Summer's Extended to Saturday When ECU Takes on Virginia Tech

Summer's over, but don't tell that to Pirate senior James Summers when a fired up and angry East Carolina football team returns to action this Saturday on the road at Virginia Tech. It's Homecoming in Blacksburg and ECU will be seeking redemption from last week's 20-15 loss at South Carolina.

Last time out against Virginia Tech, Summers split time at quarterback with Blake Kemp to combine for 412 yards of offense. Summers ran for 169 yards and a pair of touchdowns in a 35-28 ECU victory. It was the second highest rushing total ever from an ECU quarterback. He also hit on 5 of 8 passes for 110 yards through the air.

Now he comes in this week fired up and ready for more.

"I'm very excited because I know they're after me, but it's all good. I've got to make plays like usual which I will do," said Summers.

Expect another physical power 5 matchup as the Pirates have faced the last two weeks at South Carolina and at home against North Carolina State. Summers talked about what ECU has to do on their end to match up.

"We've got to be physical too. They line up a across the ball just like we do. If we have a hat on a hat, we have our best chance just like they do," Summers said to PirateIllustrated.com, "As far as physical wise, as long as we go out there and do what we've got to do, we should be fine. We've just got to execute."

It should be another loud road game at a venue that is all too familiar to Pirates everywhere.

"We've got to lock in and focus. We're not worried the crowd or who is out there. It's going to be noisy anywhere we play," said Summers It's noisy here in Dowdy, so we're used to that. So we're just going to go out there and do what we've got to do."

When asked what his Philip Nelson and he at quarterback have to do to bounce back this week from a 20-15 setback at South Carolina, Summers kept it simple.

"We've all got to bounce back, not just Philip. We all got penalties and fumbles and penalties - ball security. We've just got to make sure that we have our penalties cleaned up and we all should be fine."

The Pirates went through a wet ball day in hard rain on Tuesday at the Cliff Moore Practice Complex and that might be just what the doctor ordered after last week's ball security nightmare in Columbia.

"It helped a lot. You've got to really hold on to the ball. You've got the coaches out there punching the balls out and trying to do things to help us with ball security, so it was very good."

Summers says the best medicine is to flush out the last game and get back to doing what East Carolina does and that is move the football, execute and play turnover free football.

"We forget about last week. It's over, you know. We just want to go out there and execute and do what we've got to do and make sure we don't leave twenty points on the board like we did this past weekend. As long as we do that and execute, we'll be fine."

The Greensboro senior plays a little running back, some receiver and even finds himself under center which is his natural position. With so many hats to wear, does that weigh him down?

"It's my role so I embrace my role and I'll never leave my teammates hanging so I always come to practice with an open mind. As long as I do that, I'll be fine."

Game time is 12:30 on the Raycom ACC Television Network for East Caroina(2-1) - Virginia Tech(2-1/1-0 ACC) from Blacksburg, Virginia's Lane Stadium.

Last Week's Virginia Tech Statistics

Last Week's East Carolina Statistics