The walk-on junior college transfer from Georgia Military College spent his junior season at ECU as a fifth-string running back and special teams player. For other players, the move is exactly what they’ve been missing. Most believe Ledford has a future in college football as a head coach. He spent his first few seasons in the program there with limited opportunities, catching a few passes in the process. The holiday season has arrived and with it comes Christmas and a soon-to-be New Year as the calendar rolls in 2021. The official 2021 Football Roster for the East Carolina University Pirates Each offseason, several talented athletes with different teams change positions in hopes of seeing the field more and finding a bigger role. It was one of the more unexpected breakout seasons in program history. ECU has signed one linebacker, quarterback, running back and receiver. Thweatt's background was primarily with inside linebackers. He eventually moved to tight end for the 1989 season and never looked back, finishing his career with 102 catches and 1,462 receiving yards. The main difference is that last year the Pirates brought in nine defensive linemen, which put the defensive back position at the number two spot with seven recruits. Houston elected to move on from veteran defensive play-caller Bob Trott in favor of Harrell after the Pirates' struggled defensively in conference play in 2019. Some of those players don’t find the success they’re looking for and are otherwise forgotten. © 2005-2021 CBS INTERACTIVE ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. He was a quarterback at the junior college level, but was signed by East Carolina to play wide receiver. From breaking news and entertainment to sports and politics, get the full story with all the live commentary. Get ready for ECU football’s seventh game of the season against No. (Photo: ECU Football) A three-star linebacker for the 2020 class, Brown surprisingly flipped to Coastal Carolina during the fall. Daoust has an extensive history with the defensive line, including many edge rushers that have played at a high level. After all, he didn't walk on senior day and his initial intention was to return, per sources. Appalachian State graduate transfer Chris Willis is moving on, but redshirt freshman Immanuel Hickman and true freshmen Jason Romero and Kareem Stinson will return after playing in 2020. East Carolina may elect not to name an official special teams coordinator, as the phase was largely a group effort among multiple coaches in 2020, even though Thweatt held the title. Daoust is expected to be announced by ECU in an official capacity in the coming days. 7 Cincinnati at Nippert Stadium on Friday, Nov. 13 (7:30 p.m. on ESPN2) with WITN Sports coverage throughout the week. The 6-foot, 195-pounder was known for his big-hitting ability and instincts. That move paid off in a big way, as Whimper became a standout tackle who was drafted in the fourth round by the New York Giants during the 2006 draft. 117d Gabriel, No. The Knights jumped out to as much as a 10-point cushion, but the Pirates went on a 10-3 run over the final three minutes of the stanza to get back into the contest and trail by just three entering the fourth. Summers then spent the spring in 2016 working as a tight end and H-back before being moved to running back. Fisher caught 12 passes for 144 yards in his final game at ECU in the 1992 Peach Bowl, including the go-ahead touchdown in the final minutes to defeat NC State to cap the best season in program history. © 2005-2021 CBS INTERACTIVE ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. He was named an all-conference player during his upperclassman years and spent some brief time in the NFL as an undrafted free agent. ECU football will see fewer fans this year, which means fewer visitors in Greenville The lack of visitors on a game day weekend could total close to a $5 million loss in Pitt County Leach played in the NFL from 2004-13. The arrival of Skip Holtz’s staff saw Whimper slotted to offensive tackle ahead of the 2005 season. Prior to the 2018 season, Harvey was shifted to inside linebacker in the spring. He comes to East Carolina after spending the past two years at Sam Houston State as the team’s defensive line coach. "2020 has been a challenging year, especially for me personally," Pinnix wrote on Twitter. That got us thinking: What are the most notable and successful position changes in team history? During his senior season, Ledford ended up becoming a nine-game starter at left tackle. Smith had another successful season in 2010 before signing as an undrafted free agent with the Redskins. Daoust was the special teams coordinator and defensive line coach at Syracuse from 2011-15 where he worked under Doug Marrone and Scott Shafer. It was ahead of the 2006 season he agreed to move to offensive tackle, adding tons of weight to grow his frame to 6-7, 292 pounds. This past weekend marked the end of another NFL regular season. CBS Sports is a registered trademark of CBS Broadcasting Inc. Three of Daoust’s players earned all-conference honors at the conclusion of the season. Daoust, who graduated from Wittenberg University (Springfield, Ohio) in 2001, has had multiple stints at Western Michigan, along with spending time at Ball State, Central Michigan, Cincinnati, Illinois State, Northern Illinois and Syracuse. During his two years with Western Michigan, Daoust’s unit ranked 55th and 57th nationally in total defense, allowing less than 380 yards per game defensively. One of the more physical safeties in program history, it’s not a surprise that Eskridge began his East Carolina career as a linebacker that played in the box. In his lone season at Sam Houston State, the Bearkats’ defense ranked first at the FCS level in rush defense (69.9 yards per game), third-down conversion rate (27.9 percent) and team tackles per loss per game (10.9). The talented athlete ran for 869 yards and seven scores as a senior in 2016. The athletic lineman began his time at ECU as a defensive lineman before moving to tight end to close out the 2004 season. At 'rush' outside linebacker, ECU brings back redshirt sophomore Damir Faison, redshirt freshman Chad Stephens, junior Dre Terry and sophomore Elijah Robinson. Here's a quick