2026 American Preseason Previews: East Carolina Pirates

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2025 record: 9-4 (6-2 American)

2025 postseason: defeated Pittsburgh in Military Bowl, 23-17

East Carolina football regained its winning ways. After a struggle through the mid-to-late 2010s, the Pirates are prosperous once again. The trajectory of the program took a notable upward turn when Blake Harrell was promoted from a defensive coordinator into the head coach in the middle of 2024. Harrell owns a 14-5 record as the frontman of the Pirates, qualifying for back-to-back Military Bowls and knocking off ACC opponents both times.

Last December, ECU concluded a successful season by manufacturing the greatest point-spread upset of bowl season. Operating severely shorthanded, it knocked off a heavily favored Pitt squad in the Military Bowl, thanks to the heroics of wide receiver Anthony Smith and a 5-1 edge in the turnover battle. That signature victory clinched ECU’s first 9-win season since joining the American Conference in 2014.

But will hitting a 12-year peak in 2025 springboard into something greater? In the pre-NIL/transfer portal world, the Pirates might be labeled as a College Football Playoff darkhorse, loaded with returning talent. However, that world doesn’t exist anymore. ECU lost its starting quarterback and three First Team All-American Conference selections to the portal, forcing the purple and gold to start anew in 2026. However, the portal cuts both ways, and the Pirates brought home one of the more established portal classes in the conference.

With only three primary starters returning (one on offense, two on defense), East Carolina hopes the moving pieces click as it continues its quest for a first-ever American Conference Championship Game appearance.

Staff

Blake Harrell is 14-5 since taking over as the head coach in the middle of 2024. Harrell first onboarded in Greenville, NC as the defensive coordinator in 2020, and after steadily improving the defense in the early part of the decade, he upgraded from an interim head coach to the full-time frontman.

The wins were quite convincing too. East Carolina won six of its nine contests in 2025 by 22+ points, and the only one-score victories were over 8-5 Memphis and Pittsburgh teams. While retaining Harrell is a massive plus — especially when four other American contenders lost their head coaches this offseason — East Carolina has work to do reloading the staff around him. Offensive coordinator John David Baker accepted the same position at Ole Miss. Defensive coordinator Josh Aldridge accepted the same position at South Florida.

The Pirates replace Baker with Jordan Davis who oversaw the country’s best offense in 2025 at North Texas. Under Davis, the Mean Green ranked first in the FBS in scoring, yards per game, and first downs, while ranking second nationally in passing offense. North Texas’ offense wasn’t just a one-year wonder either. Davis spent three years in Denton, TX, and utilized three different starting quarterbacks, producing the No. 6, No. 3, and No. 1 yards per game offenses in those three seasons.

Jordon Hankins takes over as the defensive coordinator after holding the same position at Memphis the previous two seasons. Hankins guided the Tigers’ 11-2 campaign in 2024, where the Tigers held six opponents under 20 points while ranking top 10 in turnovers gained and top 15 in run defense.

Other new additions to the staff include running backs coach Julian Griffin (previously served same position at California), offensive line coach Alex Huettel (previously served same position at Old Dominion), and wide receivers coach Juan Soto (previously served as assistant wide receivers coach at North Texas).

Offense

• Key arrivals: QB Mitch Griffis, QB Emory Williams, RB Ashton Gray, RB Michael Allen, WR Ray Ray Joseph, WR Landon Sides, TE Kanen Hamlett, G Brandon Best, G Ethan Kramer, OT Hayes Creel
• Key departures: QB Katin Houser, QB Mike Wright, RB London Montgomery, RB Marlon Gunn Jr., WR Anthony Smith, WR Yannick Smith, TE Desirrio Riles, TE Jayvontay Conner, C Darius Bell, G Emmanuel Poku, G Kyle Long, OT Jimarion McCrimon, OT Cooper Trnavsky
• Key incumbents: RB TJ Engleman Jr., WR Brock Spalding, WR Tyler Johnson, WR Jaquaize Pettaway, OT Bryce Weaver

East Carolina fielded a quality offense in 2025. The Pirates averaged 32.7 points (25th in FBS), 449 yards (19th in FBS), 273 passing yards (21st in FBS), and 176 rushing yards (45th in FBS), while drastically improving their turnover tendencies from 2024 to 2025. The problem — not much of 2025 matters in 2026 considering the offensive coordinator changed and 10 starters left.

ECU must start anew at quarterback, and the Pirates brought in two transfers to compete for the gig. Mitch Griffis is a seventh-year senior on the doorstep of age 25, and the well-traveled quarterback spent 2025 as Texas Tech’s backup. However, he gained vast starting experience at Wake Forest with 10 starts (one in 2022, nine in 2023). He enters his final year of eligibility with 2,314 career passing yards, 17 touchdowns, and eight interceptions on a 61.2 completion rate. The other option is Emory Williams who started two games at Miami (FL) in 2023. Williams backed up Cam Ward and Carson Beck over the last two seasons and arrives in Greenville with 813 passing yards, four touchdowns, and two interceptions. Both Griffis and Williams are more of the pocket passer variety, and designed QB runs shouldn’t be a focal point of the offense.

