ECU still chasing conference title game

ECU is keeping its eyes on the prize.

With the Conference USA East Division title still in its control, ECU (6-4, 4-2) takes to the road for the second straight week to face UAB (3-7, 2-4) at Legion Field in Birmingham, Ala.

The Pirates were unable to seal the deal in winning the East Division last Saturday, losing to Southern Miss 21-3, but with a new week comes a new opportunity.

"Anytime you lose a game it leaves a bad taste in your mouth; a feeling in your stomach," said ECU junior defensive back Van Eskridge. "Luckily we were able to do some things earlier in the year that have put us in the position to where we can still control our own destiny with these next couple of games that we have to play."

While UAB is record-wise one of the worst teams in C-USA, ECU has never been able to win in three tries at UAB dating back to 1999. ECU has lost 10 in a row in the state of Alabama, dating back to 1965.

Two years ago the Pirates were poised to finally slay the Blazers in Birmingham before senior wide receiver Philip Henry fumbled as he made his way into the end zone for the potential game-winning touchdown. UAB held on to win 17-12.

"This is a good football team," ECU coach Skip Holtz said of the current UAB squad. "They've had some very big wins and been extremely competitive."

Just last week, after losing 70-14 to Southern Miss two weeks prior, the Blazers shocked Tulane in New Orleans, 41-24.

The win-while shocking-served the Pirates a notice that the Blazers are no pushover. The UAB win also was impressive due to the fact that ECU struggled in their third game of the season at Tulane; a 24-21 win.

"I really didn't pay much attention to them [UAB] putting up 41 on Tulane," Eskridge said. "I just know Tulane has a great defense; they're ranked ahead of us in some categories. But just by sitting down and looking at UAB on film, they have the capabilities of putting up some big numbers."

The Blazers' offensive attack is led by junior quarterback Joe Webb. At the moment, Webb ranks No.13 in the NCAA in total offense with a little over 287 yards per game. So far this season, he has thrown for 2,007 yards and 10 touchdowns while also being the Blazers' leading rusher with 866 yards and 10 touchdowns.

The other playmakers for UAB include junior running back Rashaud Slaughter, who has rushed for 455 yards and four touchdowns thus far. The wide receiving core for the Blazers is comparable to Memphis is terms of height; all of their starting receivers are at least 6-foot-2.

UAB currently ranks No.7 in total offense and scoring offense in C-USA, with 375 yards per game and almost 25 points.

"They have an athletic quarterback who can make plays with his feet as well as his arm," Eskridge said. "They have a good running back in Slaughter; he runs the ball real hard. He is shifty and hard to bring down. They also have some big guys on the outside but that is something we're not used to seeing with all the tall wideouts in Conference USA."

UAB returns seven starters from a year ago on defense. Lead by all-conference senior free safety Will Dunbar and senior middle linebacker Joe Henderson, the Blazers' defense currently ranks 10th overall in C-USA, allowing almost 466 yards per game.

"They've kind of evolved as the season has gone on and they've become much more disruptive," Holtz said. "They're doing more things, playing more fronts, giving you more looks, coming after you more and they're playing their corners back…When you look at it, they're a very talented defense and they're going to give our offense some problems."

Injuries have taken a toll on the Pirates all season long and perhaps no other position has been affected more than the wide receiver position. Only two receivers-redshirt freshman Darryl Freeney and junior Alex Taylor-remain from the five-wideout package that began the season.

Sophomore Dwayne Harris, senior T.J. Lee and sophomore T.J. Terrell are out for this week's game.

"We've always been a tight knit group, so it's not that really of a big deal, but it hurts losing Dwayne for the season's last game and also his backup T.J. Terrell," Freeney said of the current situation. "We're going to have to stick it through, get tough, study hard this week on UAB and go out and do our thing."

While Freeney thinks the offense can pull together, he admits the injuries that keep piling up week after week is discouraging.

"It's real frustrating because it's usually big time players like Dwayne and T.J. Lee," he said. "It's just real tough going through it and creating good chemistry every week."

On the injury report this week there are 18 names. If ECU can overcome the injury situation remains to be seen, but if it can, it would be an amazing feat given the obstacles.

"It's very frustrating," Eskridge said of the Pirates' current injuries. "I think the thing that hurts the most is that it has been a lot of older guys and a lot of seniors who have put in the same work and even more work than I have."

Even with all the curveballs ECU has had to endure over the course of the season, Eskridge and his teammates are ready to seal up what the Pirates have been waiting three years for - a berth in the C-USA Championship game.

"We're just kind of waiting and waiting; we're ready to be penciled in for that Conference Championship game," Eskridge said.

This writer can be contacted at sports@theeastcarolinian.com.