But that hasn't kept coach Skip Holtz from aggressively pursuing players in his backyard. And he has found a way to sign enough tough, area talent to fill two-thirds of the starting lineup.

This week's depth chart includes 15 former North Carolina prep players among the 22 regulars, plus the two reserve running backs, a place-kicker and a punter.

Some were deemed too short or too thin by bigger programs. Many possessed speed, but not size. For several who had other attractive options -- like tailback Norman Whitley -- ECU was the school of choice.

All those ECU "Tar Heels" have done is help whip Virginia Tech and West Virginia en route to a 3-1 start and a No. 23 national ranking.

When Holtz arrived, he stressed re-establishing North Carolina as prime recruiting territory despite the proximity of ACC teams.

Former Pirates coach Steve Logan had benefited from home-grown talent. But East Carolina began to lose favor when it played a game on Friday night -- a prep night -- several years ago. That created anti-Pirates sentiment from the high school set.

John Thompson, who succeeded Logan, did land a prize by signing quarterback Patrick Pinkney from Fayetteville. But the overall in-state haul wasn't as productive as in some previous regimes.

During Holtz' three-plus years, East Carolina's staff developed rapport and gained support from high school coaches, said Pirates recruiting coordinator Donnie Kirkpatrick. They've also gotten prospects' attention.

"We hit the ground running and the state welcomed us,'' Kirkpatrick said. "We had to get the high school kids on our side."

Asked why he signed with ECU, Whitley, who was recruited by several ACC schools, said: "Why not?"

"There's nothing like [the feeling of] home,'' said Whitley, a Hamlet native and close friend of Pirates receiver Jamar Bryant. "Everything was in place. There was the opportunity to [do] something special. What can you find negative about East Carolina?"

While they still don't win many recruiting duels against North Carolina and N.C. State, ECU has wound up with standout players, several of whom they took based on potential.

"We've signed kids who had the frame, then would redshirt them,'' Kirkpatrick said. "Nobody ever has figured out how to make a kid tall. But we do know how to make him bigger and stronger."

Scotty Robinson, a defensive end from Salisbury, is an example. He arrived as a 6-foot-4 stringbean, weighing about 212 pounds. Now he's a 250-pound, hard-hitting heavyweight.

Defensive end C.J. Wilson (Belhaven) was lightly recruited but made the All-Conference USA second team last season. Stellar defensive back Van Eskridge (Shelby), defensive lineman Jay Ross (Wilmington), and offensive lineman Terence Campbell (Maxton) are others who created a mild recruiting stir but are creating mayhem now.

The Pirates have landed some prospects with stars by their names, including Jamar Bryant, who signed with Georgia then wound up at East Carolina by way of Hargrave Military Academy.

Offensive lineman Doug Palmer (Fayetteville) received "big-time offers," Kirkpatrick said. Back Jonathan Williams (Greenville) had other opportunities as well.

Not that ECU doesn't look beyond state boundaries. Coaches would go from Greenville to Ghana to get a blue-chipper.

A key is getting the prospects to visit, to experience a game at rowdy Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium.

"We have a great game atmosphere; our crowd is into football,'' Kirkpatrick said. "Kids will say, 'Ooh! I want to play here.' They've been turned on by the atmosphere."

And once they've become Pirtes, many have helped turn ECU into a winner again.

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