Georgia State Football receives East Carolina on Saturday after noon ET in a game that will be broadcast nationally on ESPNU. To preview the game and be more informed about the Pirates, we met Stephen Igoe from our sister site HoistTheColours.
PantherTalk: East Carolina has faced a season opening as complicated as the one it can signal for UCF thirteen after several canceled games. For those who only look at the scores in the box and haven’t seen the game, what were their positive conclusions about the game?
YES: First, East Carolina is an incredibly young team overall and is still largely in rebuild mode with head coach Mike Houston. Fifty-four new players joined the list alone this off-season. Some this year are not so much a question of results, especially considering each and every one and everything that is happening, as it is about progress. Almost the entire team will be back for 2-3 years, if not more with eligibility regulations this fall, so there are many positive aspects to learn from such a young team in each and every match. It’s a learning experience. Don’t get me wrong. Staff need to win each and every game and at some point will be measured strictly according to profit and loss. Probably next year more than anything.
But going back to your initial question, I was inspired by the defensive plan. That sounds crazy since they gave in more than 630 yards. But that’s what UCF does with virtually every one of them. Last year, the ECU withdrew in fundamental defence. This year, after the replacement of Blake Harrell’s coordinator, they combine the fronts, blankets, etc. and rotate the template every single time. It’s a breath of new air and I hope the defense will do it with so many young players in each and every game. The offense, which purported to be the team’s strength, committed 4 ball losses and struggled to locate a rhythm But the fit of the race was a lovely wonder and the backfield is a valid 4-5, adding two highly recruited genuine recruits who played well in the opening game. In general, it is difficult to compare the UCF game a lot. 2-3 weeks will allow us to be much more informed about this equipment.
PantherTalk: Offensively, I was inspired by the Pirates’ hasty attack and the workers’ body’s willingness to stay attacking on the court while the air game is complete. Do you expect a similar formula on Saturday or expect more balance??
SI: Wherever Houston has been, its groups have been incredibly balanced and defensive. Both are still paintings in progress here. Runners are talented. The offensive line is still understanding a few things, however, last week’s race blockade was encouraging. The offensive threw the ball to an elite point at the time of last season. But the initial game was a step back from that. Part of that was UCF. Part of that was from the ECU. Holton Ahlers has shown three goals he likes to throw, but neither has had more than two receptions opposed to UCF. I’d expect ECU to check to catch those guys: CJ Johnson, Tyler Snead and Blake Proehl – to leave early. Little or no luck, they only have two catches for two consecutive games. So yes, I expect a balanced attack, but I’m also waiting for the Pirates to check to get their proven and proven game makers to play football.
PantherTalk: I said that enthusiasts tend to overreact to the functionality of the first game, especially defensively, and as one of our posters on the bulletin board said, ECU faced the Justice League last Saturday. things the Pirates can just expand defensively?
YES: I think I hit a lot earlier, but the most encouraging thing I saw was that there were only 1-2 busts in favor of the Knights (one that led to a grueling landing just before half-time). The rest was just UCF moving the ball through the area and making plays. And when you give a team like this 4 more possessions, the stats will be even more sesathed in their favor. Therefore, the offense can help the defense by not returning the ball a handful of times. But for me, personally, I’d like to see more tension. The ECU brought in a lot of bombings last week, and I’d expect a young QB from Georgia State to do it this week to see how he handles it. Harrell has a lot of strain packs that he can turn to. And with that, ECU has to create bags or take out food, which they didn’t do a week ago. This defense will yield yards, given his youth, but his competitive taste will also have to create primary plays in his favor.
PantherTalk: A of our forums: What aspect of the fish fry war in North Carolina do you fall for?
YES: BBQ from east North Carolina all day, and it’s not even close. I’m certainly biased. I was born and raised in ENC, but you can’t beat B’s fish fry or the other fish fry in this area. Make no mistake, Western NC barbecue is not bad. But I’ll take the taste of total red meat ENC made from vinegar all day.
PantherTalk: Finally, a macro query: GSU (and its fans) must move from the Sun Belt to the AAC and are preparing for the convention’s next realignment wave. So will the AAFC be developed?
IF: I think if one day the AAFC gets corrupted, a team like Georgia State makes sense. Obviously, the ideal market is there. But more importantly, they have had some recent successes, and there are benefits there. They did a smart job of building an identity with the Atlanta Braves Stadium and owning it. A lot of those pro-city school groups don’t, and I think they do. damages your profile (see USF, which borrows from Raymond James Stadium and does not have its own facility). I admit that there are front groups of the State of Georgia, of course, in the hierarchy if there is a realignment, but that is largely the perception. If Shawn Elliott, and anyone who follows him, can continue to make Georgia State a constant winner and make the logo a more well-known program at the regional and national levels, then I will not rule it out.
Special thanks to Stephen for joining us and be sure to check out HoistTheColours for everything ECU-related!
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