GREENVILLE
It didn’t take a detective to see that East Carolina’s chances to repeat as the Conference USA champion got a boost over the weekend, but Ruffin McNeill had one on hand anyway.
Sort of.
McNeill, the Pirates’ coach, said he was watching a CSI: Miami rerun at home Saturday when he got a text message reporting No. 25 Central Florida’s 31-21 loss to Southern Miss.
McNeill said he was reminded of something he’s learned this season.
“This conference has got great parity,” McNeill said Monday during his weekly news conference. “Anything can happen here in this league.”
What the Pirates (6-4, 5-1 C-USA) need to happen is more of the same. After second-place ECU downed UAB 54-42 last Thursday, East Division-leading Central Florida obliged with its weekend loss.
If Central Florida, which is also 5-1 in the league but beat ECU on Oct. 30 to take the potential tiebreaker, loses to Tulane or Memphis, and ECU beats Rice on Saturday and SMU next week, the Pirates will have shimmied their way into a third straight division crown.
McNeill is discouraging his players from pondering the scenarios. When asked about the possibility of finishing 8-4 in his first season at his alma mater, his response was quick.
“I just want to be 7-4,” McNeill said.
“We’ve just got to stay focused on what we can control, and that’s making sure we prepare well and stay focused and prepare for Rice.”
Quarterback Dominique Davis, who injured his left (non-passing) shoulder against UAB, should be able to play this week, McNeill said.
Davis, a record-setting junior, was hurt when he was tackled in the third quarter but soon returned to the game. He is rehabbing with trainer Mike Hanley and strength coach Mike Golden.
“I think he’ll be OK,” McNeill said. “He’s a tough nut.”
Davis set single-season school records for touchdown passes (31) and passing yardage (3,077) with his five-touchdown, 331-yard game at UAB. And the win came on the heels of a 76-35 nonconference loss to Navy just five days earlier. The Pirates, who rank 12th in the nation in scoring offense (38.2 ppg), had little time to lick their wounds.
The Thursday game gave ECU eight days between games, and players had Friday and Saturday off before work on a game plan for Rice started in earnest Sunday.
“I think the two days helped us just get our feet back under us a little bit,” McNeill said.
“It is a normal week for us again, so that’s a good thing. We have a chance to take some time and prepare.”
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