Fresh off of a 49-6 loss at Temple, ECU(2-3) will look to rebound when they host Houston on Saturday in Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium.
Scottie Montgomery said on Monday that he would either start Reid Herring or Kingsley Ifedi at quarterback and hopes to get all three quarterbacks more involved with the passing game moving forward. Montgomery said it will be pretty much an open competition at quarterback this week.
When asked, Montgomery said Herring is operating a little banged up at this point of the season, but also said a lot of guys are after five games.
The Cougars are currently 4-1 after a 41-26 win over Tulsa last week at home.
The Pirates will once again have their hands full in the first of three straight home tilts. Houston currently ranks 29th in the country in passing at 317.4 yards a game. They are 26th in rushing at 264 yards an outing and 4th overall at 582.2 yards a game.
ECU enters Saturday's game ranked at 88th, 188th and 144th on those same three categories nationally.
For a team that had shown some life over the early portion of the season, what happened in Philadelphia is a bit of mystery but not a total surprise. ECU has had their difficulties beating Temple over the last few years, but this was a Pirate team that looked to be turning things around. Now questions remain as to how the rest of the season will play out in Scottie Montgomery's third year at the helm.
The third year ECU head coach said the Pirates got off to a bad start, got behind and that changed their game plan a little in the running game. He said ECU did not win the battle at the line of scrimmage, didn't do a good job on offense in the running game and did not do a sufficient job of challenging Temple's receivers.
It was the first time since joining the AAC and the first time since 2012 overall that the Pirates didn't score at least one touchdown in an entire game.
The Pirates have to try to get a hat on Houston defensive lineman Ed Oliver and minimize the effect of 6-3 240 pound linebacker Austin Robinson.
On defense, ECU will have to handle a mobile quarterback in D'Eriq King, reduce large "chunk plays" and be equal to or better on special teams.
Backup defensive end Michael Swift is out after a torn ACL and backup defensive end Dorian Hardy was left home for the Temple game but Montgomery says he will be good to go for this week. Anthony Scott or Hussein Howe could start at running back. Dqmarcus Shaw is likely to get the start at right guard and Tahj Deans will start in front of Terrell Green at wide receiver.
Montgomery addressed the press on Monday where he recapped the Temple game and previewed the upcoming Houston contest.
