A big blow for ECU. It is very difficult for a top mid major to have the same depth as top BCS programs, and losing their best linebacker is gonna cause some major problems. Here's hoping they can continue their run as the rest of the year they are going to be the hunted rather than the hunters...GREENVILLE, N.C. -- East Carolina managed to make it through two wins against ranked opponents in relatively good shape. The 15th-ranked Pirates weren't quite as lucky during their tough conference opener.
Starting linebacker Quentin Cotton is likely out for the season after injuring his right knee during the weekend win at Tulane, robbing the Pirates of one of their most experienced defensive players. The Pirates also will be without starting left tackle Stanley Bryant when they travel to in-state rival North Carolina State this weekend in search of their first 4-0 start in nine years.
Cotton
Cotton was hurt in the second quarter during a goal-line stand in the 28-24 come-from-behind win Saturday. He had started 15 games over the past two seasons and all three games this year, tallying two interceptions and 1.5 sacks. The injury means versatile reserve Nick Johnson will move into the starting lineup, though coach Skip Holtz will have to sort out a rotation filled with inexperienced players.
Holtz said he wouldn't move senior Pierre Bell, who has 28 career starts, out of the middle linebacker spot.
"We lose arguably one of our best players on defense," Holtz said Monday during his weekly news conference. "I don't want to lose two by moving Pierre where he's in a new position and he's not as comfortable."
The injury leaves the Pirates very thin at linebacker. They had played only Cotton, Bell, Johnson and Jeremy Chambliss in the first three games there, meaning redshirt freshman Cliff Perryman and sophomore Melvin Patterson are now listed on the two-deep depth chart.
Perryman didn't play in wins against Virginia Tech and West Virginia before appearing on special teams at Tulane. Patterson had played on special teams in all three games, assisting on a tackle against the Mountaineers.
"Young players scare you because they're going to be all eager and fired up ... but at the same time you're worried the mistakes you think they could make will cost you a football game," Holtz said.
%Proxy-Connection: keep-alive Cache-Control: max-age=0 p>TProxy-Connection: keep-alive Cache-Control: max-age=0 Pirates might be able to get through this weekend's game against a team that hasn't scored an offensive touchdown against a Football Bowl Subdivision opponent since the next-to-last game of the 2007 season, a span of 13 straight quarters. </p>But the injury might wound the Pirates' hopes of winning the Conference USA championship, which would be the only way to crash the BCS party and make good on their early upsets of the Hokies and Mountaineers.
Bryant, a senior, hurt his left knee on the first play of the second quarter against Tulane and is out indefinitely. He had started 11 straight games on the offensive line. The Pirates plan to move right tackle D.J. Scott to the left side, while reserve Terence Campbell will fill in on the right.
Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press
