Pirates brace for high-profile game

GREENVILLE — The glamour, exposure and prestige associated with playing on ESPN’s Thursday Night Football only carry so much weight with East Carolina.

There’s the little matter of facing Tyrod Taylor, Ryan Williams and No. 22 Virginia Tech in the Pirates’ final non-conference game of the season this week.

The Hokies, coming off Atlantic Coast Conference losses to Georgia Tech and North Carolina, are looking to prevent their first three-game losing streak in six years.

ECU (5-3), which leads Conference USA’s East Division by a game over four teams, will try to run its winning streak to three, something fifth-year coach Skip Holtz said will be difficult against a balanced Virginia Tech squad.

“Leading up to the game and the excitement and the energy, you kind of get pumped up and you get excited with everything — until you put on the film,” Holtz said Monday. “And then you realize that we are actually going to have to put the ball on the tee and kick it off and play this football game. They are a very, very talented football team.”

The Pirates proved last season that beating Virginia Tech is well within the realm of possibility when they handed the Hokies a 27-22 upset loss in the season opener for both teams.

Repeating against Taylor, a dual-threat junior quarterback, and Williams, a freshman running back who is rewriting the rookie portion of Virginia Tech’s record book, will depend upon ECU’s ability to limit the Hokies’ quick-play abilities while churning out offensive yards on the ground.

Virginia Tech (5-3) has 44 offensive plays of 20 or more yards this season, compared to the Pirates’ 35.

“We can’t win a track meet,” Holtz said. “We’re going to have to win a baseball score.” 

Back to normal

Holtz said ECU defensive back Levin Neal has recovered from concussion-like symptoms that nearly kept him out of last Tuesday’s 38-19 win at Memphis.

Neal, a senior from Wilmington by way of N.C. State, was taken to a Memphis hospital the day of the game after complaining of a headache and sensitivity to light.

A battery of tests revealed that Neal had not suffered a concussion, and he was cleared to play. He had four solo tackles and recovered a second-quarter fumble against the Tigers.

“I thought he really stepped in and played a nice game for us, especially with everything that he had to turn and go through to turn and get to the stadium,” Holtz said. 

Injuries

Wide receiver Jamar Bryant and tight end Rob Kass, both of whom have shoulder injuries, are among six players listed as questionable for Thursday’s game.

Wide receiver Michael Bowman (arm), cornerback Rahkeem Morgan (groin), cornerback Darryl Reynolds (shoulder) and defensive end Josh Smith (shoulder) are also questionable.

Running back Jonathan Williams remains unavailable after suffering a knee injury at SMU on Oct. 10. 

New arm

Former Boston College quarterback Dominique Davis will transfer to East Carolina from Fort Scott Community College in Kansas, ESPN reported Monday on its Web site.

Davis, who started the final three games of the 2008 season for Boston College, will have two years of eligibility remaining. 

David Hall can be reached at 252-559-1086 or at dhall@freedomenc.com.