Focus on…East Carolina
Location: Greenville, N.C.Record: 4-3Leading Passer: Pat Pinkney (822 total passing yards)Leading Rusher: Chris Johnson (530 total rushing yards)Leading Receiver: Jamar Bryant (361 total receiving yards)Fun fact: Opponents are averaging 306 passing yards per game against the Pirates secondary this season.
Source: East Carolina
Recent games of note against East Carolina
1. East Carolina 23, N.C. State 6, Nov. 20, 1999State’s loss to ECU was part of a 2-4 finish to then-coach Mike O’Cain’s final season at the helm of the Pack. The season began with promise as State upset then-No. 16 Texas on the road en route to starting the season 3-0. O’Cain was fired four days after the loss to the Pirates. Chuck Amato was hired less than two months later.
2. N.C. State 37, East Carolina 24, Nov. 22, 1997The Wolfpack’s season-ending win over the Pirates was part of a three-game winning streak that led to a contract extension for O’Cain. The winning streak followed a four-game losing streak that threatened the Pack’s bowl eligibility that season. State finished 6-5, but did not participate in a bowl game.
3. East Carolina, 37, N.C. State 34, Jan. 1, 1992In the first meeting between the two teams since 1987, East Carolina defeated the Wolfpack in the Peach Bowl. In 1987, NCSU officials suspended the series between State and ECU after ECU fans tore down the goal posts in Carter-Finley Stadium. In 1992, the teams just happened to meet in the New Year’s Day bowl game.
Last time N.C. State played East Carolina
In Chuck Amato’s last game as N.C. State’s coach, the Wolfpack closed the season with a 21-16 loss to the Pirates. It was the Pack’s seventh loss in a row, dropping its record on the season to 3-9. State managed to get on the board first with a Toney Baker touchdown run, but it could not hold the lead. State was also in position to take a lead into halftime for the first time since the season-opening win over Appalachian State, but ECU scored a touchdown for four seconds left in the half to take a lead it never relinquished.
Ernest Jones On His nickname Earl
I have no idea where that came from. Last year [defensive coordinator and linebackers] coach [Steve] Dunlap started calling me that for some strange, odd reason. I think he had a dog named Earl. He thought that I resembled him because I was a lot skinnier back then. So I guess that’s where that comes from. — Compiled by Emily Seck
