Bonesville Magazine: Mini Spoiler…

Grayson is a Pirate and one that could be a huge component to the offense for the next several years.

Been in the throws of putting together this year’s edition of Bonesville Magazine and have been interviewing a never-ending (seemingly) number of our newest Pirates to get their personal ECU stories.

For 17 and 18 year olds, their stories never cease to impress me…their concerns, their fears, their impressions, and the things they most value. And, their coaches…some of these old dogs have been around the block so often, they can’t help but be straight and without pretense when talking about ECU, its recruiting methods, and what it takes to get a high profile player to tip to the Pirates.

Well…there are some great, great stories among this crop of kids, but here is a tidbit I couldn’t help but share with you guys because it is less about a player or his coach, but rather about a former Pirate coach whose character stands out when many of us – given his situation – might not have been the better man.

Many of us were stunned when we learned that Marquez Grayson had decided – well after national signing day – to make his college choice to become an ECU Pirate. Not only had he been rated as high as No. 9 among high school RBs in the nation by some of the recruiting services, but not known to many around was that he was getting massive recruiting pressure from SEC, ACC, and Big 12 schools right up till the end. No…he didn’t come to ECU because of academics. There is much more to it than that. But, you have to read the magazine to get that story. HOWEVER, there is an angle that I want to share.

So, back during Grayson’s junior year and heading into his senior season, ECU was heavily recruiting him. Had him way above Jabo Lee on the wish list. Brian Mitchell – the since fired Defensive Coordinator for ECU – was the recruiting coach for the area and went into Lexington High – back when he was working on getting Quandarius Crump to say yes. He asked the coaches at Lexington if ECU even had a chance with Grayson. Given that Notre Dame was flying in to see him and Clemson and USC were battling for best flights to get to see him first and more often, it was not an altogether weird question. He wasn’t the only one asking by the way, he would run into N.C. State and Wake Forest recruiters…Kentucky recruiters…others…all asking…”do we have a shot?” The answer was…”well…maybe.” Mitchell then told the coaches…”well…you know…we are going to recruit him like he wants to come here.”

Of course, a good recruiting coach can’t help but to forge personal relationships with players – it just is being good at your job – and Mitchell put in a yeoman’s effort, drawing rave reviews from the coaches at Lexington, particularly Kwayu Graham – the head man for the Yellow Jackets last season. Graham was the one who had told Mitchell that “Grayson wasn’t your typical kid” and that things like recruiting him like you love him as a person…matter. So Mitchell went all in, despite the big dogs, the money schools, always cutting in line for visits and getting more of the air time. The impression was a deep one for Grayson. He probably didn’t quite know it, but that impression may have been in the background when he let NSD come and go without putting his name on paper anywhere.

But here is where it gets even better – at least for my point here.

Brian Mitchell has become a top recruiter for West Virginia, but gave a big shout out to ECU even after he headed north.

Mitchell was fired. FIRED…told to hit the pavement by the Pirates.

So, of course, West Virginia comes walking into the picture and Grayson really gave big pause to the opportunity. He really had bonded with Mitchell…trusted him. Now Mitchell wanted him there, no doubt. But, when West Virginia RB coach Robert Gillespie left for the same position at Tennessee, the game changed for Grayson who then wanted to look around again. ECU had sort of fallen off the radar with the firing of Mitchell – understandbly. But here is the character part. With WVU out of Grayson’s plans, and with every reason not to pick up the phone, Mitchell calls Graham at Lexington and says, “Hey coach…I want to give you a phone number for Marquez.”

He encouraged Graham to put ECU back in the picture…to call and re-open that link…that Grayson was so coveted by ECU, it would be a shame for him not to see what the Pirates have to offer. That with Lee backing out and Grayson available, Mitchell could complete his original intention: Grayson in Pirates purple. I don’t know about you, but had I been fired…not sure I would have done the same. But Mitchell put the kid first and his appreciation for what ECU is ahead of any personal angst he might (or might not) have had. That’s first class in my book. Always liked Brian, but this is a glimpse, IMO, of why Coach Ruff wanted him to be part of the Pirates staff in the first place.

For Marquez’s part…it took one visit and ECU had him. Good-bye to a host of callers bidding for his services…bye to SEC, ACC, Big 12, and Big East suitors…hello ECU. And he is a good, good player.

There is a lot more on this one…but…yeppers…got to by the magazine…which is easy to do: join the PC!

Go Pirates!

Funny…ECU hoops may be making the loudest statement in NBE equation

I know…never…ever…like really…never ever would I have expected to write a post on this space about Pirate basketball…let alone during football spring camp…but here it is anyway.

Maurice Kemp – aka the Pirate Highlight Reel – has been the face of a high-flying, disciplined ECU squad

Out of the gate, here, let me say big kudos to Coach Jeff Lebo, his staff, and this electric ball club. Man…they not only peaked at the right time, but have done so with both exciting basketball and class. Couldn’t be happier for those boys and that staff…and for the fans at ECU…nobody deserves it more than the team and the diehards.

In all the hoopla – you know, the Pirates being the only college hoops team in North Carolina still playing ball – and with the CIT Championship on tap Tuesday night out in Ogden, UT – I want to talk about something else this team may be doing for the ECU cause.

