# 2009 East Carolina Pirates football team

The 2009 East Carolina Pirates football team represented East Carolina University in the 2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season and played their home games in Dowdy–Ficklen Stadium. The team was coached by Skip Holtz, who was in his fifth and final year with the program. The 2009 Pirates were defending their first ever Conference USA Football Championship.
The Pirates finished the season 9–5, 7–1 in CUSA play, winning the East Division in their final regular season game against the Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles 25-20, and won their second consecutive CUSA Championship Game 38–32 against the Houston Cougars in Dowdy–Ficklen Stadium. The Pirates were invited to their second consecutive Liberty Bowl where they were defeated by Arkansas 20–17 in overtime.

## Before the season
### Recruiting

College recruiting information (2009) :
| Name | Hometown | High school / college | Height | Weight | 40$^‡$ | Commit date |
| Jimmy Booth DT | Greenville, North Carolina | J.H. Rose High School | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | 288 lb (131 kg) | | Jul 22, 2008 |
| Star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: N/A ESPN grade: 40 |||||||
| Michael Brooks DT | Yanceyville, North Carolina | Bartlett-Yancey High School | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | 280 lb (130 kg) | 5.1 | Apr 28, 2008 |
| Star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: N/A ESPN grade: 40 |||||||
| Jordan Davis OL | Fort Walton Beach, Florida | Choctawhatchee High School | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | 290 lb (130 kg) | 5.15 | Feb 4, 2009 |
| Star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: N/A ESPN grade: 40 |||||||
| Michael Dobson S | Mount Airy, North Carolina | Mount Airy High School | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) | 185 lb (84 kg) | 4.4 | Aug 19, 2008 |
| Star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: N/A ESPN grade: 80 |||||||
| Max Hay OT | Burlington, New Jersey | Burlington City High School | 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) | 310 lb (140 kg) | | Sep 15, 2008 |
| Star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: N/A ESPN grade: 40 |||||||
| Ty Holmes S | Lexington, North Carolina | Lexington High School | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) | 213 lb (97 kg) | | Jun 25, 2008 |
| Star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: N/A ESPN grade: 40 |||||||
| Torrance Hunt CB | Durham, North Carolina | Charles E. Jordan Senior High School | 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) | 160 lb (73 kg) | 4.4 | Jun 16, 2008 |
| Star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: N/A ESPN grade: 76 |||||||
| Perry James CB | Mocksville, North Carolina | Davie High School | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) | 180 lb (82 kg) | 4.4 | Dec 20, 2008 |
| Star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: N/A ESPN grade: 40 |||||||
| Rio Johnson QB | Tyrone, Georgia | Sandy Creek High School | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | 185 lb (84 kg) | 4.72 | Jun 18, 2008 |
| Star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: N/A ESPN grade: 74 |||||||
| Justin Jones TE | Conyers, Georgia | Heritage High School | 6 ft 6.5 in (1.99 m) | 234.5 lb (106.4 kg) | 4.8 | Jan 30, 2009 |
| Star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: N/A ESPN grade: 78 |||||||
| Lamar McLendon OLB | Fayetteville, North Carolina | Seventy-First Senior High School | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) | 200 lb (91 kg) | | May 22, 2008 |
| Star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: N/A ESPN grade: 40 |||||||
| Matt Milner DE | Raleigh, North Carolina | Cardinal Gibbins High School | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) | 235 lb (107 kg) | 4.6 | Sep 7, 2008 |
| Star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: N/A ESPN grade: 78 |||||||
| Zico Pasut TE | Charlotte, North Carolina | Ardrey Kell High School | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | 235 lb (107 kg) | 4.65 | Sep 11, 2008 |
| Star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: N/A ESPN grade: 73 |||||||
| Marke Powell LB | Troy, North Carolina | West Montgomery High School | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | 198 lb (90 kg) | | Feb 4, 2009 |
| Star ratings: Scout: N/A Rivals: 247Sports: N/A ESPN grade: 40 |||||||
| Mike Price WR | New Bern, North Carolina | New Bern High School | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) | 165 lb (75 kg) | | Jul 17, 2008 |
| Star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: N/A ESPN grade: 40 |||||||
| Korey Reynolds TE | Senatobia, Mississippi | Northwest Mississippi Community College | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | 240 lb (110 kg) | | Jan 27, 2009 |
| Star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: N/A ESPN grade: 40 |||||||
| Giavanni Ruffin RB | Visalia, California | College of the Sequoias | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) | 215 lb (98 kg) | 4.4 | Jan 10, 2009 |
| Star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: N/A ESPN grade: 40 |||||||
| Will Simmons OL | Ahoskie, North Carolina | Hertford County High School | 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) | 280 lb (130 kg) | | Jul 11, 2008 |
| Star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: N/A ESPN grade: 69 |||||||
| DaMonte Terry RB | Laurinburg, North Carolina | Scotland County High School | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) | 203 lb (92 kg) | 4.5 | Jul 3, 2008 |
| Star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: N/A ESPN grade: 74 |||||||
| Reese Wiggins WR | Durham, North Carolina | Southern Durham High School | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) | 181 lb (82 kg) | 4.66 | Dec 18, 2008 |
| Star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: N/A ESPN grade: 73 |||||||
| Overall recruiting rankings: Scout: 82 Rivals: 94 |||||||
| ‡ Refers to 40 yard dash Note: In many cases, Scout, Rivals, 247Sports, and ESPN may conflict in their listings of height, weight and 40 time. In these cases, the average was taken. ESPN grades are on a 100-point scale. Sources: "East Carolina 2009 Football Commitments". Rivals.com. Retrieved February 4, 2008. "Football Recruiting Commits". Scout.com. Retrieved February 4, 2008. "2009 Player commits". ESPN.com. Retrieved February 4, 2008. "Scout.com Team Recruiting Rankings". Scout.com. Retrieved February 4, 2008. "2009 Team Ranking". Rivals.com. Retrieved February 4, 2008. |||||||

