A Vikings Fan’s Viewing Guide to CFB: East Carolina’s Growth
Josh Frey
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Just like the NFL season is fast approaching, we are nearing the day where college football teams will arrive on campus and begin their own preseason work. As a self-proclaimed NFL Draft nerd, I get almost as excited for the college football season as I do for the NFL season. Because of that, I am putting together guides for many of the notable college football programs ahead of the 2022 season. Whether you’re a seasoned college football viewer, or just getting into it for the first time, there is something here for everyone. We’re getting into the thick of the AAC now, and today, we discuss the rising East Carolina Pirates.
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Overview
From 2016-2020, the East Carolina Pirates won just three games in four of the five years. In 2019, they won four games. Then, in 2021 East Carolina recorded just their second winning record since joining the AAC in 2014 by going 7-5 and 5-3 in conference. This effort gave them a fourth-place finish in the AAC.
The Pirates return 14 starters from that season and seem to be in play for another winning season under head coach Mike Houston. Their star running back duo is back, and they are hoping to be an improved unit along the offensive line. Last year, the Military Bowl was cancelled due to COVID-19 concerns, but are the Pirates good enough to go bowling once again in 2022?
2022 NFL Draft Prospects
N/A
2022 Notable Transfers In
- WR Isaiah Winstead (Toledo)
- WR Jaylen Johnson (Georgia)
- WR Jarett Garner (Duke)
2022 Notable Transfers Out
- WR TJ Lockley (Jacksonville State)
- CB Jayden Chalmers (Campbell)
- CB Sean Tucker (Towson)
East Carolina’s 2022 Schedule
- 9/3 vs. NC State
- 9/10 vs. Old Dominion
- 9/17 vs. Campbell
- 9/24 vs. Navy
- 10/1 @ South Florida
- 10/8 @ Tulane
- 10/15 vs. Memphis
- 10/22 vs. UCF
- 10/28 @ BYU
- 11/11 @ Cincinnati
- 11/19 vs. Houston
- 11/26 @ Temple
Keys to 2022
Hot Start
The East Carolina Pirates have four straight home games to start the 2022 season. For a team that retains so much continuity, there is no excuse not to get off to a fast start with this schedule. It becomes even more important when they have the trio of UCF, Cincinnati, and Houston in a five-week span with their only other game being a road matchup with the BYU Cougars.
A key part of this start will be the effectiveness of their two-headed monster at running back. In 2021, Keaton Mitchell and Rahjai Harris combined for 338 attempts, 1711 yards, and 13 TDs on the ground. Their production will be crucial for the Pirates continued success this season.
A Stronger Defense
The Pirates defense was certainly improved from years past, giving up 26.2 points per game compared to 37.3, 33.7, and 35.2 in the three years prior. However, for East Carolina to compete with some of the top dogs in the AAC, they will need to continue to get even better this year. If you’ve been keeping up with these guides thus far, you’ll know that a major strength of the AAC has been its defenses.
Particularly in the secondary, East Carolina will have a difficult time replacing All-AAC cornerback Ja’Quan MacMillan, who recorded five interceptions in 2021. There are a number of intriguing players in this group, though, and the current group has displayed an aggression and physicality that has not been seen in the Pirates program for years.
My “Purple Player to Watch”
We’re going to stay on the defensive side of the ball with my prospect to keep an eye on for the Vikings. At linebacker, Minnesota has strong starters like Eric Kendricks and new free agency signing Jordan Hicks. However, the end of the era may be coming soon. Kendricks had a massive decline in 2021 that was hidden by the overall defensive unit being a disappointment, and Hicks is also an older player at 30 years of age.
With that, if you happen to stumble upon an East Carolina game this year, keep an eye on #10. Xavier Smith played a hybrid OLB/EDGE role with the pirates in 2021, but in 2022, he is taking a bigger role by stepping to the inside linebacker spot alongside Myles Berry. The duo should form an exciting tandem, and if East Carolina can make some noise in the AAC, Smith should get an invite to the Senior Bowl.