look at several of the East Carolina football players who've entered the NCAA transfer portal. He was dominant in the blocking game and even ran for 310 yards and five touchdowns on his own. In his two years at ECU, the Pirates have rushed for a total of 3,260 yards and 33 touchdowns. Fans can get additional information on all ECU athletics and football social media accounts, including Twitter (ECUPiratesFB, ECUAthletics), Instagram (ECUPiratesFB, ECUAthletics) and Facebook (ECUFootball, ECUAthletics), while also using the hashtag #WeTheEastXXI. East Carolina head coach Mike Houston has filled out his defensive coaching staff with the hire of new defensive ends and outside linebackers coach Tim Daoust, a source confirms to Hoist The Colours. He’s the owner of arguably the most famous interception in school history, making a catch on a tipped pass from Case Keenum in the end zone to clinch the 2009 Conference USA Championship against Houston. He began the 2008 season as a tight end before growing into an offensive tackle. CBS Sports is a registered trademark of CBS Broadcasting Inc. (Photo: Cliff Welch/Icon SMI/Icon Sport Media, Getty), (Photo: Greg Thompson/Icon Sportswire, Getty), (Photo: Rob Tringali/SportsChrome, Getty), (Photo: Mark J. Rebilas, USA TODAY Sports), (Photo: James Guillory, USA TODAY Sports). Houston opted to move on from Thweatt at season's end to get a coach with more experience coaching pass-rushers. We selected 10 big ones below dating back to the late 1980s. He was also the defensive coordinator at Ball State in 2016. The Pirates' defense made noticeable strides under first-year defensive coordinator Blake Harrell this past season. Officially named to ECU’s staff as a tight ends and inside receivers coach (and recruiting coordinator) on Dec. 7, 2018 … Helped Pirates to a No. He started off as the team's inside linebackers coach in 2018 before transitioning to DE/OLB and … — ECU Football (@ECUPiratesFB) November 21, 2020 @ECUPiratesFB via Twitter November 21, 2020, 7:12 PM It took some time to transition, but Summers found a home and ended up having a successful senior season. Football. Little did the Pirates know they found the American Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year in the process. He spent time in the NFL from 2011-16. ECU's all-time leader in points scored gave a lot of consideration to returning for another year. Instead, injuries put ECU into a bind ahead of the 2015 season and he ended up playing 10 games as a quarterback along with Blake Kemp. By the 2009 season, the 6-6, 300-pounder had become a full-time starter at left tackle and helped lead ECU to a C-USA title. ECU struggled to put the ball in the basket in the early portion of the third quarter, missing five of its first six attempts from the field and allowing UCF to extend its lead to 34-26. East Carolina’s football team is expected to see a number of players change positions in the 2021 offseason. ECU football inks 16 early signees on National Signing Day. He finished his ECU career with 1,315 yards rushing and 15 touchdowns between his time as a quarterback and running back. Daoust replaces former defensive ends/outside linebackers coach Byron Thweatt. Ledford opened his career at ECU in the mid-1990s as a solid defensive lineman, but it wasn’t until he moved to the offensive line ahead of the 1998 season that he truly blossomed. Harvey went on to put together one of the best defensive seasons in school history, racking up 63 tackles, 25.5 tackles for loss and 14.5 sacks in 12 games. Daoust also brings coordinator experience to East Carolina, as he spent the 2017-18 seasons as defensive coordinator at Wester Michigan. But once he reached his full potential, Smith took off as a player. Smith began as a wiry defensive end before flipping to the offense. ECU senior starting offensive lineman Cortez Herrin has been suspended indefinitely from the football team following his arrest late Saturday night. One of the more physically-imposing players in ECU football history, Leach started his career as an all-conference linebacker before switching to fullback. Two Orange defensive linemen he taught were later drafted, including 2012 first-round pick Chandler Jones. Get ready for ECU football’s eighth and final road game of the season against Temple at Lincoln Financial Field on Saturday, Nov. 21 (12 ET on ESPN+) with WITN Sports coverage throughout the week. Drew was signed as a talented quarterback recruit from nearby New Bern High School and he spent two years on the roster in 2004 and 2005 as a reserve signal-caller. Eskridge earned All-Conference USA honors multiple times during his final few years in the program. ECU has several young players returning set to play defensive end and outside linebacker in 2021. He started six games during the 2006 season at outside linebacker before being moved to safety ahead of the 2007 season. Ledford opened his career at ECU in the mid-1990s as a solid defensive lineman, but it wasn’t until he moved to the offensive line ahead of the 1998 season that he truly blossomed. Summers spent some brief time in the NFL with the Steelers and Cardinals. The subject of the most iconic picture in ECU football history started his career with the Pirates as a quarterback before shifting to linebacker. Wanting to see more playing time, Drew was shifted to tight end ahead of the 2006 season and he experienced immediate success. Most of the players on this list were highly-touted recruits at one time or another that just needed a change of scenery to find a groove. It's what's happening. ECU football junior wide receiver Blake Proehl announced Thursday that he will forgo his final two years of college eligibility to pursue his dream of playing in the NFL. The move ended up paying off in a big way for his pro career. Thweatt spent the last two seasons on ECU's staff. Mike Houston National Signing Day 2020 (WITN Sports) By Tyler Feldman. I’ve always wanted to play at ECU, but was not offered out of high school by them. The official Football Coach List for the East Carolina University Pirates ... Roster Cross Country: News Football Football: Facebook Football: Twitter Football: Instagram Football: Tickets Football: ... 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