East Carolina outscored Virginia Tech 20-8 in the second half and posted a 27-22 come-from-behind victory Saturday in both schools’ season opener.  

The Hokies took a 7-0 lead on a 30-yard fumble recovery and with 8:54 left in the second quarter, they stretched it out to 14-0 on a six yard touchdown run by Kenny Lewis, Jr.

But from there, arrrrrgh… the Pirates got themselves back in the mix.

Jon Williams’ one yard touchdown run gave ECU some hope headed into the lockerroom, and Pat Pinkney then connected with Jamar Bryant on a 12 yard scoring strike in the third quarter.  The conversion which would have tied the score at 14 was blocked by Va Tech and returned the distance for a two-point conversion for the defense, giving the Hokies a 16-13 edge.

The Hokies regained control of the game with a Darren Evans three yard touchdown early in the fourth quarter and their nine point lead seemed to have done in the Pirates.

But ECU would not throw in the towel, and Pat Pinkney capped a 9 play, 72 yard drive with a 3 yard TD, cutting the lead to 22-20 with 3:36 remaining in the ball game.

ECU’s defense gave them a crucial stop on Va Tech’s next series, and on fourth down, they were about to give the offense the ball back… and that’s when the special teams stepped in.  So many times, Va Tech has capitalized by getting key punt blocks, however the Pirates turned the tide on the Hokies, and after TJ Lee’s 27 yard touchdown return, ECU had pulled off one of the opening weekend’s biggest upsets.  - Jesse Jones

ECU Head Coach Skip Holtz Post-game Quotes

“What a great win. I’m so proud of these players. I can not say how proud I am of them. The way they competed, the way they hung in there. The way that they tried, they never gave up. It would have been so easy at so many times to just give up. We kept making it so hard on ourselves. We come back at halftime and I told the team, we’re giving it away. Let’s just make them beat us and try to eliminate the mistakes. It was just a rollercoaster, going back and forth, up and down. I’m just so proud of these players, the way that they competed. They never gave up, they never quit, they kept believing. The leadership was awesome.” 

“Patrick Pinckney today, I said he was having a great camp, we gave him some time to sit back there. He’s been throwing the ball accurately, he’s elusive, he’s been doing some great things to lead this team offensively. The fans were awesome, what a great win for the program and for the fans and alumni. When you see all that purple and gold in this stadium here in Charlotte, it’s been an awesome, awesome experience.” 

INDIVIDUAL NOTES 

• Starting streaks: Zack Slate (18), Jamar Bryant (14), Doug Palmer (14) and Jay Ross (11). 

• Dekota Marshall (WCB), Brandon Simmons (RB) and Kevin Gidrey (FB) recorded their first career starts.  

• Patrick Pinkney scored from three-yards out in the fourth quarter (second career rushing TD). Pinkney completed 19-of-23 passes for 211 yards with one TD. His 82.6 completion percentage established a new single-game school record previously set by James Pinkney in 2005 against Duke (17-of-21; 81.0 %). Pinkney tied a career-high with 11 rushes for 33 yards (career-high) with one TD. 

• Kevin Gidrey caught his first collegiate pass coming out of the backfield in the second quarter for five yards. 

• Quentin Cotton picked off his third career interception in the first quarter on Va. Tech’s first drive of the game returning it one yard. His other interceptions came against Memphis (2006) and Southern Miss (2007). Cotton (19.5 career) combined on a sack with Zack Slate in the second quarter for a loss of six yards. He finished with five total tackles (3-solo, 2 assisted), 0.5 TFL and one pass breakup. 

• Matt Dodge booted five punts or 298 yards on the day. 

• Scotty Robinson picked up his fourth career sack in the second quarter when he dropped Sean Glennon for a six yard loss. 

• Terrance Campbell saw action for the first time since the Papa John’s Bowl (2006) against USF when he started all 13 games as a redshirt freshman. He sat out the 2007 season after a medical hiatus.  

• Dwayne Harris had 142 all-purpose yards (32-rush, 68-receiving and 42 kick return). Hauled down a career-long 27-yard pass in the second quarter and followed with another reception of 13 yards. In all he accounted for 57 yards in the second. Also has a career-long 22-yard KOR. 

• Ben Ryan was 0-for-1 on FG attempts (miss-39). He was 3-for-4 on PATs on the afternoon. 

• Zack Slate (13.5 career) combined with Cotton on a sack of Glennon (-6 yards) in the second quarter. He finished four tackles (all assisted). 

• Nick Johnson picked off his first career pass in the second quarter returning it 19 yards to the Va. Tech one-yard line. He added three total tackles (all assisted). 

• Jonathan Williams scored from one-yard out his second of his career. First career TD was against UAB in 2007. Williams finished with nine carries (career-high) for 48 yards and one score. 

• Josh Smith saw his first action in a Pirate uniform in the second quarter and recorded two total tackles (solo, assisted). 

• Davon Drew hauled down five catches for 65 yards (career-high) including a 26-yarder in the third quarter that tied his career-high. 

• Jamar Bryant caught a 12-yard TD pass from Pinkney on ECU’s first possession of the third quarter. It was his seventh career TD. Bryant caught four balls for 34 yards. 

• T.J. Lee caught a career-high two passes for 26 yards. Lee blocked his first career punt, picked up the ball and scored from 27 yards out for the go ahead touchdown. 

TEAM NOTES 

• Attendance: 72,169 (confirmed sellout – 3rd largest college attendance at Bank of America stadium and largest regular season game attendance). It is also the 11th largest crowed to watch ECU play. 

• ECU’s last win against Va. Tech came on Sept. 12, 1992 in Greenville, N.C. (W, 30-27). It marks back-to-back victories over top 25 teams dating back to 2007 Sheraton Hawai’i Bowl (41-38). Since 1990 ECU is 9-20 against nationally-ranked teams and under Skip Holtz ECU has a 2-3 ledger. 

• East Carolina becomes the first team in the 13-year history of Conference USA Football to EVER win back-to-back games over nationally ranked teams.  The Pirates closed out the 2007 season with a 41-38 victory over No. 22 Boise State in the Sheraton Hawai’i Bowl. 

-Courtesy ECU Athletics