Post by mountaineer501 on Sept 6, 2009 19:33:54 GMT -5
Article from the Charlotte Odserver
By Ken Tysiac
ktysiac@charlotteobserver.com
Posted: Sunday, Sep. 06, 2009
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GREENVILLE, N.C. East Carolina quarterback Patrick Pinkney limped into a room full of reporters, sore and relieved like many of his teammates after a 29-24 win.
“Cramping,” he said. “I don't know (why).”
Pinkney and the East Carolina offense generated zero points and four first downs in the second half as Appalachian State nearly overcame a 22-point, fourth-quarter deficit Saturday afternoon at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium.
The Pirates survived after third-team quarterback Travaris Cadet led Appalachian State to 17 straight points. Even without starting quarterback Armanti Edwards, the Mountaineers had a chance to win in the final minute.
Oh, how that hurt for the Pirates, who scored the first 24 points and led 29-7 early in the fourth quarter.
“Some guys were cramping up in the heat, and stuff like that,” said tailback Dominique Lindsay, who rushed for 105 yards and one touchdown for the Pirates. “I guess you could say it was kind of a fatigue factor.”
Minutes earlier, Appalachian State left offensive tackle Mario Acitelli did say it. As the sun beat down on a humid afternoon, Acitelli, a former Charlotte Catholic star, looked eager to play more football.
He was blocking highly regarded East Carolina end C.J. Wilson, who was dragged off the field at least three times with cramps. Pinkney, Lindsay and safety Van Eskridge also struggled with cramps.
“They were out of shape,” Acitelli said. “They were tired. They weren't fighting the whole way.”
But East Carolina built enough of a lead in the first half to win. Lindsay, who played at Independence High, and Kentucky transfer Brandon Jackson, who ran 39 yards for an opening-drive touchdown on his first carry as a Pirate, led an attack that outrushed Appalachian State 159-14 in the first half.
Acitelli insisted, though, that the Mountaineers were just missing assignments and not getting blown off the ball. Coach Jerry Moore adjusted, bringing an extra safety near the line of scrimmage to negate East Carolina's power.
Appalachian State dared Pinkney to counter with the passing game, but he was 3-for-11 for 23 yards after halftime. Cadet came off the sideline late in the third quarter to spark the Mountaineers' offense.
Edwards didn't dress for the game because of a foot injury suffered in a lawn mowing accident, and backup DeAndre Presley wasn't effective. So Moore began running Cadet out of spread formations. On his first three drives, Cadet led Appalachian State to two touchdowns and a field goal.
East Carolina didn't stop him until the Mountaineers were forced to run a hurry-up offense. Scotty Robinson sacked Cadet on first down, and a fourth-and-10 Cadet pass for Coco Hillary soared incomplete at the East Carolina 40-yard line with 16 seconds remaining.
Appalachian State's players were left longing for more football after their fans gave them a standing ovation as they left the field.
“We were on the sidelines jumping up,” said linebacker Jacque Roman, “and looking over there, they were dead.”
Pinkney attributed the cramps to players turning up their intensity in a game to a level that's not possible to duplicate in practice.
Coach Skip Holtz said there is such a drop-off in ability between East Carolina's starters and backups that the coaches also are reluctant to put the second-team players in the game. So the starters get weary.
That's not a good sign with a visit to West Virginia coming up Saturday.
“Will my temperament in this team meeting room (Sunday) be positive and upbeat and Chuckles the Clown? No,” Holtz said. “It will not be.”
By Ken Tysiac
ktysiac@charlotteobserver.com
Posted: Sunday, Sep. 06, 2009
.
GREENVILLE, N.C. East Carolina quarterback Patrick Pinkney limped into a room full of reporters, sore and relieved like many of his teammates after a 29-24 win.
“Cramping,” he said. “I don't know (why).”
Pinkney and the East Carolina offense generated zero points and four first downs in the second half as Appalachian State nearly overcame a 22-point, fourth-quarter deficit Saturday afternoon at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium.
The Pirates survived after third-team quarterback Travaris Cadet led Appalachian State to 17 straight points. Even without starting quarterback Armanti Edwards, the Mountaineers had a chance to win in the final minute.
Oh, how that hurt for the Pirates, who scored the first 24 points and led 29-7 early in the fourth quarter.
“Some guys were cramping up in the heat, and stuff like that,” said tailback Dominique Lindsay, who rushed for 105 yards and one touchdown for the Pirates. “I guess you could say it was kind of a fatigue factor.”
Minutes earlier, Appalachian State left offensive tackle Mario Acitelli did say it. As the sun beat down on a humid afternoon, Acitelli, a former Charlotte Catholic star, looked eager to play more football.
He was blocking highly regarded East Carolina end C.J. Wilson, who was dragged off the field at least three times with cramps. Pinkney, Lindsay and safety Van Eskridge also struggled with cramps.
“They were out of shape,” Acitelli said. “They were tired. They weren't fighting the whole way.”
But East Carolina built enough of a lead in the first half to win. Lindsay, who played at Independence High, and Kentucky transfer Brandon Jackson, who ran 39 yards for an opening-drive touchdown on his first carry as a Pirate, led an attack that outrushed Appalachian State 159-14 in the first half.
Acitelli insisted, though, that the Mountaineers were just missing assignments and not getting blown off the ball. Coach Jerry Moore adjusted, bringing an extra safety near the line of scrimmage to negate East Carolina's power.
Appalachian State dared Pinkney to counter with the passing game, but he was 3-for-11 for 23 yards after halftime. Cadet came off the sideline late in the third quarter to spark the Mountaineers' offense.
Edwards didn't dress for the game because of a foot injury suffered in a lawn mowing accident, and backup DeAndre Presley wasn't effective. So Moore began running Cadet out of spread formations. On his first three drives, Cadet led Appalachian State to two touchdowns and a field goal.
East Carolina didn't stop him until the Mountaineers were forced to run a hurry-up offense. Scotty Robinson sacked Cadet on first down, and a fourth-and-10 Cadet pass for Coco Hillary soared incomplete at the East Carolina 40-yard line with 16 seconds remaining.
Appalachian State's players were left longing for more football after their fans gave them a standing ovation as they left the field.
“We were on the sidelines jumping up,” said linebacker Jacque Roman, “and looking over there, they were dead.”
Pinkney attributed the cramps to players turning up their intensity in a game to a level that's not possible to duplicate in practice.
Coach Skip Holtz said there is such a drop-off in ability between East Carolina's starters and backups that the coaches also are reluctant to put the second-team players in the game. So the starters get weary.
That's not a good sign with a visit to West Virginia coming up Saturday.
“Will my temperament in this team meeting room (Sunday) be positive and upbeat and Chuckles the Clown? No,” Holtz said. “It will not be.”
