This one is going to be one of the more impossible opponent previews you'll see, as the ECU Pirates have nearly turned over their entire team after a nice 9-4 record last year under coach Blake Harrell. Guys like running back London Montgomery and safety Ja'Marley Riddle (two of their top players last year) have made the jump up to join the Florida Gators and Georgia Bulldogs, and even starting QB Katin Houser transferred to Illinois. Ultimately, the Pirates lost 24 players to the transfer portal, and the best I can tell, wide receiver Brock Spalding and linebacker DJ Johnson Jr. are the only returning starters on the team.
Not only was there major roster turnover for the Pirates, but they also lost both of their coordinators. Offensive coordinator John David Baker, who's taken a promotion up to be the OC for Ole Miss, was replaced with North Texas OC Jordan Davis. Davis was the OC behind the Mean Green's nation-leading 44.8 points per game offense in 2026. It was an up tempo, air raid-like offense and there's a lot of reason for ECU fans to be excited – however, Davis comes with a big caveat: he was the OC in name only, as UNT's head coach Eric Morris was actually the playcaller.
Eric Morris runs many of the same concepts he learned from being a player. He has expanded the run game using a lot more gap runs. WSU and MSST under Leach used mostly inside and outside zones with some DART (backside tackle pulls and leads) to change things up.
How much will Davis's iteration of this offense at ECU look like the Morris offense at UNT? We'll just have to see, so this will be an experience for everyone.
Defensively, the Pirates lost DC Josh Aldredge to USF, and replaced him with Memphis's DC, Jordon Hankins. Memphis was decent on defense under Hankins the last couple of years, and generally ran a 3-high safety look
#offense #morris #eric #hankins
Not only was there major roster turnover for the Pirates, but they also lost both of their coordinators. Offensive coordinator John David Baker, who's taken a promotion up to be the OC for Ole Miss, was replaced with North Texas OC Jordan Davis. Davis was the OC behind the Mean Green's nation-leading 44.8 points per game offense in 2026. It was an up tempo, air raid-like offense and there's a lot of reason for ECU fans to be excited – however, Davis comes with a big caveat: he was the OC in name only, as UNT's head coach Eric Morris was actually the playcaller.
Eric Morris runs many of the same concepts he learned from being a player. He has expanded the run game using a lot more gap runs. WSU and MSST under Leach used mostly inside and outside zones with some DART (backside tackle pulls and leads) to change things up.
How much will Davis's iteration of this offense at ECU look like the Morris offense at UNT? We'll just have to see, so this will be an experience for everyone.
Defensively, the Pirates lost DC Josh Aldredge to USF, and replaced him with Memphis's DC, Jordon Hankins. Memphis was decent on defense under Hankins the last couple of years, and generally ran a 3-high safety look
#offense #morris #eric #hankins
2 days ago
