Scouting report: A look at Cincinnati's next opponent, the East Carolina Pirates
"Nipp at Night" will make its return Friday at Nippert Stadium.
The University of Cincinnati football team will host East Carolina Friday night (8 p.m. on ESPN2) under the lights in front of what is expected to be another raucous home crowd.
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"I've been in my share of Nipp at Nights since I've been here, and it's pretty electric," Bearcats wide receiver Tyler Scott said. "The biggest thing is when you get in situations like that, you kind of have aha moments, where you just kind of sit back and you're like, 'Wow, I'm really doing this.' You grow up seeing crowds and you envision playing in front of crowds and that type of energy. Now that you have those opportunities, you're just grateful to see those things and to be able to be a part of them."
Not only will Cincinnati (7-2, 4-1 American Athletic Conference) put its program-record 31-game home winning streak on the line against the Pirates, the Bearcats also will look to stay in contention for their third straight AAC championship.
With three games remaining, UC is tied for second in the league standings with Central Florida (7-2, 4-1). Tulane (8-1, 5-0) sits atop the conference standings. The Green Wave host the Knights on Saturday (3:30 p.m. on ESPN2).
"I think we're all looking forward to it," Cincinnati quarterback Ben Bryant said of Friday night. "It's a really big game. There's a lot on the line, and I think that's where we're playing out best right now, when our backs are against the wall. It's down to crunch time. We know we have to make plays. We know we're going to have to do everything we can to win. We're just really excited for the opportunity to play a good team."
The East Carolina matchup will be the first Friday night game at Nippert Stadium since Oct. 8, 2021. The Bearcats defeated Temple that night, 52-3.
Our first look at the East Carolina Pirates
RECORD: The Pirates are 6-3 (3-2 AAC) this season. ECU had a bye last week after rolling to three straight victories, the first two at home Oct. 15 against Memphis (4-5, 2-4) and Oct. 22 against UCF and the other Oct. 28 at BYU (5-5).
East Carolina opened the season with a 21-20 home loss Sept. 3 against NC State (7-2), followed by back-to-back wins at home Sept. 10 against Old Dominion (3-6) and Sept. 17 against FCS Campbell (4-5). The Pirates then opened AAC play Sept 24 with a loss at home to Navy (3-6, 3-4) in double overtime.
The Pirates won at South Florida (1-8, 0-5) on Oct. 1, then fell Oct. 8 to AAC-leading Tulane.
HEAD COACH: Mike Houston is 20-22 in four seasons at East Carolina. Houston led the Pirates to a winning record (7-5) last season after opening his tenure at ECU with back-to-back losing campaigns.
The 50-year-old Franklin, North Carolina, native is 0-3 against the Bearcats.
Houston was hired at East Carolina after a three-year stint at James Madison. Houston led the Dukes, who are now a member of the Sun Belt Conference, to two FCS national championship game appearances in 2016 and 2017. James Madison defeated Youngstown State for the title in 2016 and then lost to North Dakota State in the title game the following season.
KEY PLAYERS: The Pirates are led by fifth-year senior quarterback Holton Ahlers. The 6-foot-4, 230-pound Greenville, North Carolina, native has been ECU's full-time starter each of the last four seasons.
Ahlers has completed 223 of his 319 pass attempts (70%) for 2,632 yards, 18 touchdowns and five interceptions this season. The dual-threat quarterback also has five rushing scores.
Ahlers' top targets are Toledo graduate transfer wide receiver Isaiah Winstead (64 catches, 871 yards and three touchdowns) and 6-foot-2, 222-pound junior wideout C.J. Johnson (44 catches, 702 yards and seven touchdowns).
ECU running back Keaton Mitchell leads the AAC with 863 rushing yards on 122 carries. The 5-foot-9, 184-pound sophomore has nine touchdowns on the ground.
“Yeah, he's a difference maker," Cincinnati coach Luke Fickell said. "That’s why he’s leading the league in rushing. And I think the uniqueness is, you can see the big, long runs where he can circle the defense because of his electric speed and quickness, to be honest with you. But there's plenty of shots where he hits it right up in the middle. He went a long one against BYU right to the A gap. They've got a really good one-two punch with him, meaning that he can take it outside and he can make things happen, but he's not afraid to stick it up in the middle."
Defensively, ECU has several playmakers, including 6-foot-2, 187-pound senior safety Julius Wood, a Columbus native, and 6-foot, 284-pound defensive end Shaundre Mims. Wood leads the team with 54 total tackles, three forced fumbles and two interceptions, while Mims paces the Pirates with four sacks.
“I think they're very aggressive," Fickell said. "I've been very impressed over the last couple years with what they've done defensively and you can see them continue to grow. They haven't changed I think in the last two and a half, three years in the big picture of what they do defensively. You see how that growth has really taken place. They apply a lot of pressure to everybody."
SERIES HISTORY: Cincinnati is 12-13 all-time against East Carolina, including a 4-1 mark under Fickell. The Bearcats have defeated the Pirates in four straight meetings, including last season's 35-13 win at ECU.
FUN FACT: Cincinnati freshman defensive tackle Dontay Corleone (Colerain HIgh School) entered the week as the nation's highest-graded defensive player (92.6), according to Pro Football Focus.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Cincinnati football: Bearcats host East Carolina in prime time
