One of the more intriguing aspects of football is trying to guess which player (or players!) on a certain team is poised for a breakout season. Obviously, a lot goes into a breakout season. In fact, the term “breakout” is a bit of a misnomer. Chances are, a player that enjoys a breakout season has probably spent a good amount of time being productive and making noise.
That said, there are several players on both sides of the ball with the potential to make 2016 a season one to remember for East Carolina. If things break the right way, there very well could be multiple breakouts for the Pirates in the fall.
Quay Johnson
Johnson, now a junior, is one of the Pirates’ most talented returning pass catchers. He’s spent his first two years at ECU as the understudy to senior Zay Jones, but now Johnson looks ready to graduate from sidekick to the second part of a two-headed monster at wide receiver for the Pirate offense.
Much of the impact that Johnson has made in his first two seasons has been in the kick return game. He averaged 19.4 yards per kick return (28 ret, 544 yds) and 8.7 yards per punt return (20 ret, 174 yds) last season while serving as a slot receiver on offense. He was a reliable target in 2015, catching 16 passes for 134 yards and a touchdown.
Johnson’s physical skills–a 33’ vertical leap, strength gains in offseason workouts, elusiveness–combined with his experience over the past couple seasons seem to have all signs pointing to a good year for the junior.
Anthony Scott
No other offensive player impressed as much during the spring than running back Anthony Scott. And perhaps no other Pirate is in position to reap the benefits of head coach Scottie Montgomery and offensive coordinator Tony Petersen’s new system more than the junior running back.
Scott had an explosive spring, capped off by his 10 carry, 47-yard performance in the Purple-Gold spring game. Scott also caught four passes for 48 yards on the day, establishing him as one of the Pirates’ most versatile weapons. That versatility will be key for Scott in the upcoming season, as the new coaching brain trust puts a premium on balance on the offensive side of the ball. That means more ways for Scott to get involved, and if he can build off of his solid spring, that should mean big numbers in 2016.
Darius Commissiong
Switching over to defense, linebacker Darius Commissiong is another Pirate that had an outstanding spring and looks to be poised for a big year. Commissiong was named Most Improved Player on defense this spring, building off a solid 2015 in which he registered 10 tackles in eight games. His combination of size (6-foot-2, 305 pounds) and athleticism already puts him in rarified air among the returning defensive corps of the Pirates. With the work he’s put in this offseason already bearing fruit, look for a big year out of Commissiong under new defensive coordinator Kenwick Thompson. Thompson preaches an attack first mentality on that side of the ball, which should work perfectly for Commissiong.
Yiannis Bowden
Much like Scott on the offensive side of the ball, Bowden has a chance to really flourish in Thompson’s new defensive scheme. He’s already one of the Pirates’ top returning defenders from last season, notching 19 total tackles (8 solo, 11 assists) with 3.5 tackles for a loss and an interception.
Montgomery has praised Bowden’s ability to make plays during the spring, despite being a bit undersized.
Bowden has already shown flashes of what he can do, and with a talented corps around him to go with Thompson’s attacking defense, he should find himself in position to put up big numbers this season.
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