Opinion: Holtz understands the building process

By: Ronnie Woodward

Posted: 12/4/08

As exciting and memorable as ECU's upset-laden beginning to the 2008 regular season was, the finish deserves the most applause. Pulling off a couple of upsets and even going undefeated during one season can give a program short-term credibility, but that's not what ECU coach Skip Holtz wants. Holtz has always had the big picture in mind when it comes to coaching, stressing to his players not to get too high with the big wins and not to get too low with the losses.

This season showed that Holtz understands what it takes to build a football program, and the Pirates' 5-1 finish to the regular season and berth in Saturday's Conference USA championship game is just the latest step in that process.

During Holtz's first season in Greenville (2005), the goal was to gain respect from the opponents the Pirates faced each Saturday, and they did. The 2006 season was all about making it to a bowl game, which ECU did. Last season's goal was not only to make it to a bowl game, but also to win one. ECU did that, defeating non-BCS power Boise State, 41-38, in the Sheraton Hawaii Bowl.

But after failing to reach the C-USA title game in 2006 and 2007, this year's goal was very clear: Make the C-USA championship game. Despite all the on-field and off-field distractions the Pirates encountered this season, they will appear in the program's first-ever C-USA title game this Saturday against Tulsa.

But in typical Holtz fashion, the Pirates' fourth-year coach refuses to take credit for this year's accomplishment.

"I think it speaks volumes for these players and their attitude and drive," he said on Monday. "They set out what they wanted at the beginning of the year and they weren't going to let anything get in their way."

After bolting out of the gate this season with wins over Virginia Tech and West Virginia, and gaining a No. 15 national ranking, making the C-USA title game seemed like a forgone conclusion. That quickly changed however, as the Pirates lost three straight games and were out of the national spotlight with a 3-3 record in early October. It would've been easy for ECU to quit at that point, as Holtz admitted on Monday that dissension was present among the Pirates' players during that October stretch.

On top of the internal problems, ECU began to lose players to injuries and suspensions on a regular basis. The ECU team that finished the regular season looked far different from the one that beat Virginia Tech. The group that dominated UTEP in last weekend's regular season finale was without its two best defensive players, top-three wide receivers, best offensive lineman, two best cornerbacks and most talented running back.

Despite depleted ranks, Holtz got his Pirates into the C-USA title game-which speaks volumes for his ability to get the most out of his players.

"I think I'm more proud of this football team for what they've accomplished and the adversity that they have gone through than I would be if we had stayed healthy and gone undefeated," Holtz said after the UTEP game.

Unfortunately for ECU, this weekend's title game looks eerily similar to the 2006 Papajohns.com Bowl. Just like South Florida was in that game, Tulsa appears more suited to win this weekend's contest and the Pirates' chance of an upset appear slim.

So if ECU loses Saturday, will Holtz be around for ECU's first C-USA title?

With him being a top candidate for the Syracuse job and Charlie Weis' long-term future with Notre Dame uncertain, Holtz's departure might happen sooner rather than later. With his kids at ages 14, 12 and 10, it would probably make sense for him to move on to a BCS conference sometime soon.

History has shown that Holtz's current program can continue to grow even after his departure, however. After Holtz sparked unprecedented success with UConn in the mid-1990s, the Huskies continued to flourish after his exit and are currently one of the top programs in the Big East. Holtz has created a winning atmosphere in Greenville just like he did in Storrs, Conn., and if he does leave, ECU's next coach should be able to build on what Holtz has already done.

Prior to last year's Hawaii Bowl with Boise State, Holtz said that the level of the Broncos' program is where ECU is striving to be. The Pirates appear to be headed in that direction because of one man's ability to lay the foundation-one step at a time.

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