ECU - UVA Recap: Pirates' running game comes alive in 31-21 win over Cavaliers

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 ECU Correspondent Thomas "Bubba" Rosenbaum recaps the East Carolina Pirates 31-21 win over the Virginia Cavaliers.

After four games, East Carolina was concerned about its inability to run the football. The Pirates were only averaging slightly less than 100 yards per game on the ground, and that was inflated considerably by their 177-yard performance against Memphis. However, during their open date, the Pirates’ offensive coordinator and line coach Steve Shankweiler moved some people around in an effort to generate an improved rushing attack against UVA and then beyond. Matt Butler moved from guard to replace Tom Wingenbach at center, while true freshman Cory Dowless made his first career start for the Pirates at left guard.

The rushing attack wasn’t the only issue that the Pirates were faced with entering the game, as they were banged up and missing two key starters on offense. East Carolina’s biggest playmaker, wide receiver Aundrae Allison, and its speedy running back Chris Johnson could not play due to an ankle sprain and turf toe, respectively. They were also without wide receiver Jamar Bryant, who had been a significant contributor up to this point in the season.

These factors could have been reasons for concern for the Pirates considering they were facing a UVA defense that came in ranked 20th nationally by allowing only 263 yards per contest.

The ECU offense experienced success immediately, scoring on its second drive, and it would continue for the entire first half. They posted an impressive 319 yards in the half, with about half of those coming on the ground.

Walk-on Brandon Simmons, a transfer from Elizabeth City State, showed the combination of speed and physicality at running back. This is an element that has been missing from the Pirates’ offense, especially since Dominique Lindsay went down against UAB.

East Carolina combined Simmons powerful runs with the quick and shifty Brandon Fractious. Quarterback James Pinkney also got into the mix, as he had a few big runs in the game. These came on scrambles, options, and also what appeared to be zone plays where he kept the ball after getting a pull read.

Which receiver was going to have a big game since Aundrae Allison was out? The answer was Bobby Good, as the senior caught five balls for 102 yards, which included a long of 44.

Although they didn’t have a turnover and only committed two penalties, the Pirates did make a few costly mistakes. These included two missed field goals (40, 24) by the usually sure-footed senior Robert Lee, and the biggest mistake of the game, which was the blocked punt at the beginning of the third quarter.

This blocked punt gave the Cavs a short field, which allowed them to close to within ten at 24-14; however, this is as close as the Wahoos would get despite the East Carolina offense not doing much for much of the second half.

Smelling blood, the Pirates looked to put the game away with just over two minutes left. It looked as though UVA might have a chance when they forced fourth and goal for ECU at the two-yard line. Robert Lee and the field goal unit trotted onto the field, but the Pirates’ holder Ryan Dougherty caught the snap and found his way into the end zone. Dougherty’s rushing touchdown run on the fake field goal was the second of his career. It capped East Carolina’s nine-minute drive, which turned out to be a “death” drive for the Cavaliers. The Pirates used 16 plays to cover the 79 yards needed for the score.

The Cavaliers would notch a consolation touchdown with 18 seconds remaining, but the injury-riddled Pirates would post the impressive win over a talented, but struggling UVA squad.

The Pirates’ offense came through with their best game of the season, as they finished with 432 total yards. They also controlled the football for 38 minutes, including over 20 in the second half.