Sophomore Zach McMillian and the Cougars will be challenged by an ECU offense boasting quarterback Dominque Davis and receiver Lance Lewis. | Joshua Siegel/The Daily Cougar
Don’t sleep on the Pirates.
ECU’s record is deceiving. They come to Robertson Stadium with a 1-3 mark, but East Carolina will provide the Cougars with their toughest challenge yet.
Their lone win was against winless Alabama-Birmingham, but their three losses came at the hands of No. 12 South Carolina, No. 11 Virginia Tech and a 4-1 North Carolina team.
Teams have taken advantage of the Cougars porous run defense this season, but this contest might be the first true test of the Cougars’ defense against the pass.
“This really presents some challenges defensively that may be a little different from some other games,” head coach Kevin Sumlin said. “Just from the standpoint of the type of offenses that you’re going to play against and you’re going to see.”
ECU plays a similar offensive style to UH. They play fast. They like to get their receivers open in space and let them use their speed.
The biggest challenge for the Cougars’ secondary will be how they compete against the size of the Pirates’ receivers.
The last time UH faced an oversized receiver, 6’8 UCLA tight end Joseph Fauria, he lit them up for 110 yards and a touchdown on six receptions.
The Pirates don’t have anyone quite as gigantic as Fauria, but Lance Lewis (6’3), Justin Hardy (6’1) and Andrew Bodenheimer (6’3) will create matchup problems.
Like UTEP, sophomore cornerback Zach McMillian said he feels his size (5’10) might make him a prime target to pick on.
“They have some bigger receivers that like to jump ball with you,” he said. “You know they’re going to try and pick on me because I’m a smaller size. We would like to get up close and try and slow them down at the line of scrimmage since they’re so fast and big.”
Thankfully for the Cougars, defensive backs D.J. Hayden, Chevy Bennett and Colton Valencia should all be ready Saturday.
It will be important for the Cougars to get off the field quickly and get the offense back on to score.
“We like to win, let’s just say that,” McMillian said. “But there’s also a win and loss battle every time you step out on the field — third down, fourth down. When you get off of the field on third down that’s a win.
“We really do enjoy winning, but it seems like we’re not making as many plays as we should defensively and getting our stops because it’s one mental error here, one mental error there. If we cut those out, I think we can be a pretty good defense.”
Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. at Robertson Stadium. It will be televised on CBS Sports Network and broadcast on 790 AM.
Very good and unbiased article very professional. Especially for a student newspaper which tend to be VERY slanted. That being said I will offer bad news. ECU does have a WR the size of Joseph Faurnia. Justin Jones(Caught the hail mary last year against Tulsa) 6'-8" 264 soph was #1 on the depth chart till he was injured in fall camp. Last week versus UNC was his 1st game back. So you should see him out on the field.