Strengths and Weaknesses: ECU offense

As we continue to schlep our way through the summer months, it seems like we’re still miles away from real on-field action. Even with no ECU games on the horizon for a while, there’s still a lot to examine and plenty of time to do so.

One of the more interesting aspects of the upcoming season for the Pirates is the perceived strengths and weaknesses of the offense. The Pirates have been known for their prolific offenses in years past, but 2016 is a transition year with new leadership and personnel. That may mean a departure from what ECU fans are used to. At the same time, the Pirates have strengths that will make them a handful for defenses.

We’ll know for sure once the season starts, but until then, let’s examine the strengths and weaknesses of the Pirate offense.

Strengths

Skill and Speed – The Pirates have several questions to answer heading into the season, but one thing that is indisputable is the sheer talent and speed they have at the skill positions. While known commodities like Zay Jones and Trevon Brown are poised to build on their solid 2015 seasons, new faces like Anthony Scott, Quay Johnson and Devin Anderson all have made significant strides since last season and have the ability (and more importantly the opportunity) to break out in 2016.

The depth that the Pirates have at the skill positions is potentially the team’s biggest strength, with a whole multitude of players ready to step in. That depth will be extremely important as ECU traverses its schedule, especially when they reach their AAC slate against the likes of Navy, South Florida, Cincinnati and Temple.

Time to eat – About the only positive coming off of a disappointing 5-7 season in 2015 is that the Pirates will be hungry to improve in 2016. All of the above guys we just looked at will play a big role in that potential improvement, but like anything else, no matter how hungry and driven a team is, there’s no guarantee of improvement.

The Pirate players won’t be the only driven ones in 2016, because their coaches will also be hungry to prove themselves. It’s head coach Scottie Montgomery’s first opportunity to run a program, and he seems to be embracing the role very enthusiastically. 2016 is also the first year in purple and gold for offensive coordinator Tony Petersen and defensive coordinator Kenwick Thompson. Both have been extremely successful in their former posts (Petersen at Lousiana Tech and Marshall, Thompson at Vanderbilt) and are no doubt looking to continue that trend with the Pirates.

Weaknesses

Quarterback Depth – As deep as the Pirates are at the skill positions, they’re equally as thin in key areas. Nowhere is this more pronounced than at the quarterback position.  While de-facto starter Philip Nelson has impressed so far in his time with the Pirates and should be a solid option behind center, there’s not a lot of wiggle room in terms of backup choices.

The transfer of Kurt Benkert opened up the starting job, but also removed what little modicum of experience the Pirates had at quarterback on the roster. Aside from Nelson, who is in his fifth year of eligibility, none of the three quarterbacks behind him have taken a snap for ECU. That’s a seriously thin line for the Pirates to have to walk, especially in an important year for the program. Nelson has to avoid injury and play well if the Pirates want to be successful in 2016, which will go a long way in determining the path of the football program in the first year under Montgomery.

The slightest glitch could throw everything off track, which is where another depth issue could have consequences.

Offensive line – While they have talent and skill all over the place, the offensive performance this season may hinge on the play of the offensive line. The Pirates have to replace three-fifths of its line from a year ago, which isn’t easy. Add to that a whole new system to learn, the intricacies of which are vastly different than what they were used to under Ruffin McNeill.

That said, there is some talent that has the Pirates hopeful. Senior interior lineman J.T. Boyd is the only returning scholarship lineman, but he’ll be joined by a host of young up-and-comers. Messiah Rice, Christian Matau and Justin Sandifer all have upsides that the Pirates are excited about and will each have a chance to make an impact in 2016.

So yeah, it’s still July and there’s a lot that will go into determining just how successful ECU will be this season. One thing is for sure though, the Pirates’ strengths and weaknesses on offense will definitely play a big role in either the success or the disappointment.