By By STEVE FRANKLIN, Sports Writer
GREENVILLE — For the first time in nearly four months, the popping of pads and clanging of helmets echoed across East Carolina University’s campus on Tuesday.
Four days into preseason camp, the Pirates held their first full contact practice of the 2008 season Tuesday afternoon, as the mercury level inched toward the century mark..
Since April 16, when lightning and heavy rains forced coach Skip Holtz to cancel the second half of the annual Purple-Gold spring game, the Pirates have donned nothing more than helmets and shorts.
But earlier this week, the Pirates slipped on the shoulder pads for the first time, and on Tuesday were in full gear as the contact got under way.
After dozens of summer workouts and three days of running plays and going through drills, senior Davon Drew was also glad to be back into football mode.
Coach Holtz was glad to see his players out there hitting one another, but he was also a little disappointed with how the day went.
The Pirates will get a couple cracks to better their effort today. Today is the first of three double session workouts that ECU will hold this summer.
On Saturday, the Pirates will take over Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium for their first scrimmage of the season.
The Pirates and Hokies will open the season on Aug. 30 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte. Kickoff is set for noon.