### Purple/Gold Spring Game

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Pirates | 0 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| ECU | 10 | 0 | 14 | 7 | 31 |
The annual Purple/Gold Spring Game was held in the spring during the PirateFest and Pigskin Pigout weekend activities on April 18 in downtown Greenville, NC and put the "Pirates" team led by Redshirt Freshman Quarterback Josh Jordan against the "ECU" team led by Senior Quarterback Patrick Pinkney. The ECU team defeated the Pirates team 31-10.

## Schedule

| Date | Time | Opponent | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
| September 5 | 12:00 pm | No. 1 FCS Appalachian State* | Dowdy–Ficklen StadiumGreenville, NC | MASN/WITN-TV | W 29–24 | 43,279 |
| September 12 | 3:30 pm | at West Virginia* | Mountaineer FieldMorgantown, WV | ESPN360 | L 20–35 | 59,216 |
| September 19 | 12:00 pm | at No. 24 North Carolina* | Kenan Memorial StadiumChapel Hill, NC | ESPN2 | L 17–31 | 58,000 |
| September 26 | 3:30 pm | UCF | Dowdy–Ficklen StadiumGreenville, NC | BHSN/WITN-TV | W 19–14 | 43,210 |
| October 3 | 12:00 pm | at Marshall | Joan C. Edwards StadiumHuntington, WV | CBSCS | W 21–17 | 26,814 |
| October 10 | 8:00 pm | at SMU | Gerald J. Ford StadiumDallas, TX | MASN/WITN-TV | L 21–28 | 13,626 |
| October 17 | 3:30 pm | Rice | Dowdy–Ficklen StadiumGreenville, NC | MASN | W 49–13 | 43,023 |
| October 27 | 8:00 pm | at Memphis | Liberty Bowl Memorial StadiumMemphis, TN | ESPN2 | W 38–19 | 4,117 |
| November 5 | 7:30 pm | No. 22 Virginia Tech* | Dowdy–Ficklen StadiumGreenville, NC | ESPN | L 3–16 | 43,569 |
| November 15 | 8:15 pm | at Tulsa | H.A. Chapman StadiumTulsa, OK | ESPN | W 44–17 | 17,453 |
| November 21 | 3:30 pm | UAB | Dowdy–Ficklen StadiumGreenville, NC | MASN/WITN-TV | W 37–21 | 43,056 |
| November 28 | 1:30 pm | Southern Miss | Dowdy–Ficklen StadiumGreenville, NC | CBSCS | W 25–20 | 43,006 |
| December 5 | 12:00 pm | No. 18 Houston | Dowdy–Ficklen StadiumGreenville, NC (C-USA Championship) | ESPN2 | W 38–32 | 33,048 |
| January 2 | 5:30 pm | vs. Arkansas | Liberty Bowl Memorial StadiumMemphis, TN (AutoZone Liberty Bowl) | ESPN | L 17–20 $^{OT}$ | 62,742 |
| *Non-conference gameHomecomingRankings from AP Poll released prior to the gameAll times are in Eastern time |||||||

