PURPLE! Home Game Edition 1, 2012

ISSUE NO. 1

home game edition east carolina

vs

appalachian state

ruff and ready Head coach Ruffin McNeill fires up the crowd as the team comes onto the field to face Appalachian State in the first game of the 2012 season.

The Pirates got off to a slow start but poured it on in the second half, defeating ASU 35-13. photo by jay clark

on the cover Defensive back Chip Thompson ran 45 yards for a touchdown after he recovered a fumble early in the second quarter. photo by jay clark

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game 1 - ECU vs. appalachian state 2012

east carolina university

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all the way, ray!

Junior transfer Lance Ray plows his way through Appalachian State defenders during a 90-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in the third quarter. photo by jay clark

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game 1 - ECU vs. appalachian state 2012

PURPLE! Play of the game lance ray kickoff return With the Pirates on the verge of an upset, Lance Ray, a transfer from Arkansas, showed his big-play abilities. After App State came within one point of the Pirates, Ray took the ensuing kickoff 90 yards for a touchdown.

McNeill made it clear in the postgame press conference that getting the ball in Ray’s hands is a priority for the coaching staff. Pirate fans keep your eyes open for this speedster.

east carolina university

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football

pirates hot, hot, hot

vs. mountaineers ecu defeats asu, 35-13 STORY BY CRAIG BARNES PHOTOGRAPHS BY JAY CLARK

Pirate Lance Ray broke free for a 90-yard kickoff return for a touchdown as part of the East Carolina University’s blowout win over the Appalachian State University, 35-13.

Going into the game favored by 10 points, the Pirates planned to capitalize on the Mountaineers at the FCS division ranks. The Pirates (1-0) exhibited unyielding pressure and smart football on all sides Saturday.

After working relentlessly during the spring and summer on bettering the defense and special teams, they proved to be up for the task against the Mountaineers. Scoring the first points in the game, defense and special teams set the tone for East Carolina. “We want special teams to be solid and to be a game changing unit and I think they were,” McNeil said at the press conference after the game Saturday.

Behind a solid effort from quarterback Rio Johnson, who finished with 28 for 43 with three touchdowns and 242 yards passing (adding one touchdown on the ground), the Pirates routed the Mountaineers. The Pirate’s offense did not score until midway through the second quarter, marking the first time ECU has been held without a point in the first quarter in a home opener since Sept. 16, 2006, against Memphis.

The tides changed when Justin Hardy almost scored on a 45-yard punt return setting up an 11-yard touchdown strike from Johnson to wide receiver Andrew Bodenheimer. Hardy and Ray were the cogs on the special teams unit as they both provided momentum-changing plays at key moments in the game.

The Pirates received the ball first and the offense almost instinctively was up to the line. The no-huddle style offense 6 PURPLE!

QB #7 rio johnson purple! OFfensive player of the game In his first career game at the helm, quarterback Rio Johnson finished the game 28 for 43 with two touchdowns through the air.

Johnson proved to the Pirate faithful why he deserved the starting job. After an interception on the first possession, Johnson was poised and led the Pirates to a comfortable victory. He also contributed on the ground with 12 yards rushing and a touchdown. Rio finished the game with career highs in pass attempts, completions and touchdowns in a single game.

game 1 - ECU vs. appalachian state 2012

east carolina university

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ILB #53 jeremy Grove purple! DEfensive player of the game After coming off one of the best freshman campaigns in Pirate football history, all eyes were on Jeremy Grove. He would not disappoint finishing the game with nine tackles. He was also credited with two forced fumbles, one leading to the first points for the Pirates. With the Pirates down 7-0, Grove proved why he is the heart and soul of the defense by crushing ASU’s quarterbak Jamal Jackson on a busted play that led to the 45-yard fumble recovery for a touchdown by Chip Thompson. Grove continues to impress with his prowess on the football field.

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game 1 - ECU vs. appalachian state 2012

football

seemed to frustrate the Mountaineer’s defense as Johnson completed a beautiful 12-yard bootleg pass to Zico Pasut for the game’s first play. After a successful run of 13 yards

by Michael Dobson, Johnson completed two more passes for a total of 3 yards before he misfired over the middle, resulting in an interception by ASU’s Troy Sanders.

Appalachian State did not squander the opportunity and quickly took the lead at 7-0.

As the No. 5 team in the FCS preseason poll, the Mountaineers came ready to show the Pirates how they roll. Led by two preseason All-Americans (Demetrius McCray and Jeremy Kimbrough), this cornerback linebacker duo planned to pick up the slack from unproven players on the offensive side of the ball. Kimbrough tallied a game-high with 13 tackles.

Everything changed as Jeremy Grove produced yet again. As ASU’s quarterback, Jamal Jackson tried to scramble free, but Grove closed in for a tackle when Jackson fumbled. Chip Thompson scooped up the ball and returned it 45 yards for a touchdown.

Even without Pirate senior cornerback Leonard Paulk, who was out due to a right knee injury, the defense continued to play well throughout the game. The Mountaineers only converted four of 15 third-down possessions. Pirate defense continued to apply pressure to the opposing quarterback forcing him into several bad decisions. The defense was able to force three turnovers for the first time since forcing three against UAB last season.

Safety Lamar Ivey stopped App State from attempting a comeback in a key interception early in the fourth quarter.

With this win, ECU has won four of the last five season openers and the last four at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium. This win also breaks a three-game nonconference losing streak against colleges based in North Carolina. The last losing streak was also snapped by a win against Appalachian State. east carolina university

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game 1 - ECU vs. appalachian state 2012

Rio Johnson connects with outside receiver Andrew Bodenheimer for a touchdown in the second quarter. The point-after put the Pirates ahead 14-10 before going into the half.

u p ne x t:

south carolina se p t. 8 , 2 012 After a comfortable win against Appalachian State, the Pirates must travel to Williams Brice Stadium and take on the South Carolina Gamecocks, ranked at No. 9.

Last season, the Pirates met the Gamecocks in Charlotte for the season opener. After leading by 17 at halftime, ECU squandered the lead to lose 56-37. The Pirates look to get revenge on the Gamecocks who squeaked by Vanderbilt in their first outing of the season.

The Gamecocks are led by junior tailback Marcus Lattimore who rushed for 110 yards and two touchdowns in his first game back from an ACL injury experienced last year.

The Pirates will have their hands full Saturday, but with another stout performance from the defense, the Pirates look to build their BCS resume with an upset win.

east carolina university

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fan-cam

Freshman Melyssa Gomez was one of 49,023 fans who packed Dowdy-Ficklen Statdium for the 2012 season-opening game against Appalachian State University. Fans battled extreme temperatures during the game and more than 300 were treated for heat-related illness. photo by mike litwin 12 PURPLE!

game 1 - ECU vs. south carolina - 2011