During the many times the former Big East left us out…throughout all of the ridicule thrown around by Big East fans and our friends at our system sister schools…there was the sentiment that ECU basketball was the albatross for the Pirates…the big weight around the ankles and good reason why the Pirates should never, ever, never be let in the conference. Further, it was not-so-subtly noted by the departing C7 schools that ECU was not even “potentially” good enough to merit inclusion in any league of their ilk.

Well…you like apples?

It seems that this run by the hoops team could very well be the exposure that really puts the exclamation point on the Pirates departure from CUSA into a conference that will feature the likes of UConn, Cincinnati, Memphis, and Temple on its roster. We all know the boost that hoops will get in the form of national exposure and hence, recruiting, and all the good that comes with making Lebo’s job of making ECU better, easier. But how funny is it that the football team and its path into the NBE may have been given momentum by the hoops program. With the hoops team getting this exclusive exposure (only 6 teams in the country still going at it, right?), the program – the overall athletic profile – at ECU has new perception highs. Nevermind that basketball has been near-dismal till last year. Who cares that baseball is struggling (the rep is safe there)? Nationally, this team is being seen…and the clips being shown show a level of play that should not be hard to use to entice maybe one or even two kids ECU never would dream of getting to come in (and in hopes, that can mean the difference between good and great).

Up here, in the Philly Metro area, casual conversations about hoops and particularly in terms of the NBE going forward are including ECU. Had a guy at the gym react to my ECU sweatshirt with a reference to basketball. In fairness, he started with a, “hey, I wish ECU was playing football this year (in the NBE)…like their program.” But here is the jaw-dropper…then he says, “they have a pretty good basketball program there, too, right?”

At at client, I had a discussion with a Temple alum and the whole conversation was focused on hoops. He wanted to know if ECU could sustain this success…could we hold on to Lebo…have we started to focus on DC, Philly, New York for hoops players yet…and what do they have coming back next year…these are the types of questions that indicate that you are relevant. For ECU basketball to head into the transitional year  as we walk toward the NBE as “relevant” is nothing short of amazing…a bit of serendipity that we certainly can enjoy.

Of course, we need a respectable performance – win or lose – on Tuesday night and the way this team is playing…we all should expect it. But, really, the amazing run here and hitting the 20-win plateau with great games against great opponents means the world in hoops persona outside of Greenville and this one season has built up a huge load of hoops capital for the program to use on its way to the NBE, the off-season may generate as much attention as the football team gets when they are not in-season.

It is hard to believe that the hoops performance this year didn’t make Mike Aresco’s job a lot easier in making the all sports inclusion happen for ECU (and don’t doubt for a second that he wasn’t a fan of that from the jump…he wanted to deliver that to Coach Holland…it was the Presidents that were scuttling it).

Indeed, the hoops team – the unlikeliest hero – stood up big for the whole sports program.

Love to hear if anyone else sees this as a big deal in regards to the NBE.

Go Pirates, Beat Weber!

Let’s Talk TV: Is the ESPN Deal Good Enough to Justify Bailing on CUSA?

ESPN.

There was a time when I loved the network. Today, it conjures up negative feelings in this college football fan. This network, which once sought to be the champion of all sports…the network who refused to be ignored…the same network that saw the wisdom to give ECU an exclusive contract, recognizing the appeal of an underdog…now, IMO, is the epicenter of the destruction of college football.

My dream is to see billboards like this along the I-95 near DC, Philly, and New York City…

Wielding total control of the college football world, ESPN is every bit as powerful as the BCS cartel – actually moreso since it provides the fuel that makes the engine run. We have all seen how the talking heads are all aligned on the messages that ESPN corporate wants to push. The network has created classes of football, then driving home the terminology that serves to validate it (read: “mid-major,” “group of five,” etc.) So, it is not a surprise that my initial reaction to the ESPN matching of the meager NBC bid to own top tier rights to the Big East media package was disappointment. Disappointment because to me, it indicated that NBC (which is in the ESPN family) was merely the agent of ESPN to make the offer to match a minimal one. ESPN wanted the Big East deal – don’t have any illusions – they just didn’t want to have to pay anything for it. So, they make a story of it…devaluing it every moment they could – on the air no less – so that the conference can be had for pennies on the dollar. Good business play for ESPN because they will make a big bank on this deal.

But what does it mean for us? Well, of course it is a slight bump up in terms of annual payout – not as much as hoped, but more is always better. It also should help us cut down on travel expenses and allows us to rebuild some rivalries that were starting to blossom in CUSA (back with USF and more recently with UCF). Those rivalries will mean more meaningful games which will convert to more lucrative deals going forward.

Rivalries will fuel exposure…like it or not, we need UCF (and they need us, too)!

That latter point is an important one. ESPN will air a ton of BE games…albeit that many might be off-week fillers (e.g., Thursdays or Fridays) but it will be exposure and it will include Big East games with some name recognition. Face it, a Cincinnati-ECU game will have a higher TV rating than ECU-USM…it just will. Plus with the teams ECU will play being more geographically concentrated, the future TV markets will be clear for all league members, which will allow us to focus growing our brand in very specific areas rather than trying to cover the whole country. Our future, whether in the BE or another to be determined conference lies in becoming a brand along the East Coast. It matters little what our brand is – really – across the Mississippi, so this league helps.

