MARSHALL Thundering Herd (4-4, 3-1) vs. EAST CAROLINA Pirates (5-3, 3-1)

Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium (43,000/1963/Natural Grass), Greenville, N.C.   3:30 p.m. (EST)

THE GAME(Saturday November 8)

It’s Homecoming on the East Carolina University campus as the Pirates host Marshall in a

Conference USA clash at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium Saturday beginning at 3:30 p.m. ECU will try

to make it three in a row for the second time this season after 30-10 and 13-10 victories

over Memphis (Oct. 18) and UCF (Nov. 2), respectively.  In addition, ECU will attempt to move

its league record to 4-1 and take sole possession of first place in C-USA’s East Division

when it meets the Thundering Herd. The Pirates, who opened the ‘08 campaign with a 3-0

mark after wins against No. 17 Virginia Tech (27-22), No. 8 West Virginia (24-3) and Tulane

(28-24), can also secure their 34th winning home slate in 45 seasons at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium with a

triumph  Saturday. 

SCHEMES

Marshall utilizes a multiple offensive attack while employing a 3-4 defensive alignment.

ECU will also line up in a multiple offense and use a multiple look when defending.

THE COACHES

SKIP HOLTZ

 

 

(Notre Dame ‘86) is 25-20 (.556) in his fourth season at East Carolina, while overall, he is in year nine as a collegiate head coach with a 59-43 (.578) record.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

THE GAME

It’s Homecoming( Saturday November 8) the East Carolina University campus as the

Pirates host Marshall in a Conference USA clash at Dowdy-Ficklen

Stadium Saturday beginning at 3:30 p.m. ECU will try to make it

three in a row for the second time this season after 30-10 and 13-10

victories over Memphis (Oct. 18) and UCF (Nov. 2), respectively.

In addition, ECU will attempt to move its league record to 4-1 and take sole possession

of first place in C-USA’s East Division when it meets the Thundering Herd. The Pirates,

who opened the ‘08 campaign with a 3-0 mark after wins against No. 17 Virginia Tech

(27-22), No. 8 West Virginia (24-3) and Tulane (28-24), can also secure their 34th

winning home slate in 45 seasons at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium with a triumph Saturday.

PIRATE RECORDS AND STREAKS

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Nine winning or .500 seasons in the last 14 years (two straight) …

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Six top three C-USA finishes in the last 11 years (two straight) …

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Have won seven of the last 10, nine of the last 13 and 12 of last 17 games ..

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Have won three straight against nationally-ranked opponents (first since ‘91) …

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Have won four of its last five home games against C-USA members …

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Have won five of its last six games against C-USA East Division members …

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At least two forced TOs in nine of 10 games (and 15 of the last 17, 18 of 21) …

FAST FACTS

Record –

 

 

 

5-3 (.625); C-USA Record/East Division Standing –

3-1 (.750)/T-1st

East Division;

 

 

 

Last 5 Games – 2-3; Last 10 Games – 7-3; Last 15 Games – 10-5;

Streaks –

 

 

 

Overall, East Carolina will play the 46th game of the Skip Holtz Era when the

Pirates face off against Marshall. ECU’s contest against the Thundering Herd will be the

Pirates’ 739th since the start of football in 1932 (376-351-11/.517).

 

 

SCHEMES

Marshall utilizes a multiple offensive attack while employing a 3-4 defensive alignment.

ECU will also line up in a multiple offense and use a multiple look when defending.

THE COACHES

SKIP HOLTZ

 

 

 

(Notre Dame ‘86) is 25-20 (.556) in his fourth season at East Carolina,

while overall, he is in year nine as a collegiate head coach with a 59-43 (.578) record.

When he became ECU’s 19th all-time head football coach Dec. 3, 2004, Holtz officially

finished a six-year stint as South Carolina’s assistant head coach, offensive coordinator

and quarterbacks coach.

While at South Carolina, Holtz helped lead the Gamecocks to back-to-back

Outback Bowl wins over Ohio State (2001-2002) and was recognized as one of the

winners of the Assistant Coach-of-the-Year Award by the All-American Football Foundation.

From 1994 to 1998, Holtz guided the Connecticut program to unprecedented

success in the school’s 100-year history as its head coach. UConn was a consistent

member of the NCAA I-AA Top 25 polls during his last four seasons, which included a

school-record 10-win, post-season playoff campaign in 1998. Prior to his success at

Connecticut, Holtz spent four seasons at alma mater Notre Dame and served as the

Fighting Irish’s offensive coordinator in 1992 and 1993 – a period which resulted in a

21-2-1 record and top 10 national ranks in total offense and scoring offense.

 

 

MARK SNYDER

 

 

 

(Marshall ‘88) is 16-27 (.372) in his fourth season guiding the football