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ECU sports Q&A with CUSA-fans correspondent Bubba Rosenbaum
CUSA-fans.com has a new staff of team correspondents this fall to help bring you, the fan, more detailed Conference USA football coverage. Today, our East Carolina Correspondent Thoms "Bubba" Rosenbaum answers your e-mails in his ECU sports mailbag Q&A.
You can contact Bubba with your questions about ECU sports at TBRosenbaum @ cusa-fans.com.
Chip O’Rear
Greenville, NC
Q: What positions are we focusing our recruiting efforts on for next season? Also, how big a role does the coaching staff feel JUCO players will play in addressing immediate needs for next year?
A: The Pirates’ primary needs in the recruiting class of 2007 appear to be at wide receiver, defensive back and punter. Otherwise, with such a young team this season, I think East Carolina will be trying to continue to build its depth with this class now that the staff has a couple classes under its belt.
Expect Holtz and staff to go the JUCO route to satisfy the aforementioned immediate needs. The Pirates will be losing their top receiver in the explosive Aundrae Allison. This loss means that ECU must find another big-time playmaking wide out.
One prospect they’re looking at to attempt to fill this vacancy is T.J. Lee, who is currently a sophomore at Bakersfield College (CA). Through seven games, he has posted 26 receptions for 477 yards and five touchdowns, including a long of 67. He ranks 15 th in the Western State Conference in total receptions while playing on a team that does not throw the ball as much as its conference foes. Lee made a visit to Greenville for the Pirates’ victory over Virginia.
Defensively, the Pirates will be losing an excellent cover corner in Kasey Ross. Ross has really blossomed the past two seasons under the guidance of East Carolina secondary coach Rick Smith. They will also be losing three safeties. This includes strong safeties, Kyle Chase and Pierre Parker, as well as free safety Jamar Flournoy. Redshirt freshman Melvin Patterson will be competing to fill one of those spots.
Ryan Dougherty has helped solidify the ECU kicking game over the past four seasons with his tremendous punting. During the past two, he has also given the Pirates something they had not had in recent years. This is someone who can kick the ball into the endzone on a consistent basis.
Ben Hartman will likely take over the kickoff duties, but the Pirates will likely have to go out and sign a JUCO punter. They do have a walk-on Nathan Przestrzelski on the roster; however, I can’t imagine Holtz and company opting to not bring in someone with experience who has proven themselves on the college level. Regardless of who it is, he will have some large shoes to fill. Ryan Dougherty is one of the top punters to ever wear the purple and gold.
Thomas "Bubba" Rosenbaum is the ECU team correspondent for CUSA-fans.com. You can contact him by clicking here. |
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