ESPN owns the sport of college football, so I believe that we had no choice but to jump back into their pockets, caste system or no. And, we should all do well to remember that ESPN was very good to us in the past and, IMO, actually really likes us as a program which may lead to more of our games getting aired than some conference compatriots.

We have to look beyond what is honestly paltry money – for the short term – and recognize that for our program, this was a great move overall despite the disappointing TV deal. If we can all lock down the conference via a shared vision and then role up the sleeves and work on increasing the brand, then we have a great chance. We need for ECU to become a cornerstone (from an exposure/success POV) for the Big East to position for the next step. If we can slip in for all sports, then our basketball will continue to flourish as we can start picking up some of those DC, NY metro, and Philly kids who can help take the hoops to a new level. The BE conference will still be a pretty decent hoops league if some of the other new schools can figure out a way to rise to the occasion. With Cincy, Memphis, and UConn to lead the way, there is no reason why UCF, SMU, and ECU cannot grow into a nice mid-level BE program with some TV appeal. I just wish this was all on for a 2013 start rather than 2014. But, hey, you never know…could change in an instant.

I think that our program should start pushing a ton of programs to establish awareness in the DC, Philly, and NY metro area ASAP…get the name out there, organize our Pirate Club arms to start the news mill in those areas, push recruiting up the I-95 corridor…do it now. Take out ads, blend academic and athletic recruiting events, do what is necessary to tell the world up here that ECU is coming and is intent on helping to define the new Big East. If we do so, we solidify our brand which will be further fueled by ESPN. We now know the payouts…so the real victory here is garnering a lion’s share of the exposure. We need to renew our “darling” status with ESPN. It would be a fine final act by Coach Holland to spearhead the relationship building with ESPN to position ourselves to be that darling again. It wouldn’t take much as I believe the network still likes our brand. When we shot out of the gates in 2008 with 3 wins…they were all over us…we were all over the network (yes, I know Lou was there), but even now, the network talking heads ALWAYS give a shout out to ECU when one of our boys is doing well in the NFL. We are a good story…we just have to give them the fodder to report it by elevating our on-field performance again. A strong CUSA season will have ESPN touting our arrival in the Big East. An 8-4 team returning a ton of starters should run roughshod over this CUSA league…so we can pave a great brand path into BE for 2014.

It is not ideal – this ESPN deal – but it is doable and we can – with some moxie and that old ECU “want power” – make this a huge success and underscore that the move to the Big East was the right one.

I am willing to bet we get a lot the games that are released in the 2014 TV schedule, so we just need to keep selling season tickets and SHOW UP so that the visuals match the intensity of our game-day product.

ESPN was the way to go. Still hate the network that it has become but by 2014…I am sure I will begin singing a different tune. Much prefer this than the NBC deal.

Thoughts all…would love to hear them.

So, the young men have made their choices…how did Ruff & Crew do?

I have always been in the Steve Logan camp about recruiting – especially for a school like ours. We have very few advantages when it comes to recruiting so it comes down to hard, hard work, selling the positives in a way that 18-year olds can get, and then some luck to get the type of athletes who can elevate the program. Our coaches – the ones who have won here at ECU – have made a living off of finding hidden gems, shaking the trees to find post NSD leftovers, coming the JUCO ranks for potential instant impact, and counting on a few wayward stars somehow drifting in unexpected. It is not a very predictable model, but one we have seen work – sometimes better than others. Still, Coach Logan really did sum it up when he said to ask him in four or five years if this was a good recruiting class.

Now, I never have felt that a true freshman was going to really help a team…beyond maybe some depth and I do not believe we have ever seen one here that truly was dominant, so I do not expect to get any immediate help from this year’s class, sans the JUCOs. Sorry to all the Lucas Thompson-is-going-to-save-the-world crowd. Just don’t see it…big jump from prep to top level college ball. NOW…having said that, if anyone in the class can have an Emmanuel Davis or Jeremy Grove-like redshirt frosh year, I would be willing to put the chips on Thompson, so no insult intended. To me, if one of these freshman is a starter this year, it is more a reflection of failed recruiting 3-4 years ago than it is a huge recruiting win this year. Looks good on paper, but we all no that there are many slips twixt cup and lip and I pray to God that our starting DBs this year have been on the roster for 2-3 years already.

But, there is some nice talent in this class, IMO. Sure we lost out on Dontrill Hyman and Jabo Lee – the latter of which I have no real feeling about. Can’t lose what you never had, right. I wish Hyman had signed, if for no other reason than what a great story that would have been. He was really in love with our program, but when a top profile program comes waltzing in, it is damn tough on a kid to fight through that woo. I also feel bad for him, some. If he doesn’t make it to the NFL, he will probably always wonder what if had he gone to ECU (which seems a fine place for NFL defensive lineman…hmmmm). Oh well…his loss.

The staff puts in the effort, chases big and small talent and sells the things ECU has going for it. I would guess that there are more kids who say no who regret that decision later than those that said yes and regret it.

