Editor's note: This is the 15th in a series previewing each opponent BYU, Utah and Utah State will face this season.


The matchup

East Carolina at BYU, Oct. 10

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LaVell Edwards Stadium, Provo


The East Carolina offense will look different this year.

Gone are quarterback Shane Carden and wide receiver Justin Hardy. The two unheralded athletes entered East Carolina as a two-star recruit and a walk-on, respectively, and left as the school's all-time leading passer and receiver. Hardy also broke the NCAA record for career receptions.

The Pirates will face BYU at the tail end of a tough stretch on their schedule. After opening the season against FCS opponent Towson, East Carolina plays four of its next five games on the road, including the final game of that stretch when the Pirates visit Provo.

There is optimism in Greenville, North Carolina, that East Carolina will find a way to retool an offense that averaged 533 yards and 35.8 points per game last season. The Pirates return six offensive starters and five on the defensive side of the ball.

The Deseret News caught up with Nate Summers, who covers East Carolina football for The Daily Deflector, to discuss the Pirates' quarterback situation and the team's outlook with fall camp already underway.

DN: Who are the leading candidates to replace Shane Carden and Justin Hardy and how is the quarterback race shaping up?

NS: One luxury this ECU team has is knowing who its lead man is to replace Carden. The only problem will be living up to Carden's career numbers, which trumped all previous Pirate passers, including David Garrard. Sophomore Kurt Benkert is cut from a similar mold as his predecessor and like Carden, will have to adjust to high-speed repetitions and progressions in ECU's up-tempo offense. Benkert spent most of spring practice manning the top offense and showed flashes of brilliance with his receivers, though he still needs to watch errant throws.

DN: What are the expectations for the program coming off a third straight season with eight or more wins?

NS: The expectation is to reload and keep moving. Perhaps the biggest adjustment will be the loss of offensive coordinator Lincoln Riley, who helped head coach Ruffin McNeill recreate the Texas Tech offense at ECU and spent five years fine tuning it. First-year coordinator Dave Nichol has plenty of talent left, but must make the most of it in the face of considerable graduation losses. The ECU defense should reflect the continued development and tweaking of coordinator Rick Smith, and returns game-tested senior leaders like linebackers Zeek Bigger and Montese Overton along with corner Josh Hawkins.

DN: Beyond those expected to replace Carden and Hardy, who are some other players to watch on offense?

NS: Junior receiver Isaiah Jones would have already had his first 1,000-yard season if not for being forced to wait his turn behind Justin Hardy last season. He leads a pass-catching crew that is still deep and could feature more tight end play with senior Bryce Williams. The true game-breaker could be on the outside flanks in sophomore Trevon Brown, whose rookie season was slowed only by a long-term injury. The running game is also deep, and sophomore Anthony Scott could have a breakout campaign with more carries this season.

DN: Who are the players to watch on defense and special teams?

NS: In addition to those mentioned above, the ECU defense must develop more on-field leadership in a beleaguered secondary, where Smith has adjusted and reconfigured things numerous ways in search of a better unit. He'll also lean on junior safety Terrell Richardson, sophomore corner Travis Phillips, sophomore safety Travon Simmons and possibly promising rookie corner Corey Seargent to add some punch and reliability. The team also welcomes the return of senior end Terrell Stanley after a full year away in the wake of a car accident.

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On special teams, the team's much maligned kicking game will welcome a new starter, while junior punter Worth Gregory is back after a promising sophomore season.

DN: What major question marks does the team need to solve in fall camp?

NS: The lingering secondary questions remain a major factor. But even with substantial roster losses and a new quarterback taking the field, the Pirates stand a chance to carry over enough of last year's success and talent to be a contender to play in the American Athletic Conference's first championship game at season's end.

Email: bjudd@deseretdigital.com; Twitter: @brandonljudd

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