By By BRIAN HAINES, Sports Writer
GREENVILLE — On the surface the big match up in today’s game appears to be the East Carolina defense versus the SMU offense, but it’s not. The key component in today’s game is the Pirates’ offense versus themselves.
The ECU defense knows what to expect from coach June Jones’ run-and-shoot offense. Mustangs’ quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell is going to come out and throw it 40-50 times, find senior wideout Emmanuel Davis for a couple of big plays and hand the ball of to Miami transfer Shawnbrey McNeal roughly 17 times.
The East Carolina defense will stand tall, bend a bit, but not break. It has all year, especially with safety Levin Neal and cornerback Emanuel Davis back from injuries.
The big question is what will the offense do?
The Conference USA East-leading Pirates (3-2, 2-0) have managed to squeeze out victories versus fellow C-USA East opponents UCF and Marshall in back-to-back weeks leading up to today’s game, but SMU (2-2, 1-0) is a different animal. The Mustangs hail from the C-USA West, where time of possession and the I-formation are myths, not football edicts.
Mitchell, a true sophomore quarterback averages over 300 passing yards per game for an offense that is ranked fourth in the conference despite being ranked last in rushing.
Mitchell struggled a bit his last time out, but still managed to throw for 240 yards in the Mustangs’ 39-14 loss to No. 11 TCU last Saturday. ECU quarterback Patrick Pinkney threw for 131 yards against in the Pirates 21-17 win over Marshall.
Sanders, SMU’s all-time leader in receiving yards (2,918) is smashing school and C-USA records on a weekly basis. The 5-11 wideout averages 10.8 catches per game which is tops in the FBS. The senior’s 116.5 yards per game is the eighth highest in the country, while his 29 career TD receptions (seventh all-time on the C-USA list) has him tied with future NFL draft pick Dez Bryant (Oklahoma State) for most by an active player.
With Pinkney at the helm, the Pirates will never emulate their brethren to the west. What they have to do is control the clock and piece together steady drives that at the very least end in a field goal, while keeping turnovers to a minimum.
SMU runs a 3-4 defense that likes to flood the secondary and confuse QBs. The Mustangs are No. 1 in the nation with 12 picks. However, that won’t be much of a factor if ECU can run the ball.
The longer SMU, or any high-scoring C-USA West team for that matter, is off the field the better. ECU might need to lean on running back Dominique Lindsay more than ever as Pirate Radio 1250/930 AM reported on Friday that Brandon Jackson did not make the trip because he was feeling ill.
WIth Jackson out, Holtz will likely use three backs. Giavani Ruffin will be one of them, but the big question is who will come out of the dog house faster, Jon Williams or Norman Whitley.
Williams has been delegated to the bench because of a rash of costly fumbles, while Whitley hasn't had a carry all season.
Its been five games and the Pirates haven’t played a pretty one yet, but they have won more than they lost. It is what it is, and it’s ugly, but for now its winning. The truth is, the more the Pirates can ugly up today’s game, the better chance it has of wining because they will not win a shoot-out with SMU.
East Carolina heads into this match up being ranked dead-last in the conference in total offense with a 298 yards per game average, which means SMU’s Mitchell is producing more yards per game by himself.
Aside from wideout Dwayne Harris, who leads the team in all-purpose yards (657) and highlights, nobody else on the team has shown the ability to be that home run hitter/playmaker that scares the heck out of defenses.
SCOUTING REPORT:
Offense
ECU: The spotlight will be on the Pirates’ offense today as it tries to match points with the high-scoring Mustangs. Quarterback Patrick Pinkney’s 177 passing yards per game has him ranked eighth in C-USA, which is low for someone who has been around for six years. Another receiver besides Dwayne Harris needs to show he can consistently make plays. It’s not always Pinkney’s fault, there have plenty of drops, and what looks like confusion on routes. On the positive side, the return of running back Dominique Lindsay from an injured shoulder has been a blessing. Lindsay ran for 76 yards on 18 carries last week against Marshall. After missing the Marshall game due to a concussion, WR Jamar Bryant was listed as probable for today, while LT Terence Campbell (shoulder) is listed as questionable.
SMU: The Mustangs seemed to have caught on to second-year coach June Jones’ run-and-shoot offense. Last year SMU was 1-11, this year it already has two wins. True sophomore Bo Levi Mitchell is off to a good start and has the Mustangs’ offense ranked fifth in C-USA in scoring. Mitchell’s favorite target is WR Emmanuel Davis, who leads C-USA with 43 catches, and is second in yards per game with a 116.5 average. However, SMU’s other receivers are very talented. The Mustangs have five wideouts with over 10 catches this season. Junior Aldrick Robinson was a 1,000-yard receiver last year, while sophomore Terence Wilkerson has 14 catches for 243 yards. The overlooked piece of the offense is running back Shawnbrey McNeal. The Miami transfer capable of big things and averages 83 rushing yards per game in a pass-heavy offense.
Defense
ECU: A big fourth-and-1 stop in the final moments against Marshall reassured fans the Pirates’ defense is still what drives this team. Defensive coordinator Gregg Hudson has been more aggressive with his play-calling the last two games and it has been successful. Rushing the passer will be huge today, but it must be done by the D-line. ECU will need to keep as many people playing the passing lanes as possible. If not, then the Pirates must come after the sophomore Mitchell with linebackers and prove he can beat the blitz. With S Levin Neal and CB Emanuel Davis back from injuries, the deep ball has not been a problem, but expect SMU to take some shots down field and test out the ECU secondary out regardless.
SMU: Overshadowed by a high-profile offense, the SMU defense is much improved. Last season the unit ranked 118th in the nation allowing 480 yards per game, while this season its down to 400. The Mustangs run a non-blitzing 3-4 defense that loves to fan out and make it tough for quarterbacks to find passing lanes. SMU is ranked No. 1 in the nation with 12 picks, however, it has sacked the quarterback only four times. Rock Dennis leads C-USA in interceptions with three. Linebacker Chase Kennemer is the team’s leading tackler with 41, and had 18 versus No. 11 TCU.
Special teams
ECU: The Pirates lead Conference USA in punt return average, as they tally 21 yards per return. However, ECU is last in the conference in kick returns with a 19-yard per attempt average.
SMU: Sanders will be back returning punts for SMU. On the season, he has a 24.2 return average and one TD. PK Matt Szymanski has a strong leg and has hit from 53 yards out this season.