So we went out and got 13 defensive guys, addressing the DLine and Secondary especially and took a heavy does of WRs and a few OLs on offense. I think the class focus made sense given what is on the roster. Would have liked to see maybe one more OL, but a good job there. They look athletic as group but would like to have seen more speed across the board. Defensively, this group looks to be a very physical group, which I like.

Looking at what we do have coming in (scholarship and invited WOs), I – like you all I am sure – have my favs, so I am going to share, with a little one or two liner on each guy:

• Randall Anderson, DE: Big body equals ability to put on weight and he appears to be strong on initial contact. Perhaps a run-stopping defensive end in the odd fronts and maybe a DT in even looks. Technique will spell his future and he will get a large dose of it in the spring, since he is enrolled already.
• Malcolm Ashley, OL: Aggressive defensive linemen often make great OLs. He is quick which will help him. Perhaps a Robert Jones type with more time to adapt. Nice project. And if he doesn’t work out on the OL, switch him back to DL…could be a biggun’.
• Demage Bailey, DL: Can’t coach size, right? Definitely appears to be quick and have good technique, particularly on first contact. Obviously, it will be about Camp Connors for him. Nice get, IMO.
• Kurt Benkert, QB: On this, in Lincoln I trust…good looking quarterback here. Pocket presence, nice touch, and smart…if I were Cody…I would already be looking over my shoulder. Excited that we get to see him in the spring. Consider this one of the jewels in this class. Like him better than Coker.
• Dashawn Benton, DB: Another player that I think has big potential…very glad we landed him. He is very athletic, nose for the ball, and seems sound in techinique. Good size, too. Maybe a guy who sees the field sooner rather than later…but not this year.
• Trevon Brown, WR: When you hear 6-3 in the same sentence as Wide Receiver…that is a very good thing. Brown also appears to be able to navigate open space which makes him an even better get. With his range and open-field knack, he could be a guy who sees the field as a RS frosh or sophomore.
• Devaris Brunson, LB: As a running back…meh…but a bruising linebacker with RB instincts and agility…that is a nice get and probably one of the better gets in this class. Best part is, we don’t need to rush him either, so he can come in and get in Camp Connors, learn the system, and contribute right away on scout. Nice get.
• AJ Coplon, DB: Rangy, long-armed, with some athleticism. He will take some time, but Jimbob Bryant doesn’t send players to ECU who can’t play.
• Kirk Donaldson, LB: OK…this is one of the guys I am most excited about. Big, strong, quick, and LOVES to knock the snot out of people. At 6-3, 250 with some good nose-for-the-ballcarrier speed…he may get some early action. Not sure why he wasn’t more widely recruited…looks like a stud to me.
• Darren Dowdell, TE: We recruit TEs now? Hmmm…I know this was a package deal, but…just kidding. As TEs go, he looks pretty good. Runs well, gets after the pass. Not sure if he will stay there. We have a bonafide stud there now who doesn’t get nearly the number of looks he should, but hey, maybe the TE is going to take on a bigger role down the road. That size can be worked with, so good get.
• Trey Eason, ATH: First, gotta give a shout out to Trey’s pop – my former Rugby-mate Bob, who was also Trey’s coach at Northside. Trey is a coach’s kid who knows the game and plays in a very physical style. Northside produces winners and Trey brings that with him.
• Dayvon Grayson, WR: One of the better pick-ups in this class. Long-armed leaper with an ability to get around in traffic. No afraid to go over the middle and has the wiggle…looks like he has another gear when he needs it too.
• Patrick Green, LB: Physical, good size to work with and looks like he has the attitude needed to be a difference maker is a few years.
• Isaiah Jones, WR: Blood lines make a real difference and to get a legacy player from the likes of Robert Jones is a thrill. With that, you know that for one thing, Isaiah will be very well-versed in football in general. He has size and looks to have great body control, be a good route runner, and have game speed. Important get if only for the legacy coming home perspective.
• Terrell Lane, RB: The JUCO ranks have been good to ECU lately at RB with Bullock and now Cooooop. Lane looks good…obviously knows how to follow blockers and get North-South in a hurry. Like his skills compared to the kid we lost to Tennessee and with Hairston coming up,  a JUCO pick-up was probably a better route anyway.
• Christian Matau, OL: This is a guy I am excited about. He is huge and moves well enough to play at guard if needed. How he does that is amazing given that he is not the typical 6-7 guy that our coaches have been getting. I think – barring injury – that this guy might be one of the gems of this class in a couple years.
• Demitri McGill, DT: Strong….that is what stands out to me on this late pick-up recruit. He gets off the ball and is punches very well at this point in his career. If his weightroom ethic is strong, Coach Connors will love this guy as his technique looks pretty good already. Could see earlier time depending on defensive alignments employed by new DC Smith.
• Tristan Mumford, LB: Call me nuts, but I am stoked about this kid…and he will be in spring camp as an early enrollee…he seems to me to be one part Pierre Bell and another part Nick Johnson. Yes, not as tall as Bell but seems to be fluid in pass coverage and an angle master. Like Johnson, Mumford appears to be a fast read on play development and has the same finishing blow…squared up, not arms tackler type. One of my favs in this class.
• Mike Myers, DT: At 6-0, 290 pounds…can you say…”give him whatever you gave Terry Williams and stand back.” What a load this guys is and he appears to know how to use it. Needs some technique work and more first step explosion, but man he can move and when he brings it, you remember it. He will fit in the interior defensive line quite nicely down the road.
• Travis Phillips, CB: Appears to have the fluidity you want in the hips, but not sure he is a corner. Obviously very athletic, though. If Coach Smith signed off on him, then I am excited. The man knows how to develop DBs and God knows we need them here. A down-the-road contributor.
• David Lee Robinson, ATH: Looks like a good athlete with toughness. Nothing jumps out enough to indicate if he will be a linebacker here or not. Time will tell on this one.
• Travon Simmons, CB: Looks the part and appears to have solid wheels. Long arms help. Would be nice if he truly develops as a cover corner.
• Brandon Smith, OL: Big and strong and tall…fits the mold of what Coach Riley wants up front. Very happy he is enrolled because he needs a dose of Camp Connors…and technique. Doesn’t appear to be a consistent finisher on the block but hey, when you are that big and can move, we can use you.
• Xavier Smith, S: Appears to be physical and at 6-1 he is right where you want a safety. Can’t get a real read on his speed from video, but he looks like a potential down the road player.
• Marquis Wallace, OL: This guy looks like he will help immediately. He is a finisher on the block, flexible enough to play inside or out and moves well. Hopefully his strength numbers are where they should be for a JUCO. Excited about this guy who could be a real difference maker up front where depth is critical.
• Larry Williams, OT: Looks to be ahead of the curve in pass protection but will need a good dose of Camp Connors…my nephew played him straight up this past year and pushed him around, so getting his muscle to match his size will be big for this big boy. Like that he can go at guard as well…a down-the-road prospect.
• Lucas Thompson, DB: No doubt from a physical perspective, he is the class of the class…that he has struggled to get here to date is worth a big red flag and he needs to keep his nose clean as a Pirate. All those things clicking, I expect he will be in the lineup sooner rather than later.

