Lining up for WVU

With one of the toughest defenses in the country bearing down on them for much of the day last Saturday, East Carolina kept the danger on the front line.

The ECU offensive line made sure Virginia Tech’s bruising defensive front four didn’t even get into quarterback Patrick Pinkney’s neighborhood, let alone bring him down for a single sack.

With such great returns from the line’s first matchup — arguably the toughest assignment of the season for the Pirates — the question seems to be whether or not the wrangling of the Hokies is indicative of a season-long trend in the making.

With the momentum created by the big five up front, ECU rallied behind a steady offense.

“We got into a rhythm and we were able to run and pass and give a little bit more balance to the attack,” ECU offensive coordinator Todd Fitch said. “Anytime you can be balanced like that and stay ahead of the chains, it all contributes to what you’re doing.”

While the credit for a well-protected quarterback is often bestowed solely on the line, in East Carolina’s case, it seems to be more the case of harmony throughout the offense.

The running backs also deserved a share of the praise for keeping the Hokies away from Pinkney last weekend. It will take that and more to slow down another fierce foursome this Saturday against West Virginia.

“We put a lot of time into our third down calls going in,” Fitch said of the VT game plan. “We had a pretty tight package, and our linemen and our backs did a really nice job. They really executed the plan well.”

Fitch said the good protection was most evident in the success Pinkney and the Pirates had on play-action passes. By nature, they are plays slower in development than standard drop-back pass plays.

The big afternoon enjoyed in the pass game by tight end Davon Drew (five catches, 65 yards) and receiver Dwayne Harris (4-68) was made possible by the force field around Pinkney’s pocket.

Fitch also noted that the offensive progress the Pirates made in the second half — consecutive touchdowns in the third and fourth quarter gave rise to the Pirates’ come-from-behind win — was made possible the steady execution from front to back.

The experience against the Hokies will be immediately invaluable against the No. 8 Mountaineers, especially given the potential for a wet day thanks to Tropical Storm Hanna.

“We’re still going to play some great D-lines this year, and West Virginia is one of them,” sophomore offensive tackle D.J. Scott said. “It was very rewarding not to give up any sacks against Virginia Tech. It’s a high priority for us to protect Patrick and keep him healthy.”

Nathan Summers can be reached at nsummers@coxnc.com, or at (252)329-9595.