East Carolina Opens Second Week Of Spring Work

GREENVILLE, N.C. East Carolina Head Football Coach Skip Holtz opened the second week of spring workouts by guiding the Pirates through a two-hour practice late Monday afternoon on Hight Field inside the Cliff Moore Practice Complex.

The session was ECU’s fourth of the spring and second conducted in pads.

While last Friday and Monday’s session continued to stress detailed fundamental individual and team drill work, the Pirates will slowly move toward in-depth offensive and defensive schematic emphasis as the week progresses. ECU will have 10 more days remaining that will feature contact, including two intra-squad scrimmages and the Purple-Gold Game scheduled for April 18.

“Today’s practice did not have the intensity that the first day in full pads had on Friday, but these guys are still working hard out here,” Holtz said. “We need to stay healthy this spring. A lot of guys have the chance to get some work in and develop. Besides that, one of our biggest challenges will be developing some depth at the wide receiver, tailback and linebacker positions. We know that there are a lot of guys that have played football for us, but there is also a lot of talent behind them.”

East Carolina continued its focus on the execution and repetition of fundamentals Monday, working through different assignments such as positional situation drills and a 20-minute 11-on-11 team passing game segment in the second half of the workout. For the second straight practice, the Pirates completed work with a spirited 3-on-3 tackling drill.

“I think it is obvious that our quarterbacks have not been throwing together the past few months,” Holtz added. “Our timing isn’t where it needs to be right now, but with the weather this winter, they haven’t had much opportunity to get out here and turn in some reps. (Redshirt freshman) Josh [Jordan] is very talented and has a good arm, but his progress depends on how fast he can grasp our offensive scheme. You can learn all you need on a blackboard in meetings, but it is totally different when you are actually under center.”

After two more sessions this week, Holtz and his staff will begin to define the process of developing the program’s first official depth chart, which will be compiled after the playing of ECU’s initial full scrimmage, scheduled for Friday, April 4.

 “We are continuing to work a lot of people into the mix and many players are getting reps as we try to establish a depth chart,” Holtz continued. “Getting that in place will be much easier once that first scrimmage comes and goes. All we can ask is that every player get better every day.”

EAST CAROLINA‘S 2009 SPRING PRACTICE SCHEDULE

Next Workout: Wednesday, March 25 (4:00-6:00 p.m.)

Remaining Workouts: March 27, March 30, April 1, April 3, April 4 (scrimmage), April 6,  April 8 (scrimmage), April 13, April 15 and April 18 (Purple-Gold Game, 3:00 p.m.)