So, I am abstaining from comment on those not yet officially signed, but this class looks solid as it can be, but is by no means lights out. That said, one thing I do admire about Ruff and crew is that they will go after any player they want and are not afraid to at least ask the big blue chippers to come take a look. They have to keep doing that because sooner or later, when you get a couple of them with the right attitude in the doors, a landslide happens and I think Ruff will land some of the big boys soon…it is in his makeup.

Well there it is, my off the cuff, non-scientific look at the class we just landed.

Would love to hear who you believe will be the difference makers (queue up the blues music for Coach Logan) four or five years from now.

On Recruiting: What is a school like ECU to do to differentiate itself?

A ranting opinion piece that may exhaust some of you…

I recently had an email discussion with a good Pirate out of the D.C./MD area about recruiting – the good and the bad – for the Pirates and it really sparked some thought. Specifically, the question pondered: “What does a school like ours need to do to attract top talent?

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Lost in a sea of rich programs: Take a look at what the Pirates must contend with for players…daunting.

ECU is not in a great position from the jump to do well in recruiting top talent. Think about it. We are a non-BCS program geographically pinned to the coast by a virtual cluster-f*** of BCS programs. We have a shoestring recruiting budget relative to the competition around us. We have a school system owned and operated by UNC boosters, and our brand is not well known beyond our region. What to do?

To date, our program has done – in my opinion – a pretty damn good job in the face of this situation. Going back through all the notable coaches…Stas, Dye, Emory, Lewis, Logan, and Holtz, they all reasoned – fairly – that they needed to become the choice of eastern NC players with a smattering of Tidewater and coastal South Carolina players and a contingent from talent-rich Florida each year. That approach will always have to be part of the mix for us because we need to keep the fanbase growing and if you sign a local kid, his family and friends will follow each weekend at the Fick. But, how successful can we be with this model? Our state – as it is – loses its top talent every year to out of state big box schools with UNC then cleaning up the leftovers. We have to survive on “finding the diamonds in the rough…” the Justin Hardy’s of the world. But that doesn’t allow for sustained success and certainly won’t yield elite level football…so what do we need to do?

Stop reading if you think I have some answer for it. I don’t. But, I do think at a strategic level, we need to be different…we need to think out of the box….we need to scrutinize every dollar spent on recruiting and on the program brand in light of maximum punch for the buck. The players you sign are the lifeblood of the program…end of story. Everything else is secondary. Before I get to the big picture stuff, I have a few thoughts on a couple of in the weeds items, starting with this whole recruiting-turned-media-commodity thing.

Sure, I love heading over to HTC and Pirate Illustrated to see what we have in the pipeline and to hear how our class is shaping up. I want to know early and often…nature of being a fan. And, I don’t think you will find bigger ECU advocates then the Stephen and Mark who have busted their butts, endured criticisms, and risked their own financial futures to make those sites fly and push back against the powerbrokers as the buy more and more influence via their recruiting sites. I wish them big success. But on a broader level, I do not for the life of me know why anyone within our program would want anyone knowing anything about who we are recruiting. Definitely wouldn’t as an alumni that is well connected or a coach or administrator volunteer jack to these sites…wouldn’t do it. Recruiting news now passes as for entertainment…stuff to argue over at the office cooler and on messageboards…yet another dimension to the bravado of college sports. I get that. We all ride the information superspeedway and being even second to know…sucks. Want it all now. But if we were savvy, we would keep a tight lid on it and shock the hell out of the football world each year as we draw in the top off the grid players.

