Pirates ready for moment in sun

GREENVILLE — It has no bearing on East Carolina’s position in the Conference USA race, but today’s visit from No. 22 Virginia Tech remains important to the Pirates for a number of reasons.

It’s a chance for ECU to measure itself against one of the nation’s top programs.

It’s an opportunity for a C-USA team to make some noise against the mighty Atlantic Coast Conference.

And most anyone with a passing interest in college football — including potential recruits — will be watching.

This, in other words, is more than just a non-conference friendly.

Today’s 7:30 p.m. game at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium, which will be broadcast on ESPN’s Thursday Night Football, will likely have the largest television audience to watch the Pirates play in several years.

ECU (5-3, 4-1 C-USA) has taken part in the network’s Thursday broadcast seven times, but not since 2001.

“The anticipation, the crowd — it’s going to be a real live game,” Pirates running back Dominique Lindsay said. “Playing on TV makes it that much better, because not only do the people in Dowdy-Ficklen get to see it, but everybody everywhere else gets to see it.”

Whether that’s a good thing or a bad thing in the end for ECU will depend upon how the Pirates respond to facing a team that was ranked fifth in the nation just three weeks ago.

The Hokies (5-3, 3-2 ACC) were riding high until consecutive league losses to Georgia Tech and North Carolina took them out of the national title discussion. Tech, which is trying to avoid losing three straight for the first time in six years, fell to the Pirates 27-22 in the season opener for both teams in Charlotte last season.

Asked if his team will play today with revenge in mind, veteran Hokies coach Frank Beamer was ambiguous.

“I think our guys want to play hard for each other and understand that this is a football team that beat us last year,” he said. “We need to play a great football game at their place to have a chance to win it.”

Tech is led by quarterback Tyrod Taylor, a dual-threat junior who directs an offense that has exploded for 44 plays of 20 or more yards. Taylor, who has an 18-5 record as the Hokies starter, has passed for more than 1,300 yards with nine touchdowns and three interceptions this season.

Running back Ryan Williams, who is 70 yards shy of 1,000, is among the nation’s top freshman backs.

“He can start, stop, bend it back, change direction,” ECU coach Skip Holtz said, referring to Williams. “Great vision, great speed. He can do an awful lot. He’s a big part of that big-play ability.”

Defensively, Tech employs a non-traditional 4-3 defense in which it brings the safeties down to act as bonus linebackers. The Hokies are holding opponents to 19.3 points per game while scoring an average of 30.6.

Pirates quarterback Patrick Pinkney, a sixth-year senior, saw Tech fall 20-17 to UNC last Thursday on ESPN. He said he didn’t see much difference between the current Hokies defense and the one that allowed him 211 yards and a touchdown on 19-of-23 passing last season in Charlotte.

“They’re basically the same as last year,” Pinkney said. “They play a little bit more man, but we’ve just got to control what we can control and execute our offense.”

The Pirates, who sit in first place in C-USA’s East Division, are coming off consecutive victories over Rice and Memphis. They don’t re-enter the league race until next Sunday, when they travel to Tulsa.

Until then, a capacity crowd and a chance to exceed expectations again on national TV will be all the motivation ECU needs. Holtz said the environment could be a draw to recruits looking to play in a place where football is a priority.

“I think Greenville will come alive a little bit on Thursday,” Holtz said. “I think this will be a great situation, a great atmosphere.” 

NOTES: Tech holds a 9-5 lead in the series, including six straight wins before last season. ... The Hokies haven’t visited Greenville since 2000. ... Holtz’s father, Hall of Fame coach Lou Holtz, will be part of ESPN’s broadcast team. ... The Pirates are 3-6 all-time on Thursday, including a 2-5 record in ESPN games.