When it is time to run the ball, ECU has a trio of established options. Ashton Gray follows his former offensive coordinator from North Texas after producing 377 yards on a 6.5 average in the nation’s best offense last year. Gray’s breakthrough showing transpired in the New Mexico Bowl where he accumulated 152 yards and two touchdowns on 16 carries, proving his readiness to be a No. 1 option. Michael Allen will complement Gray in the backfield. After stints at NC State, UNLV, and Marshall, Allen will be at his fourth school in four years, aiming to build on his career-best 385 yards with the Thundering Herd last fall. TJ Engleman Jr. should play a major role in the run game as well after finishing third on ECU with 306 rushing yards, picking up a respectable 5.2 per attempt.

Wide receiver and tight end face a significant makeover with the losses of Anthony Smith (drafted by the Dallas Cowboys), Yannick Smith (transferred to SMU), Desirrio Riles (transferred to Florida State) and Jayvontay Conner (transferred to Vanderbilt). Only one of ECU’s top seven receivers is back, and that’s WR3 Brock Spalding (42 receptions, 554 yards, 3 TD in 2025) who may evolve into WR1 this year. Ray Ray Joseph (Miami (FL)) and Landon Sides (North Texas) are portal acquisitons that may assume other starting receiver roles. Joseph is a former 4-star recruit, while Sides is coming off a 449-yard campaign in Davis’ elite North Texas offense. Tyler Johnson and Jaquaize Pettaway are among reserve receivers the Pirates will turn to for greater production in 2026.

ECU lost 100 percent of receiving production in its tight end room. To refurbish this position group, Kanen Hamlett arrives from Appalachian State with three career starts and 17 receptions across the two prior seasons, while Ismael Smith Flores makes the trek to the American after a season at UTRGV in the FCS.

All five primary starters from the offensive line are gone, with two losses coming via portal and three via eligibility. Bryce Weaver (three starts at right tackle) and Marleo Neolien (one start at right tackle) are the only returning Pirates with any starting experience in 2025. But that’s where the portal comes in. Brandon Best was a full-time starting guard for Conference USA champion Kennesaw State, while Hayes Creel anchored the right tackle spot all of last year at Southern Miss, giving ECU 27 combined games of starting experience. Additionally, the versatile Ethan Kramer, armed with reps at left guard and right tackle, was an FCS all-conference selection at Northern Arizona.

Defense

• Key arrivals: ILB Crews Law, CB Ashton Levells-Mitchell, CB Rae’mon Mosby, CB Jaylen Bowden, FS Christian Peterson, SS Zyeir Gamble
• Key departures: DE J.D. Lampley, DT Zion Wilson, DT Xavier McIver, ILB Dameon Wilson, OLB Ryheem Craig, OLB Samuel Dankah, CB Jordy Lowery, CB TyMir Brown, CB Jonathan Jean, FS Ja’Marley Riddle, SS Teagan Wilk
• Key incumbents: DE Jasiyah Robinson, DE Rion Roseborough, DE Kendrick DuJour, DT Preston Carr, ILB DJ Johnson Jr., OLB Jackson Barker, OLB Julien Davis, SS Ayden Duncanson

Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium hadn’t seen a defense as potent as East Carolina’s 2025 unit in over a decade. The Pirates put on the clamps last season, holding four opponents (including two bowl teams) to six points or fewer to produce the nation’s 25th-ranked scoring defense. Only two opponents mustered more than 25 points on a stymying Pirates’ front which ranked fourth nationally in tackles for loss per game, second in forced fumbles, and ninth in third down defense.

Unfortunately for East Carolina, defensive end Jasiyah Robinson and inside linebacker DJ Johnson Jr. are the only two starters back from that group. First Team All-American Conference selections Zion Wilson (Virginia) and Ja’Marley Riddle (Georgia) were among devastating portal losses, as was lockdown cornerback Jordy Lowery (Florida). However, ECU rebounded well in the portal, particularly in the defensive backfield.

Transfers should comprise the majority of the starting secondary, and Appalachian State strong safety Zyeir Gamble was the most experienced addition to the room. Gamble ranked second on the Mountaineers with 76 tackles in 2025, in addition to securing 3.5 tackles for loss and a pair of interceptions. Cornerback Ashton Levells-Mitchell is the second-most experienced portal acquisition to the secondary, starting four games and accruing 20 tackles for FIU in 2025. The secondary also added a slew of players eyeing expanded playing time, looking to make names for themselves in Greenville. This batch includes cornerbacks Rae’mon Mosby (Louisville) and Jaylen Bowden (Minnesota), as well as safeties Christian Peterson (UCF) and Myles Pollard (Memphis). These four DBs combine for 15 collegiate tackles, with Mosby owning eight of them. The incumbents that will play the most significant role on the back end are Ayden Duncanson and Kevon Merrell Jr., who combined for 61 tackles last year.

