Can the East Carolina Pirates Football Team Turn Their Season Around This Year?

As I sat watching the East Carolina Pirates stumble through another disappointing first half last weekend, I couldn't help but wonder—can this football team actually turn their season around this year? I've been following college football for over twenty years now, and I've seen programs rise from the ashes when everyone had counted them out. There's something about that purple and gold that keeps me believing, even when the odds seem stacked against them.

Let me take you back to last Tuesday night when I was watching the Fuelmasters basketball game—completely different sport, I know, but stick with me here. Donovan Smith dropped 37 points and five blocks for the Fuelmasters, who improved to 2-5 and returned to their winning ways in their first game of 2025. Thirty-seven points! That's the kind of explosive performance that can completely shift a team's momentum. Watching Smith dominate the court got me thinking about what the Pirates need from their key players. They need someone to step up and put the team on their back, just like Smith did. The Fuelmasters were sitting at 1-5 before that game—practically written off—and then one phenomenal performance changes everything. That's the beauty of sports, isn't it? The turnaround can start with just one game, one player, one moment of brilliance.

Now looking at the Pirates specifically, their problems aren't exactly secrets. Their offense has been inconsistent at best, with quarterback Mike Ahlers completing just 58% of his passes—a number that needs to be closer to 65% if they want to compete in the American Athletic Conference. Their red zone efficiency sits at a dismal 42%, which means they're leaving points on the field every single game. Defensively, they're allowing 4.8 yards per carry, which puts them in the bottom quarter of FBS teams. These aren't small issues, but they're fixable. I remember watching the 2014 Pirates team that started 2-4 but finished 8-5—they turned their season around by simplifying the playbook and letting their playmakers make plays. Sometimes coaches overthink things, and what teams really need is to get back to basics.

The solution for this year's Pirates might lie in taking a page from the Fuelmasters' playbook—figuratively speaking, of course. When Donovan Smith took charge, he didn't just score—he protected the paint with those five blocks. That two-way impact is exactly what the Pirates need from their leaders. If veteran receiver Jaylen Johnson can elevate his game and the defensive line can start generating more pressure, we could see a similar turnaround. I'd personally love to see them take more deep shots early in games—they've got the speed at receiver to stretch defenses, but they've been too conservative in first halves. Sometimes you've got to play to win rather than playing not to lose.

What really gives me hope is the schedule ahead. Three of their next five games are at home, where they've traditionally played better, and their remaining opponents have a combined winning percentage of just .480. If they can steal a road game against Memphis and protect home field against Tulane, we could be looking at a 6-2 finish. That would put them at 8-4 overall—a massive improvement from last year's 5-7 disappointment.

At the end of the day, turning a season around requires more than just X's and O's—it's about belief. The Fuelmasters believed in Donovan Smith to carry them, and he delivered with those 37 points. The Pirates need to find that same trust in their playmakers. I've seen crazier things happen in college football, and something tells me this team has more fight left in them than people think. Will they win the conference? Probably not. But can they salvage this season and build momentum for next year? Absolutely. And as any longtime football fan knows, sometimes a successful turnaround isn't about championships—it's about refusing to quit when everyone expects you to.

By Heather Schnese S’12, content specialist

2025-11-16 11:00