## Game summaries
### Appalachian State

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Mountaineers | 0 | 7 | 0 | 17 | 24 |
| Pirates | 17 | 10 | 2 | 0 | 29 |
The Pirates renewed their rivalry with their former Southern Conference opponent for the first time since 1979. The Mountaineers led the all-time series 19-10, but the two schools had only played once since the split of Division I college football, with the Pirates defeating the Mountaineers 38-21 in 1979. This marked the first time since 2001 that the Pirates have played a school from the Football Championship Subdivision. After being dominated in the first half, Appalachian State staged a comeback but fell short after a sack and a blocked pass with seconds left in the 4th Quarter. ECU would hold on to win 29-24, improving their record against the Mountaineers to 11-19.

### West Virginia

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Pirates | 10 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 20 |
| Mountaineers | 7 | 14 | 7 | 7 | 35 |
The Pirates went to Morgantown, WV to take on the 2008 Meineke Car Care Bowl Champion West Virginia Mountaineers, who remained undefeated at home in this series and led the all-time record 17-3. Last year, East Carolina blew out West Virginia 24-3 in Greenville. After going up 10-0 early in the first half, the Pirates would enter the second half trailing by 1, but the Mountaineers would pull ahead to win 35-20, improving their record to 18-3.

### North Carolina

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Pirates | 7 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 17 |
| Tar Heels | 7 | 14 | 3 | 7 | 31 |
The Pirates travel to Chapel Hill, NC to face their in-state rival North Carolina. In 2007, the Pirates beat the Tar Heels with a last second field goal to win the game 34-31. The Tar Heels lead the all-time series, 8-2-1.

### UCF

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Knights | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 14 |
| Pirates | 3 | 7 | 3 | 6 | 19 |
The Pirates face the 2007 Conference USA champion UCF Knights in Greenville, NC. Last year, the Pirates beat the Knights in Orlando, FL 13-10 in overtime and lead the all-time series 7-1.

### Marshall

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Pirates | 7 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 21 |
| Thundering Herd | 0 | 7 | 10 | 0 | 17 |
The Pirates head back to West Virginia to face the Thundering Herd of Marshall. The Pirates won last year 19-16 in Greenville, NC after one overtime and lead the all-time series 7-3. In 2007, the Herd spoiled the Pirates' hopes in Huntington for a spot in the Conference USA championship.

### SMU

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Pirates | 0 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 21 |
| Mustangs | 0 | 7 | 14 | 7 | 28 |
The Pirates face the Mustangs of Southern Methodist in Dallas, TX. The last time the two schools played was in Greenville, NC in 2006, where the Pirates won 38-21. East Carolina has won both games played in this series.

### Rice

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Owls | 3 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 13 |
| Pirates | 14 | 14 | 0 | 21 | 49 |
The Pirates face the 2008 Texas Bowl Champion Rice Owls at home. The two teams are tied in the series 1-1 after the Owls spoiled the Pirates' hopes to clinch the Conference USA East Division and participate in the Conference USA Football Championship in 2006.

### Memphis

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Pirates | 14 | 7 | 14 | 3 | 38 |
| Tigers | 3 | 7 | 3 | 6 | 19 |
The Pirates travel to Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium in Memphis, TN to face the Tigers of Memphis. The Pirates won last year in Greenville, NC 30-10 and lead the all-time series 11-6.

