LuDawg's ECU vs Memphis Saturday

4 THINGS TO WATCH

1. East Carolina QB Dominique Davis: Hard to believe, but the Pirates might have a better all-around quarterback than the one who led them to back-to-back Conference USA titles. Davis is a former Boston College starter who should thrive in the offense coach Ruffin McNeill brought from Texas Tech. It's the same offense Davis ran in high school and one that produced 383 passing yards last weekend.

2. The Memphis defense: Non-existent a year ago and almost as porous last weekend at Mississippi State, the Tigers' defense will get another test against what appears to be a potent ECU spread offense. Stretching to last season, the U of M defense has given up 475 or more yards in five of the last six games. The statistic is relevant with a majority of the defensive players back.

3. C-USA's flagship program: It has to be East Carolina. The Pirates, the league's back-to-back champions, set a school attendance record in 2009 by averaging 43,191 and spent the offseason completing a 7,000-seat expansion project in the east end zone. The result? The Pirates drew 50,010 for their opener against Tulsa and should approach that number today.

4. Bring on the freshmen: Tigers coach Larry Porter played six true freshmen against Mississippi State, including quarterback Ryan Williams, punter Tom Hornsey and running back Jerrell Rhodes. All showed promise. In an apparent move to play the best, regardless of experience, Porter could send at least four more more out today to make their debuts. Defensive back Todd Washington, who played behind Darius Davis last week, will start at cornerback. If healthy, Davis returns to safety, a position he played a year ago.

Entire article here:

https://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2010/sep/11/tigers-try-to-adjust-for-potent-pirates/