ECU prepares for scrimage

Published in Sports on March 20, 2007 2:58 PM

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GREENVILLE -- Skip Holtz and his East Carolina football program resumed its spring practice schedule Monday afternoon after enjoying a 10-day spring break layoff. The two-and-a-half hour workout, conducted on Hight Field inside the Cliff Moore Practice Complex, was the Pirates' sixth overall and fourth in full pads.

Monday's session also officially opened preparation efforts in earnest for ECU's first intra-squad scrimmage of the spring which is scheduled for Friday at 4 p.m. at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium.

"It was good to get back into the swing of things," Holtz said. "As is the case with any young talented football team, there seems to be both good and bad elements with each practice. We'll progress in one area and perhaps take a step back in another on a certain day. However, the intensity and spirit is there and we competed, and at this point, that's certainly a positive."

Holtz and staff also continued work Monday toward the establishment of the program's initial depth chart of the season after spending the first two weeks of camp emphasizing fundamental individual drill work. The two-deep, which will be released after Friday's scrimmage, will allow the Pirates to fine-tune efforts in their respective offensive and defensive packages with the first and second units experiencing the majority of the action during the last three weeks of workouts.

"I thought we made some progress offensively today," Holtz added. "I said earlier during the first two weeks that the defense was ahead of the game, but I think we're beginning to come around on offense. We're still a long way from being where we need to be but I'm encouraged by what I see."

The East Carolina program will welcome scouts and several position coaches from over 20 different National Football League organizations to its annual outgoing senior pro-timing day this afternoon. The combine-type workout will include weight and agility sessions in the strength and conditioning center and traditional speed drills such as the 40-yard dash and various shuttle runs on the artificial surface of Hight Field.

Former Pirate regular starters such as quarterback James Pinkney, running back Brandon Fractious, offensive tackle Eric Graham, wide receiver Bobby Good, cornerback Kasey Ross, safety Jamar Flournoy, punter Ryan Dougherty and kicker Robert Lee will join approximately a dozen or more other hopefuls during the tryout. Wide receiver Aundrae Allison, projected as a possible late first-day pick by many draft publication and television experts, is scheduled to participate in an individual session with the NFL personnel but is not expected to take part in the sprint phase of the event.

After an off-day today, the Pirates will return to work Wednesday beginning at 4 p.m. before closing the week with Friday's scrimmage.