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The Lowdown 2006 Schedule Coach: Skip Holtz (2nd season, 5-6) 2005 record: 5-6 C-USA finish: 4-4 (4th East) 2005 I-A offensive rankings: Rushing: 71st (137.5 ypg) Passing: 29th (256.0 ypg) 2005 I-A defensive rankings: Rushing: 112th (217.6 ypg) Passing: 20th (184.9 ypg) Date Opponent Sept. 2 at Navy Sept. 9 at UAB Sept. 16 Memphis Sept. 23 West Virginia Oct. 7 Virginia Oct. 14 Tulsa Oct. 21 SMU Oct. 28 at Southern Miss Nov. 4 at UCF Nov. 11 Marshall Nov. 18 at Rice Nov. 25 at NC State Depth Chart: Offense 6 returning starters in red Ps. No. Player Yr. No. Player Yr. WR 2 Aundrae Allison Sr. 81 Alex Taylor Fr. WR 19 Bobby Good Sr. 88 Kyle Johnson Fr. WR 32 Phillip Henry Jr. 80 Kevin Roach Sr. LT 78 Eric Graham Sr. - Steven Kooistra So. LG 68 Matt Butler Jr. - Josh Stahl Fr. C 61 Tom Wingenbach Sr. 56 Fred Hicks Jr. RG 76 Josh Coffman Jr. 57 Paul Walsh So. RT 74 Terence Campbell Fr. 58 Lance Neisz Sr. TE 91 Jay Sonnhalter Jr. 3 Davon Drew So. QB 7 James Pinkney Sr. 4 Brett Clay Fr. RB 5 Chris Johnson Jr. 24 Dominique Lindsay So. Depth Chart: Defense 6 returning starters in red Ps. No. Player Yr. No. Player Yr. DE 92 Marcus Hands Jr. 53 Scotty Robinson Fr. DT 93 Brandon Setzer So. 97 Wendell Chavis Jr. NG 96 Mark Robinson Jr. 99 Dontré Brown Sr. DE 55 Shauntae Hunt Sr. 41 Zach Slate So. OLB 49 Jeremy Chambliss Fr. 25 Orlando Farrow Sr. MLB 51 Fred Wilson Jr. 48 Durwin Lamb Jr. OLB 50 Quentin Cotton Jr. 35 Danny Muhwezi Jr. CB 8 Travis Williams Jr. 26 Stacy Walls So. CB 17 Kasey Ross Sr. 22 Markeith McQueen Sr. SS - Jamar Flournoy Sr. 4 Kyle Chase Sr. FS 1 Pierre Parker Sr. 38 Chris Mattocks Fr. Special Teams Ps. No. Player Yr. Ps. No. Player Yr. K 39 Robert Lee Sr. P 10 Ryan Dougherty Sr. KR 5 Chris Johnson Jr. PR 8 Travis Williams Jr.

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Whether or not a season of promise for East Carolina in 2005 has a chance to blossom into something special depends on what the Pirates have made of their first season of relative calm in nearly five years.

With an infusion of new talent from his first signing class and a core of experienced juniors and seniors, coach Skip Holtz guided the Pirates through a productive set of spring practices. There was clear evidence that the team was coming off its first season of being competitive - the Pirates posted a 5-6 mark in 2005 - since former coach Steve Logan was at the helm.

Holtz will push the buttons of senior quarterback James Pinkney in what could be a standout passing attack in Conference USA, but the ever-present question mark looms in the more critical areas of the ECU offense - up front and in the backfield.

Thanks to some aggressive scheduling, East Carolina might have a tough time matching its promising start to the Holtz era. Ready to help measure the Pirates' improvement will be a band of 2005 bowl teams, including non-conference dates with West Virginia, Virginia, Navy and North Carolina State.

The team's strength will be its experienced defense, which improved through spring practice. Despite the loss of three mainstays at linebacker, three promising junior college transfers found it tough to keep themselves in the mix with the amount of able replacements.

OFFENSE

For the first time since David Garrard manned the Pirates' passing game, East Carolina and second-year coach Skip Holtz already know who will be their man under center. Holtz will ride Pinkney in what could be a standout passing attack in Conference USA. In his second season as starter in 2005, Pinkney became more comfortable as the team's leader and threw for 2,773 yards and 14 touchdowns.

There is a strong corps of veteran receivers - Aundrae Allison (83 catches, 1,024 yards, 7 TDs), Bobby Good, Kevin Roach and Philip Henry - and an attractive cast of young players led by redshirt freshmen Alex Taylor (6'4") and Kyle Johnson (6'3"), both of whom shined in spring drills. Allison is recovering from knee surgery, but the Georgia Military College transfer should be ready by fall camp.

The question marks loom in the more critical areas of the ECU offense - up front and in the backfield. Junior tailback Chris Johnson will be the primary ball-carrier if he can successfully recover from neck surgery that kept him out of spring drills. Another part of the solution will be sophomore Dominique Lindsay, who is a better runner up the middle.

Senior tackle Eric Graham and junior guard Matt Butler return up front, but a few skyward snaps in the spring game served as a reminder that the line is a work in progress.

DEFENSE

Coordinator Greg Hudson has some of his best talent up front this season. Bookends Shauntae Hunt and 2005 breakout talent Marcus Hands return to anchor returning interior starters Mark Robinson and Brandon Setzer, another pleasant surprise last season. Hands underwent successful surgery late last season to repair ongoing shoulder problems.

For most of the spring, Holtz raved about the immediate impact of junior college gems Fred Wilson in the middle and Orlando Farrow and Danny Muhwezi on the outside, after losing program centerpieces Chris Moore and Richard Koonce. But following spring practice, junior Quentin Cotton and redshirt freshman Jeremy Chambliss were atop the depth chart at the two outside linebacker spots. Potential starter Pierre Bell required offseason surgery and is projected to be back for fall camp.

Leadership characterizes the secondary overseen by recruiting hound Rick Smith. Senior cornerback Kasey Ross has enjoyed unprecedented growth under the Holtz staff and has helped mentor the young corners and safeties.

SPECIALISTS

Junior college transfer Robert Lee nailed 17-of-19 field goals in his first season at ECU, including a 51-yard blast, and he is joined by fellow senior and fourth-year starter Ryan Dougherty at punter.

FINAL ANALYSIS

Holtz's expectations are admittedly higher after the team finished with consecutive victories over Conference USA rivals Marshall and UAB, and he ended spring drills mindful that the Pirates' growth isn't complete yet.

"There are so many pieces that are already put together," he says, "and there are so many guys who have the talent that just haven't played, and that's what makes this so different."