East Carolina's next goal: C-USA title

GREENVILLE, N.C.

Another year, another couple steps forward.

And so, as East Carolina approaches the 2008 season, Skip Holtz’s checklist for transforming the Pirates from patsy to power is almost complete.

Almost. But we’ll get to that later. First, let’s look at the accomplishments East Carolina can tick off so far:

- Establishing a winner’s pedigree? Check. The Pirates finished the 2007 season with an 8-5 record, the second straight year they finished above .500. This from a group that managed just a 3-20 record in the two years before Holtz’s arrival in 2005.

- Postseason success? Check again. In December, the Pirates nipped Boise State 41-38 in the Hawaii Bowl for their first postseason victory since 2000.

-A stable of veterans? Double check. Holtz acknowledges he had to piece together rosters his first two years. But now, each of the quarterbacks – Patrick Pinkney and Rob Kass – started at least five games last year. Pinkney will get the first crack at running the offense; on Monday, he was named the starter for the opener .

There are nine offensive linemen that have seen college action. When the Pirates line up for their opener, all but five of the 22 starters could be juniors and seniors.

As a result, the majority of ECU’s incoming freshmen will be seen but not heard from in 2008 – a sign that the Pirates should be ready to pick up where they left off in 2007.

“Not having many freshmen usually means you have a great returning group,” Holtz said.

- Enthusiastic fan base? They’ve got that, too. Pirates backers have spent the summer gobbling up tickets at a record pace and ECU seems assured of selling out its season-ticket allotment at 43,000-seat Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium for the second straight year.

- Quality nonconference schedule? The Pirates play four BCS schools: Virginia, Virginia Tech, North Carolina and West Virginia. No non-BCS school plays more and only two play as many. Furthermore, the meeting with the Mountaineers will be in Greenville.

These days, the Pirates are even players in the facilities arms race contested by the big-time schools. Three years ago, they renovated their practice facility. In 2006, they invested $800,000 in state-of-the-art football meeting rooms. And, this year, they’ll christen a new locker room.

So what’s missing? A conference title. For all their recent success, the Pirates have never won the Conference USA crown and haven’t earned a league title of any kind since 1973.

Surprising late-season losses to Rice in 2006 and Marshall last season reduced the Pirates to C-USA also-rans. As a result, you won’t find the Pirates crowing about their achievements. They’re too busy honing in on the one that keeps getting away.

“I don’t think now is the time to pat ourselves on the back,” Holtz said. “Right now, we have to find out what we have to get done … in order to win a conference championship.”

Paul White, (757) 418-1447, paul.white@pilotonlline.com

About ECU

Coach Skip Holtz, fourth season at East Carolina (20-17) and ninth overall (58-40)

Last year 8-5, 6-2 Conference-USA (second in C-USA East), won Hawaii Bowl 41-38 against Boise State

Returning starters 7 on offense, 9 on defense, kicker and punter

Impact players Dual threat Patrick Pinkney and strong-armed Rob Kass combined for more than 2,500 passing yards. Physical 300-pound guard Doug Palmer heads a deep core of offensive linemen. Second-team All-C-USA DE Zack Slate provides a playmaker coming off the edge. Van Eskridge (team-best 104 tackles in ’07) is a safety who hits like a LB.

Good news Experience and depth to spare, especially along both lines. A favorable C-USA schedule; most of the Pirates’ toughest league games are at home. General sense throughout the program of optimism mixed with a hunger to claim that elusive conference title.

Bad news No clear replacement on hand for explosive RB Chris Johnson, a first-round NFL draft pick, especially after Doninique Lindsay suffered a season-ending knee injury in preseason camp. If you have two QBs, do you have one? Returners include the key culprits in last season’s porous secondary.

The big game Nov. 2 at Central Florida. Hard to imagine the Pirates taking the C-USA East without coming up big against the preseason favorite.

Bottom line Everything is in place for the Pirates to snag their first conference title in 35 years if they can subdue UCF and avoid their perennial late-season hiccup.