I can’t say for sure that coaches, administrators or well-connected alums are leaking out our target lists, but I can say, to put together a substantive list like the ones that the sites have, takes a lot, a lot of work hours unless you have a short cut. You would have to call every local paper in the entire region to get that information. Plus, I have seen so many tweets coming from Coach Ruff and Coach Riley in the tweetmosphere to certainly point a heads up recruit-nick to where we are looking and to me, I just wouldn’t go there considering the uphill climb it is. Again, it seems to me that schools like ECU should do their level best to make absolutely NOTHING available to these recruiting sites (let them find it themselves). It serves no value to our program and only hurts us. If you are BCS program, then I get it…the fanfare and hoopla only feeds the engine. They can spend enormous amounts of money wooing these kids and their fanbase will give even more money for the fun of bragging about top recruiting rankings. And, if you are going to leak something, leak disinformation…like that we are close to flippin’ UNC’s top recruit…even though we aren’t even talking to him.

However, IMO, we end up being the recruiting vetters for other programs. Why advertise. Sometimes we even serve as the early offer that makes that hidden jewel known to the very teams who can swoop in and lure the verbal away. Yes, verbals become known via local news, but we freakin’ mass advertise it…let it lie…like broccoli.  Obvioulsy, other programs know that we cannot canvas America for players so we concentrate heavily in our region (Southeaster VA, eastern NC, and coastal SC, and northern GA). So, if you are Tennessee, Virginia Tech, UNC, NC State, SC, Ga Tech, Clemson…you keep an eye on the guys we are recruiting because you will KNOW that we did a deep analysis on the kids and then come cherry pick. Kanler Coker is a perfect example. The kid was off the grid basically when LR/RM found him. Everyone knows our program KNOWS QBs…knows how to assess them. Fedora needed a QB, had endless resources to recruit, but chose to look at what ole ECU was doing, saw the press and hoopla we were giving Coker, made a phone call, told him that he could never play for a NC at ECU and flooded him with gratis and VOILA! A quick sign that cost UNC NOTHING in effort. I definitely fall into the camp that it should be best served cold. Let the big names figure out our players when they are already in the line-up, producing for us.

As much as I love recruiting information, I really do believe that if I were Ruff, the only people who would know who we were on would be the kids we were recruiting themselves. Would I share with a recruit maybe others we are recruiting…probably. I would leave it to local news reporters to do their jobs to find out who their local heroes are talking with. Unfortunately, it seems our insiders are all too willing to leak out who we are targeting to rivals and 247 and  the like and then those guys run with it. Could be wrong though.

Anyway, I digress.

Back to the strategic level…a school like ours, IMO, must think out of the box when it comes to recruiting. We need to be unconventional in our thinking…get inside the kids heads…spend our money there, trying to understand how to market the athletic program to the way these kids think. We need to brand our program in a way that makes us cool…different…the place to go. Boise was fashioned on multiple levels…yes, there was the scheduling, the locking down (partly luck) of a stud coach, etc., but there was more. How in the hell do you get kids to go to effin’ Idaho for college? Now, truth be told, they have probably CHEATED big time while off the radar (who is going to go looking at Boise), but let’s say they were legit…I would want to know HOW in the world they made Boise, Idaho, a cool place for football players to go?? Blue Turf? The let’s put in purple turf…why the hell not? Let’s go with one of those non-tradition, freakin cool logos and with gear that kids would envy? Let’s put out press that is more than press releases, targeting talent rich areas…nay saturate the areas with our brand. Remember…get the players, all the program success will follow. Have PC fund raisers that are oriented to the aging team…3-on-3 hoops tourneys, Laser Tag events, concerts, all put on by ECU. Put on a combine that shows off ECU…bring back the Buccaneer Babes…just a few ideas. On the recruiting trail, we need to be more strategic…recruit a class in the truest sense…instead of just say, Lucas Thompson…who showed interest, why not group together sets of top recruits with the story…hey you four 5-star DBs…you can come to ECU and start as a unit and become the greatest secondary in the country? Spend the money to go places we traditionally don’t go and then come behind it with a marketing saturation to go after “Students” from that area too. Enlist your former players – many of whom are now producing top-flight prodigy…enlist them to remain STARS in the ECU community….treat them like P-Diddy, now that their NFL star has moved into history. If I were recruiting, I would be wearing out that Dwayne Harris cribs video, finishing it with a surprise call from the NFL impact player of the year himself. John Elway used be one Stanford’s best recruiters…showing up to recruit visit weekends and sitting down in the stadium with the kids…try to say no to that. It is not enough to get them to be involved, but we have to be creative in how we stage their involvement. If today’s 18 year old doesn’t quite know who Robert Jones or Jeff Blake is, we need to media hype them in a way that connects to the kids…then have them say “hello.”

Not saying we should do this, but I remember when Oregon boosters paid $250,000 to put a 10-story mural of QB Joey Harrington on a building in NYC across from MSG to hype him (and the program) to the Heisman committee and the world? They took a lot of criticism for that, particularly from the same ESPN that now hangs on every demand the Ducks throw their way. Oregon was not yet the prime destination for top talent then. Out of the box, that was. Controversial yes, but one argue that the quarter mill ended up being a good investment in development of the Oregon aura and swagger.

