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NCAA Football Betting Online: How do you replace the most productive receiver in college football history? Zay Jones shattered the record for receptions in a season last year, hauling in 158 passes in just 12 games. Jones was the first, second, and third option for the passing game, but despite his impressive numbers, the East Carolina Pirates couldn’t get victories. That will be the puzzle that second-year coach Scottie Montgomery will need to solve this season.
The Pirates are going to pass the ball all over the place. East Carolina had 150 more passing attempts than rushes last year and that will likely be the case again this season.
There is a full-on quarterback battle in Greenville between incumbent Gardner Minshew and graduate transfer Thomas Sirk. Sirk was granted a sixth year of eligibility after tearing an Achilles prior to the start of 2016. The year prior, he was solid for the Blue Devils in ACC play and led them to a bowl victory over Indiana. If he is fully recovered this should be a hard-fought battle to see who will take the snaps.
East Carolina has totally eschewed the style of play that brought them to relevance in the first place. The Pirates have historically had one of the better defenses for a small school team, but they failed to get going at all last year. They were among the worst 20 teams in college football in a host of defensive categories.
This unit will again struggle. They bring back a lot of the same players from last season, but while they have more experience, they just aren’t that talented.
East Carolina has one of the most formidable early season schedules of any Group of Five team. The Pirates could very easily lose every game on the docket until November and will likely only be favored in one or two games.
2017 East Carolina Pirates Schedule
September 2: East Carolina vs. James Madison
September 9: East Carolina at West Virginia
September 16: East Carolina vs. Virginia Tech
September 30: East Carolina vs. South Florida
October 7: East Carolina vs. Temple
October 14: East Carolina at UCF
October 21: East Carolina vs. BYU
October 28: East Carolina at Houston
November 4: East Carolina at Connecticut
November 11: East Carolina vs. Tulane
November 18: East Carolina vs. Cincinnati
November 25: East Carolina at Memphis
List of East Carolina Pirates Seasons
| Year | Record | Bowl Game |
| 2016 |
3-9 |
|
| 2015 |
5-7 |
|
| 2014 |
8-5 |
L – Birmingham Bowl |
| 2013 |
10-3 |
W – Beef O’Brady’s Bowl |
| 2012 |
8-5 |
L – New Orleans Bowl |
| 2011 |
5-7 |
|
| 2010 |
6-7 |
L – Military Bowl |
| 2009 |
9-5 |
L – Liberty Bowl |
| 2008 |
9-5 |
L – Liberty Bowl |
| 2007 |
8-5 |
W – Hawaii Bowl |
| 2006 |
7-6 |
L – PapaJohns.com Bowl |
| 2005 |
5-6 |
|
| 2004 |
2-9 |
|
| 2003 |
1-11 |
|
| 2002 |
4-8 |
|
| 2001 |
6-6 |
L – GMAC Bowl |
| 2000 |
8-4 |
W – Gallery Furniture Bowl |
| 1999 |
9-3 |
L – Mobile Bowl |
| 1998 |
6-5 |
|
| 1997 |
5-6 |
|
| 1996 |
8-3 |
|
| 1995 |
9-3 |
W – Liberty Bowl |
| 1994 |
7-5 |
L – Liberty Bowl |
| 1993 |
2-9 |
|
| 1992 |
5-6 |
|
| 1991 |
11-1 |
W – Peach Bowl |
| 1990 |
5-6 |
|
| 1989 |
5-5-1 |
|
| 1988 |
3-8 |
|
| 1987 |
5-6 |
|
| 1986 |
2-9 |
|
| 1985 |
2-9 |
|
| 1984 |
2-9 |
|
| 1983 |
8-3 |
|
| 1982 |
7-4 |
|
| 1981 |
5-6 |
|
| 1980 |
4-7 |
|
| 1979 |
7-3-1 |
|
| 1978 |
9-3 |
W – Independence Bowl |
| 1977 |
8-3 |
|
| 1976 |
9-2 |
|
| 1975 |
8-3 |
|
| 1974 |
7-4 |
|
| 1973 |
9-2 |
|
| 1972 |
9-2 |
|
| 1971 |
4-6 |
|
| 1970 |
3-8 |
|
| 1969 |
2-7 |
|
| 1968 |
4-6 |
|
| 1967 |
8-2 |
|
| 1966 |
4-5-1 |
|
| 1965 |
9-1 |
W – Tangerine Bowl |
East Carolina found success pretty quickly in the football world. The Pirates made, and won, a bowl game in their first season and were off from there. This is where the legendary Pat Dye cut his teeth before heading to Auburn and has always been one of the better small schools.
Steve Logan was the longest tenured coach at East Carolina. He coached the Pirates for over a decade and led them to six bowl bids. He ended up leading the school into Conference USA, where they were until joining the American.
You have to feel like Ruffin McNeill got a bad break. McNeil was fired after going 5-7 despite posting three straight eight-win seasons prior to that. He was replaced by Montgomery who got off to a rocky start. If he doesn’t take the team back to the postseason this year, there will be a lot of questions over why McNeill was fired in the first place.
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