East Carolina: Great opportunity!

[bullsfan1983]

One other thing to explain my bullishness.  ECU is the crappiest rushing D we have played since WCU.

 

Would be even nicer if this was remotely true. ECU statistically will be the best run D we will have played. They have allowed 106 yards per game which is 17th in the country.

[Carolina_Bull]

One other thing to explain my bullishness.  ECU is the crappiest rushing D we have played since WCU.

 

Would be even nicer if this was remotely true. ECU statistically will be the best run D we will have played. They have allowed 106 yards per game which is 17th in the country.

I watch their games. Teams don't run against ecu. . . . They fall for the okeydoke and get into a track meet.

I'll bet you $200 we rush for more than 106.

The announcer last week openly questioned why people don't run on their soft d.

[bullsfan1983]

Where did I say that we wouldn't rush for 106 yards? Is 106 yards the barometer for success? The reality is that most of the games that ECU has played they have forced teams to abandon the run to play catch up. If we can keep pace with some early points then I could see running the ball successfully, but if we get down a couple scores early it's going to be a long day.

[bullsbucsfan426]

 

One other thing to explain my bullishness.  ECU is the crappiest rushing D we have played since WCU.

 

Would be even nicer if this was remotely true. ECU statistically will be the best run D we will have played. They have allowed 106 yards per game which is 17th in the country.

 

 

That number is skewed. ECU has not faced a single team ranked in the top 50 in rushing yards per game, if you look at their schedule, they really weren't able to stop RBs from running the football. QBs, sure, but we aren't a read option offense. Mike Davis of USCe had a hundred yards against this group (the team is ranked 63rd), Marshawn Allen of VT ran for 74 yards on 17 carries (VT is ranked 65th in rushing), and hell, UNC had two RBs combine for 85 yards on 17 carries against them. 

 

It's just that teams throw the ball so much against ECU that the running game gets lost in the numbers. 

if you want the blueprint to beating ECU, just look at South Carolina. They ran the ball and kept ECU off the field in the first half. They had two FG drives, but they went into the half with a lead. They then proceeded to wear down ECU (like every other team ECU has faced) and won TOP in the second half to win the game. This is not hard math. 

[B Easy]

ECU's schedule thus far has been harder but this is how the 2 teams match up:

 

ECU.......USF 

48th rushing offense.....80th rush defense 
4th pass O...............86th pass D 
4th total O..............67th total D 
9th scoring O (44 ppg)...86th scoring D (allows 29 ppg) 

17th rushing D...........92nd rush O 
42nd pass D..............115th pass O 
48th total D.............118th total O 
67th scoring D (allow 25 ppg)....111th scoring O (19 ppg) 

 

The Bulls would have to play their best game this season by far to have a chance to win. Not saying it can't happen but let's be real here. ECU's run D is not soft and ECU's run O is lethal with the top 3 RBs averaging 9.6, 8.8, & 6.9 yds per carry respectively against fairly good competition.   

[USFbulls24]

Guys we have the best defense in the conference and if our offense works as CWT intends it to be i see us winning... i got a feeling about this game and after todays upsets i think its possible here.

 

If our offense works as CWT intends it to... 

 

It's yet to happen and our total offense ranking is 121 out of 124 teams. I wouldn't be shocked by a decent game, but would be shocked by our offense working the way CWT intended it to and us putting up enough points to actually pull out a win. 

[USFbulls24]

Who else thinks WE are a bad matchup for ECU.

 

When ECU loses this season. . . . . and they will. . . . . it will be to a team that shortens the game and has speed on defense.

 

I would not be surprised if we are the best running team they have played and the fastest defense they have played (blasphemy I know since ECU actually played a 2nd rate SEC team).

 

 

 

I think we can frustrate ECU's offense and physically dominate their defense.

 

 

The closest thing to ECU on our schedule was MD, with their dual threat QB and legit receivers. . . . . . . . USF was a TERRIBLE matchup for them.  There were stretches of that game where our baby bulls dominated. . . . . especially on defense.  Are we not a better team now?

 

We can win this.

 

I'm not saying our defense can't play a good game, but what in the world have you seen that makes you think our offense can put up enough points?

[MaltLiquorBull]

Got to keep our offense on the field (and keep theirs off).  The key will be long sustained drives.

 

• No drive killing penalties like holding, etc.
• Convert 3rd downs
• Score touchdowns when in the red zone, not FGs

I said this already, but I do believe that it is in the AACs best interests to keep ECU ranked, so look for questionable calls that resemble last years UH game.  One more adversity for us to overcome in order to win.

[raptorcj]

We all know the numbers, B Easy. You can only hope it'll play out that way for your team. The numbers might even say our schedule has been softer, but we've had plenty of testing and a week to rest. Don't think it will be an easy win for the pirates.

[Rocky Style]

But what if we WIN?!