Previewing NC State’s Opponent: East Carolina

NC State will close out their 2018 regular season today against in-state rival East Carolina.

The Pirates will play today without their head coach Scottie Montgomery, and likely without starting Freshman Quarterback Holton Ahlers.

They enter today’s contest with a 3-8 record, the inverse of NC State’s.

Despite their dismal record, the Pirate’s offense isn’t inept. ECU’s rushing attack ranks 104th nationally (138.6 rushing yards per game), their aerial assault ranks 15th (304 passing yards per game). Add it all up, and their Total Offense ranks 37th nationally (442.6 yards per game).

With that being said, if Freshman Quarterback Holton Ahlers’ is absent today, then much of the Pirate’s offensive attack will be absent as well. Not only is Ahlers’ the Pirate’s best option at Quarterback, but he’s also their leading rusher in 2018, rushing for 592 yards and 6 touchdowns.

Sophomore Quarterback Reid Herring will likely be the starting quarterback today, which is a familiar role for him. He started the first 6 games of the season, but hasn’t been able to put the ball in the end zone like Ahler’s.

Herring: 6 touchdowns/9 interceptions
Ahlers: 12 touchdowns/3 interceptions

Senior Wide Receiver Trevon Brown (6’2″/215) will be a handful for the NC State cornerbacks today. He has 71 receptions (18th nationally) for 1,075 yards (13th nationally) and 9 touchdowns (21st nationally) on the year.

East Carolina’s defense has been unable to keep the other team from putting points on the board, ranking 112th nationally in scoring defense (35.5 points per game). I wouldn’t say their defense has a strength per say (Total Defense ranks 85th – 420.3 yards per game), but their rush defense (66th – 163.9) is better than their pass defense (107th – 256.4).

While the Pirate’s defense is by no means exceptional, they are very disruptive in the backfield.  Senior Defensive End Nate Harvey (6’1″/225) leads the nation in tackles for loss per game (24 tackles for loss) and ranks 2nd in sacks per game (13.5 sacks). In a large part due to Harvey, ECU ranks 3rd nationally in tackles for loss and 11th in sacks.