One thing Boise State does that is interesting is that they regularly scour Texas and California for players…they invest a lot of money and time in those big geographies. We face a huge recruiting dilemma. On the one hand, we are cash-strapped relatively so we cannot really canvas the country AND we are seen as a regional school so we need to bring in local players (to sell tix and to drive interest); but on the other hand, we also are situated in an area saturated with Division 1 football teams. We have to contend – as I said earlier – with UNC, NC State, Wake, Duke, SC, Clemson, Tenn, WVa, Virginia Tech, UVA and now add to that group, deep-pocketed Charlotte and ODU for players. Man that is 12 Division I schools in close proximity, 10 of which have exponentially more cash to recruit with, higher profile brands, and direct access to the NC game.

OUT OF THE BOX…we must be different in terms of recruiting and marketing to young kids.  Another approach is that we need to look what we can bring to bear from the academic side. Hey, maybe we should look into ECU starting a satellite prep school…college preparation for kids in the region whose grades are lacking or need better achievement scores. This way we could help our local population by keeping the kids home while they prep – and of course, the school would have football and basketball – as they get their academics in line and maybe even take a few college courses to get started. Then, they just move to ECU when they qualify.That way, a Dontrill Hyman type wouldn’t be talking to LSU and would more likely have 4 to play 4 when he arrived. Just a thought.

Man…I could go on.

Short of cheating – which I neither advocate or expect we could ever pull off (that one is only reserved for the UNC ilk) – we have to be creative…we have to look for synergies within our community and academic offerings to turn into recruiting lures. For example, we have a communications school right? We should be telling recruits that if they are not the next Chris Johnson, then they could be the next ESPN star. We have a drama department right? Draw on those skills to make recruit visits almost movie like (I know, sounds crazy), when they enter the stadium. Don’t play the loud speaker, give them a show with real live people. Hell, we could maybe even enlist a few budding actors/actresses to be Ruff’s posse…making our HC out to be a celebrity himself so when he rolls into town, it is always with big fan fare.

We need not only to make a positive impression on the prep coaches, but treat them especially right (though I know the NC prep coaches love this staff) but go over the top to the extent possible. Every once in a while you gotta sign the star’s best friend and teammate to get the star…hey, it happens.

We also should take a long, hard look at ODU, Charlotte, MTSU, FAI, FAU and schools like that…scour their verbals list like schools do to us and see if we can swoop in and take the kid they did all the research on. Turnabout if fair play, no?

Look, it all sounds cool on paper, but at the end of the day, it is for our marketing and athletics department to turn the trick…but that said, I believe efforts should zero in on understanding the psyche of the 18 year old star athlete, and cater to it – within legal reason. Get enough of them, you win a lot of football games and 50,000 fans becomes 75,000 and Big East becomes SEC.

I am probably out of my head…off the reservation…lost on a straight path…but something has to differentiate us beyond being a family-like school (which I also love). And, to do what I am suggesting takes a whole lot more than saying. But I also know we have the people at ECU who can get it done…they have that much talent.

Would love to hear your thoughts, friends.

Question to my Pirate comrades…Any of you guys/gals blogging?

If a Pirate puts the mind to bloggin’, it will be one worth the read, this I know.

You know…I read the comments from some of you and also think that I have read posts from several of you on other websites…so I am askin’…do any of you have blogs that you maintain?

I learn so much from the interactions I have with you all and would love to have a view into your worlds…Pirate football or other interests.

Always looking for some good reads.

And some of you…well if you don’t…you should…can’t tell you how much I look forward to hearing the opinions that other Pirate fans have.

Let me know, so I can check them out.

Cheers all…

Personally…I like this hire…and have to say…didn’t see it coming

Let me preface this post this way.

Next season must be a make or break for Coach Ruff…it has to be. He has a veteran team returning, a horribly weak C-USA to tear through and an 0-2 bowl record to contend with. He made the call to fire his defensive coordinator – but it is not certain that he did so without internal prodding. Nevertheless…a move that indicates our Coach is indeed putting the Pirates ahead of his desire to please those around him and loyalty to a young coach.

Changes afoot…Smith will come in and make an impact…that is assured.

Yes, 2013 is make or break – though probably not in terms of the Coach’s job. He should be able to slice the CUSA butter to the tune of another 8 win season minimum making it virtually impossible to call it unsuccessful. And while one could argue quite convincingly that the Pirates – with another 8 win season – would have won 16 games in two seasons and not beaten a decent team among them. What measure is success?

But, we must look at this as the hand we are all dealt. I still believe that Coach Ruff can evolve into a great Head Coach which will only be that much stronger given continuity and his recruiting prowess. Last season, he made a pivotal hire in bringing in former Pirate – but more importantly – and well-traveled, high-level coach Kirk Doll and there were near instant impacts on the Special Teams play and at Running Back. IMO, a big hire, an important hire, and one worthy of a big atta boy for our HC.