The front — which was ECU’s specialty in 2025 — will be led more by returning talent than portal additions. Jasiyah Robinson ranked second on the Pirates in sacks last year (5.0), and he returns to spearhead the pass rush after a season of 26 tackles and 6.5 tackles for loss. Kendrick DuJour returns to the fold at defensive end too. He missed the middle of last season but returned in time to produce two sacks, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery in the Military Bowl, and he enters 2026 with all-conference potential.

Seven ECU defenders tallied at least 2.0 sacks in 2025, and the Pirates return four of them. In addition to Robinson and DuJour, defensive tackles Preston Carr and Rion Roseborough remain on campus after combining for 47 tackles, 11.0 tackles for loss, and 4.0 sacks last fall, giving ECU potential starters in the interior.

Serving as the bridge between the defensive line and linebacker corps is rush end Julien Davis, who looks to replace Ryheem Craig after logging 223 snaps as a key reserve. DJ Johnson Jr. remains a focal point of the linebacker room after tallying 60 tackles (second on the team behind Riddle) and 5.0 TFLs. Fifth-year Pirate linebacker Jackson Barker also should see more significant playing time after a career-best 21 tackles in 2025. With incumbents like Davis and Barker ready to step up into larger roles, the Pirates didn’t heavily invest in defensive line or linebacker talent in the portal, but they did land a potential starter in Crews Law (25 tackles, 3.5 TFLs, 1.5 sacks in 2025), as well as his older brother Cade Law — who follow defensive coordinator Jordon Hankins from Memphis.

Special Teams

• Key arrivals: P Elliot Huether, KR/PR Ray Ray Joseph, PR Landon Sides
• Key departures: K Nick Mazzie, P Ryan Leavy, KR London Montgomery, KR Parker Jenkins
• Key incumbents: K Andrew Conrad, K Noah Perez, P Tomas O’Halloran, KR/PR Kyler Pearson

East Carolina loses its primary placekicker, its most frequently utilized punter, and its top two kick returners from 2025, yet there remains impressive retention in special teams production. The toughest replacement will be Nick Mazzie, who converted an efficient 16-of-19 field goals last season — a much-needed improvement from ECU’s longstanding kicking struggles. The Pirates likely turn to Mazzie’s predecessor Andrew Conrad (36-of-51 on field goals from 2022-24) or Noah Perez (15-of-23 on field goals from 2022-24; 6-of-7 since transferring from Akron to East Carolina), hoping the efficiency of the 2025 kicking game can be replicated.

Tomas O’Halloran handled punting duties for the second half of last season and may retain his role after averaging a team-high 42.1 yards per punt and booting a 50+ yarder in five of seven appearances. However, Elliot Huether from St. Thomas joins the room as competition after managing a 47.4 average in the FCS a year ago.

In the return game, ECU has a slew of options. Kyler Pearson is back after ranking third on the team in kick return yards and managing all 83 of ECU’s punt return yards in 2025. Ray Ray Joseph (Miami (FL)) and Landon Sides (North Texas) are transfer receivers with return game experience as well. Joseph comes equipped with nine kickoff and 20 punt returns from his Hurricane days, while Sides returned five punts for the Mean Green.

Schedule and outlook

* denotes non-conference game

East Carolina does not receive a warm welcoming to its 2026 season. The odds are stacked against the Pirates in a season-opening road trip at Alabama, but we’ve recently seen American Conference teams (like South Florida) provide a prolonged scare to the Crimson Tide. An FCS opponent would be an ideal post-Bama matchup, but instead, ECU faces regional non-conference rivals Appalachian State and Old Dominion before its Sept. 26 buy game against NC Central. Compiling at least three wins should be the team objective after four weeks, and then the Pirates open their American slate hosting Rice.

In conference play, it’s no surprise to see East Carolina involved in a slew of Thursday and Friday night games which provide the Pirates with quality national exposure. Last year, they played four Thursday night games (including three-consecutive in conference play). This year, the schedule features two Thursday night road games at UAB and Memphis and a Friday night home affair vs. South Florida — which will all be national TV draws.

The conference schedule shapes up nicely as the Pirates avoid all three 11+ win teams from 2025 (Tulane, North Texas, Navy), as well as UTSA which defeated ECU 58-24 last November. Preliminarily, the toughest challenges should be the road trips to Memphis and Army, as well as the aforementioned Friday night matchup vs. USF at Dowdy-Ficklen.

2026 marks ECU’s 13th year as a member of the American. Last season was as close as the Pirates came to qualifying for the conference championship, essentially falling one quarter short in the loss to Tulane. With most contenders starting anew at head coach and their rosters pillaged by the portal, ECU has a shot to crash the party. The Pirates possess potential stars like Jasiyah Robinson and DJ Johnson Jr., and experience is evident on both sides of the ball. Jordan Davis will need to work his magic on offense with the new starting quarterback, and Jordon Hankins’ defense must continue to dominate the line of scrimmage to sustain the recent winning tradition, but the often-overlooked Pirates could be brewing a special season in Greenville this fall.

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