Takeaways from ECU football’s spring game

The East Carolina University football team officially wrapped up its spring practice session April 13 with the annual Purple-Gold game inside Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium, which the Purple team won 23-14 over the Gold Team.

Under sixth-year head coach Mike Houston, the Pirates played a four-quarter game with a running clock that lasted approximately 85 minutes under partly cloudy skies and temperatures in the low 70s.

Former University of Miami and University of Missouri transfer junior quarterback Jake Garcia started for team Gold, while sophomore quarterback Katin Houser, a transfer from Michigan State University, started for team Purple. Redshirt freshman quarterback Raheim Jeter took reps on both sides of the ball since he is expected to be the third quarterback on the depth chart.

Right away we saw a whole new offensive system then we saw during ECU’s second 10 loss season ever, the impact of newly offensive coordinator John David Baker was evident in the fast paced offense.

Gold took an early 14-7 lead after the first quarter on a Garcia 26-yard touchdown pass to sophomore wide receiver Brock Spalding, the game's first score. Houser quickly tied the game at seven apiece with a 27-yard touchdown pass to North Carolina State University transfer senior wide receiver Anthony Smith, before Garcia scored on a four-yard run to take the lead in the first quarter.

“I love the offense, I love it. It’s awesome,” Garcia said after the game. “Just being able to move fast, it honestly feels like a fast break in basketball. Like you’re a point guard back there and you have options. Either you hand the ball off or you could just spin it out there.”

Houser and Garcia are competing for the starting quarterback position. Houston stated that it is a legitimate competition that will be settled at some point during summer camp. Both appeared competent in handling the task on Saturday, demonstrating arm talent and quick decision-making.

Both players made deep throws downfield, completing 11 passes of 10 yards or more. Kansas transfer junior wide receiver Kelan Robinson made a 70-yard gain in the first half.

“Offensively I’m pleased with the progress of meshing together,” Houston said after the game. “The mistakes that you still are seeing are guys getting on the same page with the quarterback and receiver. We had a couple mistakes by a couple young receivers that resulted in two interceptions today. Execution is going to be the key to this thing as fast as we’re going. If we can execute, then obviously we’re going to be very explosive this fall.”

The defense regained its footing as both offenses blasted up and down the field in the first half, as sophomore defensive back Isaiah Brown-Murray, junior defensive back Tymir Brown, and sophomore defensive back Kamaurri McKinley all recorded an interception.

The Purple defense pushed a second-half shutout, while the offense scored 13 points to win by nine. Junior kicker Andrew Conrad kicked a 51-yard field goal in the third quarter and his third of the game from 27 yards in the fourth. Purple scored its final points of the game on a 30-yard interception that got returned for a touchdown by McKinley, bringing the final score to 23-14.

ECU's offense gained 554 yards (401 passing, 153 rushing) for an average of 8.2 yards per play, scored three touchdowns, and made three field goal attempts. Overall, the defense had 10.0 tackles for loss for minus 27 yards, including five sacks for -19 yards.