Now, looking at the situation Coach Ruff was in in terms of finding an adequate – nay, an improvement – at DC…a tall task for sure. Not only from a timing standpoint…a month out from NSD, but also with a shoestring budget relative to BCS-rich programs and a fanbase and administration not likely to stomach another “someday” project hire…Ruff, in fairness, was in a fix that even a seasoned HC might find difficult to satisfy.

Yes, Greg Hudson, Tyrone Nix, Randy Shannon (never was going to happen) and a few others – maybe Art Kaufman – were all mentioned, but truly, did we have a chance at any of them? Really? Not likely…Hudson, no matter how loved he would be here, can’t turn down an opportunity to be a DC at a Big Ten school…just can’t…no more than any of us would turn down a job with that much more upside than the one we so love now. Kaufman…really…going to take a pay cut to go to a team with a lesser brand? Nix and Shannon? Both men just found second chances with coaches willing to give them another shot…going to cut out on them after just showing up…didn’t we have one do that just a year or so ago…didn’t think a lot of him now did we?

And, lest we forget, that even if any of the aforementioned gentlemen wanted to come here out of nostalgia, loyalty, whatever…how do they tell their loved ones – with a straight face, ‘hey honey, I am going to turn down the money, leave my current gig, and go take a flyer on a HC who is heading into the final stages of his contract? C’mon.

So, what was left? The need was still there: Must have a DC with experience, a decent coaching resume, a recruiter, and a few nice to haves would include some connection to ECU (more to the point, an appreciation of why you might want to dig in in Greenville) and perhaps an ability to teach players.

I am thrilled that Coach Rick Smith was available and interested. I think that it is a huge improvement right away, not a marginal step. Not only does he have Defensive Coordinator experience – having manned the position at Tulane, Cincinnati, and Kentucky in the past – but also, if nothing else, he has the goods to assess the players on his roster, the decisiveness to determine what they can do schematically, and the veteran savvy to teach them. His old school mentality will mesh well with the troops coming out of Camp Connors each year, and he was part of a staff at ECU previously that knew how to make adjustments in games and between games. And, there is more…he has had a close up view of the Big East now and will be able to bring that to the table for Ruff and crew.

And, I admit, I didn’t see this one coming.

Not even on my radar even though I was hopeful that if Hud was hired, that Coach Smith be coming with him. I had almost forgotten that Coach Smith was a former Defensive Coordinator and didn’t really get the Greenville warm and fuzzy from him when he was here last. When Hud was hired at Purdue, I just figured that Coach Smith would end up there or even land with Skip Holtz. Truth is, for whatever reason, I never had him in the frame as a our DC.

But in hindsight…why not? Man has an impressive history and was certainly good here last time around.

Still there are, of course, questions that remain (which would hold true in some form for any hire, really).

Will Coach Smith be given the latitude to name his own staff or will he have to make do with what we have in the box. No deference to our remaining defensive staff (I particularly like Coach Yellock), but it would seem to me that Coach Smith should be given the platform to succeed in his new capacity. Further, if he has that latitude are there staff out there he would seek? Are there any late recruiting snags he could bring with him? Secondary guys particularly. Does Coach Smith have the capacity to be the DC and still work magic with a secondary that has no identity and perhaps returns less than it is losing? Will his defensive methodologies mesh well with Coach Ruff’s vision for D?

Larger question still…what is Coach Ruff’s vision? Personally, I still don’t really see the big picture view of our program…not sure what we are built on. In the past, the HCs had very notable philosophies…Logan with his carve-them-up offenses and opportunistic defenses…Holtz with his balanced, dependable offense and bruise them defenses…even Baker and Lewis were well defined, for better or worse. But Coach Ruff’s brand is still a mystery to me. Hence, what would any DC bring to the table? Not sure. Only time will tell, but I like Coach Smith’s chances here.

Like the Doll hire, for me, this one has potential because of the deep experience Smith has and the need for that type of experience as Coach Ruff gains his savvy as a HC. He may not be the DC to make us a Top 20 D, but truthfully, right now, we could fare well as a consistent, balanced Top 50 defense…heck even a consistent Top 70 defense. And, I think that because of that veteran savvy – and frankly, his age – Coach Ruff may defer a lot to Coach Smith…let him run with it if you will…because they draw on the same long-in-the-tooth experiences.

Yes…I aspire to higher than that for our Pirates, but we have to walk before we run, no? Will it not be a comforting feeling to know that our defense has at least a 50-50 chance to force a punt or a turnover or give the offense a short field with some predictability? One can dream, right?

Seriously though…I am one who is int he camp that our defense has some pretty good talent and now has a lot of experience. The problem, seemed to me, to be an X and O issue. The sheer confusion that our linebackers and corners seemed to exude game after game seems to me to have been schematic and coaching. The lack of blitzing when it was proving effective…seems to me to be decision-making not play-making.

Yes, I like this hire, situation as it was.

It gives Coach Ruff another credibility chip in his pocket and gives our kids – many of whom have been giving blood, sweat and tears for some time now, an opportunity to show what they can do in a sound system, with the tools being drilled into them properly.

Will we go from meh…to great? Hard to say, but if it yields just one win against a decent opponent, it will have been worth it.

Any way…just a long way to say that I feel we  have just gotten better with today’s news.

How about you guys? Overjoyed? Underjoyed? Uninspired?

Love to hear how others feel.