struggles, the D will keep the Apps in the game and give us the edge, but I think the Apps have the edge in both directions.

I’m sure this question might be better served on another topic but it still fits. It’s been mentioned that several people feel like a possible area/position of concern is our offensive line. I have no idea but other than that I really see no glaring weakness. Running backs, receivers and tight ends look deep and potentially crazy good. I feel fine with QB. All of the defense looks stout and has good depth as well. Kicking has experience and looks good also. Not really looking at a prediction but initially I could see us putting a real hurting on ECU if our line is stout. How will they stop us? We are not huge on the defensive line but we have shown that not to be a problem.

Cro-Magnon App wrote: ↑

Thu Jul 29, 2021 9:59 pm

I’m too lazy to look it up. You guys are good at investigating how we will match up.

On paper, we match up well. Run defense is their weakness and we run the ball. If we can pound on them early and often, we may be able to wear them down as the game progresses. On offense, the only real advantage over us may not materialize. We have always seem to have trouble with QBs that can run. Ahlers is a veteran and has the run/pass threat game. Not sure if Houston let’s him run. Overall, they aren’t bad. They are getting better.

It really depends on what ECU team shows up. If it's the team that played Georgia State last year, we win handily. If it's the team that played Tulsa and SMU last year, it's going to be a hell of a game.

They were really bad two years ago. They were mostly bad last year but showed flashes of improvement. Anyone who says they know how that translates to this season is just guessing.

When you play a bunch of young guys throughout the season and you see improvement, it’s encouraging that you are on the right track. When those guys come back the following year, with a whole off season to work; it doesn’t seem far fetched to feel optimistic.

ECUs defense was a liability last year, and their offensive line did no favors to Ahlers and their really good freshman RB Harris. Now of course like most G5 teams the Pirates are bringing back almost their entire starting players from last year (10 on offense and 10 on defense) so that terrible defense should see an uptick in production. Ahlers was Jekyll/Hyde in their 9 games last year topping 300 yards passing 3 times and below 250 in all other starts. LB Smith and CB McMillian are 2 defenders to keep an eye on, but our run game should make this one a pretty one sided affair.

Usually drunk...oh you mean the football team

Hopefully like a sinking ship on a Thursday evening before Labor Day 2021

bigdaddyg wrote: ↑

Fri Jul 30, 2021 6:04 am

I’m sure this question might be better served on another topic but it still fits. It’s been mentioned that several people feel like a possible area/position of concern is our offensive line. I have no idea but other than that I really see no glaring weakness. Running backs, receivers and tight ends look deep and potentially crazy good. I feel fine with QB. All of the defense looks stout and has good depth as well. Kicking has experience and looks good also. Not really looking at a prediction but initially I could see us putting a real hurting on ECU if our line is stout. How will they stop us? We are not huge on the defensive line but we have shown that not to be a problem.

The concern about the Oline is simply based on the amount of starters we lost from last season and one the returning starters is moving positions to Center. While I have no question that BH will excel at center, it is a new position so it is an unknown. On top of that, we don't have much in the way of game tested experience in the reserves should the injury bug bite one or two of our starting 5. While our defense is stout and returns everyone except Shemar Jean-Charles, we have lost a couple key backups to attrition at the cb positions during the offseason and Kaiden Smith is injured with an unknown return. So again, we have starters but lost significant depth at cornerback. Luckily we picked up a few players in the portal that may give us our depth back but that's still yet to be seen. So, the concern is really based on a lack of depth in case of injuries and the unknown about how 3 new starting offensive lineman will play. Other than that, I agree with you that we don't have any glaring weaknesses with our starting 22.

one of their boards seemed optimistic about their DL against our OL. We'll see.

This is the third year for their coach, so he's got some of his guys in now, and they will be juniors. 3rd year is when most new coaches start making noise. I think they'll be better this year, but we are 2 touchdown favorites for a reason.

All depends on our QB and new OC. A lot of their fans were upset about the spread, but do seem feel they are the underdogs.

"It's a huge relief being right at 100 percent, we've done about everything we can to protect our players," said Houston.

This gives them a big advantage over us come September 2.

ECU has an excellent coach in Houston. He's been a winner everywhere he's been in the past. With that said our OL will be the key. If we establish our running game and Brice is given time to throw the ball when we need to, we'll be OK. If he's running for his life early in the game we're in trouble.

Apps 27 pierats 21

GO APPS!

I personally believe this is a Q4 drive to win the game by TD or FG.

We destroy them and cover.

Tbatchelor1977 wrote: ↑

Fri Jul 30, 2021 8:46 pm

I personally believe this is a Q4 drive to win the game by TD or FG.

I believe it’s been done before by the longest field goal in history. It took forever for that thing to get through the uprights.

ECU essentially nuked their program 6 years ago by making some awful decisions.

They just now seem to be crawling out of it with Houston.

I think that App should win but ECU will put up a fight.

Only thing i say with any confidence is that we will know if Brice is the guy after this one. And if he’s not then there’s pretty good odds we wake up Friday morning 0-1.

They have two good backs, a good QB who can be a bit streaky through the air but it sounds like they plan to utilize him in the running game more this year, either 4 or 5 returning starters on the OL, and should have 3-4 decent-to-good WR. They have two good corners, a transfer Safety in DJ Ford from UNC who actually played in our game in Chapel Hill, thin and unproven on the EDGE but the middle of their DL should be pretty good, and the LB can probably be exploited about. I think their DC, Blake Harrell, will throw the kitchen sink at us, he likes to mix it up.

Could easily be wrong but I don’t see this as a game we can just pound the rock 35 times and win, gonna need Brice to prove to be that guy from the jump.