PapaJohns.com Bowl recap: Bulls use dominating defense to stampede Pirates, 24-7, in Birmingham

USF defense sacks ECU quarterbacks six times, allows only 54 rushing yards

CUSA-fans.com has a new staff of team correspondents this season to help bring you, the fan, more detailed Conference USA football coverage. Today, our Head Football Writer Thomas "Bubba" Rosenbaum recaps the 2006 PapaJohns.com Bowl.

East Carolina quarterback James Pinkney probably thought he was in Spain for the running of the bulls on Saturday afternoon. The Pirates’ quarterback was sacked four times, hurried and knocked down countless others, and chased all over the field in Birmingham.

The Pirate team gets off its buses as East Carolina fans chant E-C-U!

The Bulls (9-4) notched their young program’s first ever bowl win with a 24-7 victory over the Pirates. East Carolina, which was making its first bowl appearance since 2001, finished the season at 7-6.

It didn’t take the Bulls long to see red and charge. The Pirates received the opening kickoff and proceeded to fumble on their second play from scrimmage. Center Matt Butler snapped the ball at Pinkney’s feet. As he attempted to pick it up, it was kicked toward the line of scrimmage where it was recovered by USF.

Jim Leavitt’s club capitalized immediately when running back Ben Williams went 16 yards untouched through a hole big enough to drive a truck through and gave the Bulls a 7-0 lead only 1:07 into the game.

USF wasted no time in adding to its lead, as Williams powered his way into the end zone on a fourth-and-goal play at the Pirates’ one-yard line with 8:43 remaining in the opening quarter.

Needing desperately to answer, ECU was able to do so; however, it was in an unlikely fashion. Faced with third-and-26 at the Bulls’ 48-yard line, Pinkney found Bobby Good in the right corner of the end zone for the score that cut the USF lead to 14-7 with 5:04 left in the first quarter.

Early in the second quarter, the Pirates forced the Bulls into a third and ten situation; however, there was confusion in what has been a reliable ECU secondary, and it resulted in a 37-yard touchdown pass from Matt Grothe to a wide open Amarri Jackson.

Following Ryan Dougherty’s shanked 17-yard punt, USF took over at the East Carolina 46-yard line. After allowing the Bulls to convert another fourth down play, the Pirates rose to the challenge and forced a 38-yard Delbert Alvarado field goal. The kick was nearly perfect and the USF lead was 24-7 with just less than seven minutes remaining in the first half.

An aerial view of historic Legion Field about 50 minutes prior to the kickoff of the inaugural PapaJohns.com Bowl.

USF star quarterback Matt Grothe suffered a shin injury in the first half and would not return in the second half. Reserve Pat Julmiste entered the game and the Bulls would not score again. They were held to 286 yards in the game, but did convert five of five fourth downs after going only 3-of-15 on third down.

Fortunately for USF, its defense rose to the challenge time and time, again.

East Carolina had its opportunities to get back into the game in the second half, but came up empty every time. The Pirates’ Dominique Lindsay finally gave his team a running game, totaling 85 yards on only 12 carries. Even so, ECU was unable to do anything with USF’s speedy defense, as sacks, turnovers and penalties thwarted their scoring chances.

Ben Hartman’s 47-yard field goal attempt drifted wide as the third quarter came to a close.

James Pinkney was forced to leave the game early in the fourth quarter following what appeared to be an injury to his left shoulder.

The Pirates’ back-up Rob Kass entered the game and hooked up with Brandon Fractious on a screen pass for a 26-yard gain to the Bulls’ 16-yard line. However, the ECU running back fumbled on the next play, ending the Pirates’ chances.

On East Carolina’s next possession, it had first-and-goal at the USF four-yard line. From there, the Pirates went backwards. First, there was a bad snap that resulted in Kass being sacked for 13 yards by the Bulls’ stud linebacker Stephen Nicholas. Ben Moffitt then got in on the action, recording another sack for USF and backing the Pirates up to their 24. Kass threw incomplete on third and fourth downs and ECU turned the football over on downs.

The game would end with the Bulls holding the Pirates off the scoreboard one more time, as their drive concluded on the USF 12-yard line as time expired.

ECU Head Strength and Conditioning Coach Mike Golden leads the Pirates through their team flex.

The Bulls’ defense, which was playing without defensive coordinator Wally Burnham who had flown home to attend the funeral of his mother, applied tremendous pressure on the ECU quarterbacks. It also did a superb job of jamming the Pirates’ top receiver Aundrae Allison, limiting him to three catches for 24 yards and essentially making him a non-factor in the game.

Pinkney finished the game a dismal 8-of-25 for 125 yards and a touchdown. Kass went 10-of-19 for 139 yards in the fourth quarter.

Bobby Good concluded his East Carolina career in style, hauling in five passes for 116 yards and a score.

The Bulls’ Matt Grothe went 6-of-10 for 81 yards and a touchdown while back-up Pat Julmiste connected on 6-of-8 attempts for 49 yards.

Following the game, USF’s head man spoke about what it meant to record the program’s first bowl win and the best season in the Bulls’ brief history.

“We talked about how important it was to win this game," said South Florida coach Jim Leavitt, whose team finished 9-4 to tie its season high for wins set in 2002. "We felt like if we'd win today, this would be the best team in the history of the University of South Florida -- which is a short history.”

"Even so, that was a big thing."