2014
East Carolina
College Football
Betting Preview
Schedule and Odds
Like most teams that join better conferences, East Carolina will have some problems this year. With better competition in and out of conference, the Pirates should be in for a real test this season. The Pirates generally lack on the defensive end and with only Four returning starters, that could be a problem in the AAC.
It’s going to fall on the shoulders of quarterback Shane Carden and his offense. While they did Scoreover 40 points per Game last year, they didn’t have to play against defenses like Cincinnati or UCF in conference. Still, you can’t deny the talent this group has, as they did put 55 points on the board at North Carolina last season.
Carden (33 TDs, 10 INTs) has a wealth of targets to pass to once again. Justin Hardy (114 receptions, 1,284 yards, 8 TDs) leads the group, but guys like Isaiah Jones (604 yards), Cam Worthy and a few others can’t be forgotten. This is one of the best passing offenses in the nation for a reason. ECU lost their running back, but Breon Allen should fill in fine. Three starters return on the offensive line with a couple underclassmen set to start. Keeping Carden upright is that group’s main goal this season.
The other side of the ball leaves much to be desired, although they have improved steadily over the last Four seasons with Ruffin McNeill as head coach. Playing in the AAC with only Four returning starters is the problem at hand.
The Pirates are weakest defending the pass and there will be a lot of new faces in the back seven. Senior cornerback Detric Allen will have to play big and take on some leadership. Their defensive line will have to continue to stop the run, led by stuffer Terry Williams at nose tackle. It’s going to be a new challenge for a lot of these guys, that’s for sure.
A three-Game stretch at South Carolina, at Virginia Tech and against North Carolina is going to be a monumental task for this team early on. While they did beat UNC last year and came close to VT, East Carolina didn’t have to play the Gamecocks, one of the best teams in the SEC. Escaping those Games with one win would be fine, but two is a possibility.
Important AAC Games for the Pirates include a road Game at Cincinnati and then a season finale with UCF. Winning the Conference is probably unlikely for this group, but if they want to, they’ll need to win those Games.
However, with this offense, ECU can compete and could end up in the upper half of the standings. Eight regular season wins is a solid goal for them and should be attained as long as the offense keeps scoring.
5 dimes sportsbook has odds/lines posted for the first few weeks of Games for several AAC teams. Check em out.
2014 East Carolina Football Schedule
Aug. 30 vs. North Carolina Central
Sept. 6 at South Carolina
Sept. 13 at Virginia Tech
Sept. 20 vs. North Carolina
Oct. 4 vs. SMU
Oct. 11 at South Florida
Oct. 23 vs. Connecticut
Nov. 1 at Temple
Nov. 13 at Cincinnati
Nov. 22 vs. Tulane
Nov. 28 at Tulsa
Dec. 4 vs. UCF