Special Teams Take Center Stage as Pirates Begin Week Three of Fall Camp
East Carolina kicked off its third week of preseason camp Monday morning with a lighter workout that put a heavy emphasis on special teams — standard procedure coming off a game day or, in this case, Saturday’s first fall scrimmage inside Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium.
Unfortunately, one of the biggest developments came on the injury front. Sophomore safety DeMarius Hines, who had been putting together one of the best camps of any Pirate defender, was on crutches with his knee wrapped.
The early prognosis from Saturday’s injury isn’t promising. With Hines sidelined, safeties coach Damon Magazu will look to players like transfer Ladarian Paulk and redshirt sophomores Ayden Duncanson and Kamaurri McKinley to step up. Rice transfer Jonathan Jean, who can play both nickel and deep safety, could also get a longer look in the back end.
Monday’s practice was essentially a full special teams clinic. ECU worked through every phase — kickoffs, field goals, the return game, onside kicks — with plenty of reps for specialists and skill players alike. Nick Mazzie still appears to have the inside track at the starting kicker job, practicing with the No. 1 field goal protection unit early on.
In my eyes, nobody has shown more consistency than him so far. Noah Perez continues to look solid from short range, but Mazzie’s track record gives him the edge at this point.
In the punting battle, Duke transfer Ryan Leavy and Australian freshman Tomas O’Halloran continue to impress with strong hang-time and consistent ball placement. Triston O’Brien, a transfer from Indiana State, looks poised to win the long-snapping job.
The return game saw a wide rotation today, with nearly every skill player getting a look. Running backs, slot receivers, and even defensive backs like Jonathan Akins and Ja’Marley Riddle were mixed in on kickoff returns, giving the staff plenty of options to evaluate before the season kicks off.
The Pirates will be back on the practice field Tuesday as camp rolls forward.