ECU quarterback Holton Ahlers and his returning cast are crucial to the Pirates’ success
The East Carolina Pirates return to Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium with many of their key players from last season. ECU finished ninth in the American Athletic Conference in 2020, with a 3-5 conference record and a 3-6 overall record. Coming into the new season, the Pirates are looking to improve upon this record, and there are tangible ways to make it happen.
Since the Pirates are returning an abundance of starters for the 2021 season, the team can take advantage of its existing experience and build on what it did last season. Nine of the team’s players were selected to at least one of the four All-AAC teams at the end of last season, with wide receiver Tyler Snead earning all-conference honors at three different positions.
The COVID-19 pandemic made for an unorthodox season for the majority of schools in the country. For the Pirates, they played fewer games than a typical season, not even reaching double digits.
East Carolina gets a new shot at a productive year, with what it hopes will be a full schedule and a full roster.
Carrying the load
▪ WR Tyler Snead, senior. In 2020, Snead earned second-team All-AAC at wide receiver, second team as a kick returner and third team as a punt returner. He totaled 530 yards through the air on 53 catches — which led the team — and five touchdowns in nine games. He also made his mark in the special teams game. On 18 kick returns, Snead recorded 409 yards and one score, averaging 22.72 yards per game. On punt returns, he added 144 yards. For good measure, Snead also added a rushing touchdown and passing touchdown to his totals last year. With the absence of the team’s leader in receiving yards, Blake Proehl, to the NFL, Snead is poised to bolster his offensive numbers even more in 2021.
▪ RB Rahjai Harris, sophomore. Harris also made second-team All-AAC in 2020. He led the team on the ground with 624 yards and four touchdowns, averaging 78 yards a game. He even broke off an 80-yard touchdown last season. In addition, he posted three 100-yard games during the season in the eight games that he played, all of which came in consecutive appearances. Harris showed much promise in his first season as a Pirate, making him an interesting player to follow this coming season.
▪ QB Holton Ahlers, senior. In eight appearances last season, Ahlers threw 18 touchdowns to nine interceptions and 1,921 yards, while completing 61% of his passes. He averaged 240 yards per game, which was a step down from his 282 average in his sophomore campaign. On the ground, he contributed 109 yards and one score. Entering his senior season with the Pirates, Ahlers is set to orchestrate an offense with many familiar faces and an assortment of experience.
Areas of concern
▪ Scoring defense. Last season, the team allowed 35.4 points per game, compared to the 30.2 it scored on offense. They ranked third-highest in points per game allowed, though they tied for second in the conference with 10 interceptions. In nine games, ECU recorded just 14 sacks. The team struggled to stop the run, giving up more than 200 yards a game.
The team did have some playmakers on the defensive side of the ball, including all-conference performer Ja’Quan McMillian and honorable mention Malik Fleming. Getting to the quarterback more often and stopping the run would greatly improve the Pirates’ chances in the fall. The Pirates will also bring on D.J. Ford, a graduate transfer from UNC who opted out of last season. This move boosts the secondary with both talent and veteran leadership.
▪ Ahlers’ production. Ahlers regressed slightly in the shortened 2020 season from his sophomore season. Though the dip in total numbers was inevitable with fewer games played, his passing and running yards per game dropped and his completion percentage remained almost the same. With a fresh start and familiarity with his teammates on offense, Ahlers can certainly turn it around. An improvement in his play opens up the game for everyone on that side of the ball. As long as Ahlers takes care of the ball, the Pirates’ offense should be in good shape.
Cutting down on points and yards allowed would help a Pirates team that had a solid season offensively. The team finished in the middle of the conference offensively, with room to improve, but putting teams away and avoiding shootouts will help the team gain control of their season.
Can’t-miss game
▪ Appalachian State, in Charlotte, Sept. 2
The Pirates will open up against Appalachian State on Sept. 2 at a neutral site: Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte.
This will be the first look at the incoming Pirates, a team with the opportunity to capitalize on its displayed potential from last season. Though ECU would have plenty of season left after that game, the opportunity to see the team on the field together for the first time against a quality opponent goes a long way. Appalachian State finished 9-3 in 2020, so taking the challenge early in the season helps the team gauge its abilities.
East Carolina last faced the Mountaineers in 2012, winning 35-13. App State leads the series all-time 19-12. The Mountaineers are heavily favored to win the game, according to ESPN, but the way that East Carolina competes in that game will help the team evaluate itself moving forward and into conference play.
A successful season is ...
For the team, the regular season record is the easy thing to point out. Finishing below .500 is almost always less than ideal, but it is an unfortunate trend that ECU has seen for its past six seasons. On the heels of a 3-6 season, a goal for the Pirates should be to finish over .500. The team last did so in the 2014 season. ECU has 12 regular-season games on deck for the upcoming season. Heading into Mike Houston’s third season, the Pirates are in good shape to do so given the potential of Houston’s primary offensive stars.
Individually, success could be found from a breakout season from Rahjai Harris. Continuing as the lead back in 2021, increasing his scoring would greatly improve East Carolina in establishing the run game. Though the team averaged more than 30 points per game last season, it was not enough to offset the production of their opponents. If the Pirates are a more dangerous threat to score on the ground this coming season, it would serve as a great help for the squad. Harris scored four rushing touchdowns last season, so bringing that total to at least eight would be ambitious yet helpful for ECU. He put up 624 rushing yards in nine games, putting him at 78 yards per game. Grinding out 85 or more yards per game next season not only helps the Pirates’ run game, but would put Harris over 1,000 yards in his second season.
To become a legitimate threat in the AAC, the Pirates also need to beat quality opponents. The team did end the season with a quality win against SMU, but that was the only team they defeated that finished with a winning record in 2020. The other two victories that ECU collected came against teams that combined for two wins.
Though it will take time for ECU to bounce back from last season and become a .500 team, there aren’t many more places to go than up. With the caliber of talent this team holds as well as the combination of tenured players, the Pirates have the potential to string together a solid season.
ECU projected starters
ECU football schedule
