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Pirates Head Into This Week Fired Up With 6-2 Tulsa On The Docket

ECU head coach Scottie Montgomery recaps the UConn win and previews the upcoming Tulsa game
ECU head coach Scottie Montgomery recaps the UConn win and previews the upcoming Tulsa game (PirateIllustrated.com photo)

Scottie Montgomery met with local and regional press on Monday to recap last week's 41-3 win over Connecticut and to preview this Saturday's road game at Chapman Stadium against the Golden Hurricane of Tulsa.

Montgomery said the UConn game was "probably one of the most complete games we've had here and the best sixty minute performance of the season."

He denoted the improvement of special teams play, said ECU's perimeter coverage was as good as it has been and said the secondary didn't drop coverage.

Tulsa comes in at 6-2 and 3-1 in American Athletic Conference play after a 59-30 win over Memphis last Saturday.

They have won five of their last six games with the one loss in that stretch coming at Houston 38-31.

ECU has made some changes to their lineup for this week including Brian Hardy at tight end, who Montgomery feels is a better blocker than Stephen Baggett at the moment.

Justin Brown will start at defensive end in front of Mike Myers. Jordan Williams will man the Will linebacker slot this week while Colby Gore will continue at cornerback for the banged up Corey Seargent whose name was not on the injured list this week. DaShaun Amos has been playing well at strong safety and will start there this Saturday.

Coach Montgomery says his defense "had the best Sunday practice I've seen at any place I've been."

"We've got to win a big time game under the lights on the road," Montgomery said.

He also pointed to Joe Carter as the special teams player of the week last week against Connecticut.

Coach Mo says you have to be mindful of running back James Flanders this week when the Pirates take on Tulsa. Flanders has 917 yards and twelve touchdowns for the Golden Hurricane.

Of course Dane Evans seems like he's been at Tulsa for a decade at quarterback and is playing some of the best football of his career. Evans has completed 156 of 269 for 1,970 yards and fifteen touchdowns against just eight interceptions this season.

Scottie Montgomery says Tulsa coach Philip Montgomery likes to find a matchup that he likes and keep calling the same guy's number until you stop it.

Keevan Lucas and Josh Atkinson have 53 and 44 catches respectively to lead a potent Tulsa receiving corp. Montgomery says Tulsa's splits are so wide from a wide receiver perspective that it moves the defensive backs an additional eight to nine yards.

Trent Martin, Craig Suits and Jesse Brubaker are three Tulsa defenders who has Coach Mo's attention entering this week.

Check out this week's Scottie Montgomery Monday Press Conference in it's entirety and stay tuned all week for continuing coverage of Tulsa Week for PI Member Subscribers here on PirateIllustrated.com.

TULSA MONDAY PRESS CONFERENCE

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