### Virginia Tech

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Hokies | 6 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 16 |
| Pirates | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
For the first time since 2000, the 2009 Orange Bowl Champion Hokies make the trip to Greenville, NC. Last year, the Hokies and Pirates squared off in Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC, with the Pirates winning 27-22 after a Pontiac Game Changing Performance nominated blocked punt was returned by T.J. Lee. The Hokies lead the all time series 9-5.

### Tulsa

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Pirates | 3 | 17 | 3 | 21 | 44 |
| Golden Hurricane | 0 | 7 | 10 | 0 | 17 |
In a rematch of the 2008 Conference USA Football Championship, the Pirates travel to Tulsa, OK to face the Golden Hurricane. Last year, the Pirates defeated the Golden Hurricane 27-24. Tulsa leads the all-time series 5-3.

### UAB

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Blazers | 3 | 0 | 3 | 15 | 21 |
| Pirates | 14 | 9 | 7 | 7 | 37 |
The Pirates faced the UAB Blazers at home in Dowdy–Ficklen Stadium. In 2008 the Pirates defeated the Blazers in Birmingham, AL for the first time in this series' history. The two schools are tied in the all-time series 4-4.

### Southern Miss

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Golden Eagles | 7 | 0 | 7 | 6 | 20 |
| Pirates | 3 | 14 | 0 | 8 | 25 |
The Pirates will be hosting the rival Golden Eagles of Southern Miss. Of the 34 games played in this series, the Pirates have only won 8. Last year, the Golden Eagles beat the Pirates 21-3 in Hattiesburg, MS.

### 2009 Conference USA Championship

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Cougars | 7 | 12 | 0 | 13 | 32 |
| Pirates | 7 | 7 | 10 | 14 | 38 |

### 2010 AutoZone Liberty Bowl

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | OT | Total |
| Razorbacks | 0 | 0 | 17 | 0 | 3 | 20 |
| Pirates | 0 | 10 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 17 |

## Postseason
### NFL draft picks

* Linval Joseph - Round 2: 14th (46th overall) - New York Giants
* Matt Dodge - Round 7: 14th (221st overall) - New York Giants
* C.J. Wilson - Round 7: 23rd (230th overall) - Green Bay Packers

### Awards

* Conference USA Special Teams Player-of-the-Year: Dwayne Harris, Jr. KR

### Honors
#### Weekly honors

* Oct. 19 Conference USA Special Teams Player-of-the-Week - Dwayne Harris, Jr. KR
* Nov. 16 Conference USA Defensive Player-of-the-Week - Emanuel Davis, So. DB
* Nov. 23 Conference USA Special Teams Player-of-the-Week - Dwayne Harris, Jr. KR
* Nov. 30 Conference USA Special Teams Player-of-the-Week - Ben Hartman, Sr. K

#### Teams

* ESPN The Magazine University CoSIDA Academic All-America team - Sean Allen, Sr. OL
* Sporting News Second-Team All America - Matt Dodge, Sr. P
* Rivals.com Third-Team All America - Matt Dodge, Sr. P
* Sports Illustrated Second-Team All-America - Matt Dodge, Sr. P
* CollegeFootballNews Second-Team All-America - Matt Dodge, Sr. P
* Phil Steele Magazine Fourth-Team All America - Matt Dodge, Sr. P
* 1st Team All C-USA
* Sean Allen, Sr. OL
* Emanuel Davis, So. DB
* Matt Dodge, Sr. P
* Van Eskridge, Sr. DB
* Dwayne Harris, Jr. WR
* Linval Joseph, Jr. DL
* C.J. Wilson, Sr. DL
* 2nd Team All C-USA
* Terence Campbell, Sr. OL
* Dwayne Harris, Jr. KR
* Ben Hartman, Sr. K
* Nick Johnson, Sr. LB
* C-USA Team honorable mentions
* Jeremy Chambliss, Sr. LB
* Dominique Lindsay, Sr. RB
* Levin Neal, Sr. DB
* Scotty Robinson, Sr. DL
* Jay Ross, Sr. DL
* D.J. Scott, Jr. OL
* Travis Simmons, Jr. DB
* William Smith, So. LS
* Willie Smith, Jr. OL
* C-USA All Freshman Team
* Mic'hael Brooks - DL
* C-USA All Academic Team
* Sean Allen - Sr. C
* Patrick Pinkney - Sr. QB