August 6, 2025 • 9 mins
The guys give you their expectations for the East Carolina Pirates' defense this year.
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Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
It's the sound you've waited much to hear.
Speaker 2 (00:05):
It's caused some of your greatest tryout player. It's with
a fitter team today, and they win at twenty seven
to twenty two, and your biggest heartbreaks. Johnson bounces offful one.
Speaker 1 (00:15):
He's de up. Johnson to the outside, has a chance
for grace, goodbye.
Speaker 2 (00:21):
It's the option at Georgia Tech.
Speaker 3 (00:23):
It's Howard's Rock the smoke in Miami, and every Saturday
you tap that sign.
Speaker 2 (00:33):
College football is here. So yo, all right.
Speaker 1 (00:39):
Taking a look at Eastu's defense this upcoming season, new
coordinator Josh Aldridge is in charge now. He's a former
Auburn assistant and Liberty defensive coordinator. He is bat Colin
plays for the Pirates, where he'll work under another defensive
guy and Blake Harroll, who's now the head coach. We
don't know exactly at this time how the scheme is
going to look. According to a couple people putting out
(01:00):
some previews of ECU football, but it does look to
be pretty similar base four two five. You got your nickel,
the Star. I love the college nicknames for the positions
out there. You don't really see that a lot in
the NFL. But looking at Nickel or the Star, an
outside linebacker in the front four for this two four
to two five alignment. And if you look at what
happened last year, the defense wasn't great. I know, it
(01:22):
looks like the offense is going to be better than
the defense this season for the Pirates, But they were
very good in the red zone. They came up with
a ton of tackles for loss, and they allowed thirty
one points or fewer the offense. They did the rest
when they did allow thirty one or fewer, which is
a low bar, but still that's pretty good if you're
just going to have your offense score more than thirty
(01:42):
one that leads to wins. Flounder. I can do math
every once in a while. So the big position groups
to look at and evaluate what's going out of the
portal and what's coming in through the portal. Top linebackers,
they're gone. Mike Edwards gone from MECU.
Speaker 2 (01:58):
Barker.
Speaker 1 (01:59):
I don't know how he pronounces name, but Barker is
leaving for SMU. Damian Wilson, a former Missouri transfer. Shout
out to Willie p He will be in the middle
at that linebacking corp and then Cavan Merrill. He's a
safety sized outside defender who can move. Raheem Craig is
back at his starting spot as a hybrid edge guy.
(02:19):
So we'll take a look at the secondary, which I
think there's some interesting things to discuss with the secondary
for this squad. But you take a look at this defense,
how are you feeling about them heading into this year?
Speaker 3 (02:28):
Yeah, I mean there is a lot to replace. They
only have two starters coming back. You mentioned Raheem Craig.
You got jamar Lee Riddell who is also coming back
after a really strong year as a freshman. But the
thing is is that I mean, yeah, they're going to
have to replace a lot of guys. Gavin Gibson, their
starting corner, left in the portal, they're starting nickelback left
(02:48):
for Carolina. Same thing with their big man in the middle, CJ.
Speaker 2 (02:51):
Mims. I know he's at Carolina as well.
Speaker 3 (02:53):
So they've had a lot of guys that graduated and
they have a lot of guys that have left in
the portal. So now they've got to find guys that
can step up. Now. I do think there are some
guys on this roster I really like Raheem Craig, former
Louisville player that now is back in his home state.
I think he's a guy that could have a big
season for sure. And you know, the secondary I still
(03:14):
think is a good shake. Teague in wilk is going
to start at safety alongside of Radell, and I think
both of those guys form a pretty good safety tandem.
Speaker 2 (03:23):
We'll just have to see, though.
Speaker 3 (03:24):
I think this group's going to be tested early on
in the season, especially in that game against NC State.
That's what kind of has me worried about them going
into that season opener is I just don't know with
all the new faces there, how they're going to be
able to hold up defensively, because you look at the
end of last year, even with all the guys that
they still had on that roster at the time, in
the five wins, they allowed thirty four points, fourteen points,
(03:48):
thirty one points, twenty eight, thirty four and twenty one,
So they still it was a decent defense. They really
relied on takeaways and on tackles for loss. Are they
going to be able to rely on those same things
again this year? I'm just not sure.
Speaker 1 (04:05):
Well, the big story about their defense right now it's
not a good one. But in I think July twenty second,
but somewhere in the July twenties, Greenville police were called
to a house on Locust Drive over there in Greenville,
and it's about a mile off campus, and they were
called because a report of gunshots being heard, and yep,
it was a few ECU players responsible for said gunshots.
Speaker 3 (04:26):
J D.
Speaker 1 (04:27):
Lampley, Preston Carr, Brock Spauding all allegedly not even allegedly,
they all were I guess they all admitted to shooting
outside and Brock Spaulding when the police were called, actually
allegedly refused to come out initially, but said the situation
was soon resolved. And so we don't know what's going
to happen with all of those players. But JD. Lampley
(04:48):
and Preston Carr, they're both defensive players. And Lampley and Spalding,
by the way, rock Spauding was a wide receiver. They
were both named preseason All American Athletic Conference Players by
phil Stea magazine. So Lampley being a pretty big story
heading into this year. But I don't know if it's
going to be one of those things where they suspend
(05:10):
them for a game that doesn't necessarily matter, and then
they bring them back.
Speaker 2 (05:14):
Where it could be Campbell.
Speaker 1 (05:15):
Well, you're looking at NC State as the home opener,
so are they going to do the let's dodge this
really important game while we still quote unquote figured things
out and then Lampley misses a game that they would
deem less meaningful. But Lampley a big deal. Who's supposed
to help this defense on the defensive line.
Speaker 3 (05:32):
Yeah, Neil Lampley is a guy that last year had
five tackles for lost two and a half sacks.
Speaker 2 (05:37):
They expect.
Speaker 3 (05:38):
The magazine that I have, the Athlon does not have
him listed as a starter. But I do think that
he is a guy that was going to play a
very significant role even if he wasn't a starter, similar
to what we saw last year. You remember my love
for bo Atkinson at Carolina wasn't a starter but played
a lot of snaps and was very effective. I think
that's the same way you would feel about Lampley even
(05:59):
if he wasn't gonna start. And then Preston Carr, he
was supposed to be a starter for them, So that's
a big loss, and he's a defensive tackle as well.
It's a big loss on the defensive line. Man, he
got two guys that you're looking at right now and
you're saying, man, do we really are we really going
to be without these guys in the opener, So that
could be an area of concern, especially in that game
(06:20):
against NC State.
Speaker 1 (06:21):
Yeah, he earned All AAC honors at the end of
last year. He is described as not necessarily a dominant
pass rusher, but pre good player all the round. Now,
once we get to the secondary, I was talking with
Jim out there at Panthers joint practice, Jim Zochi, the
voice of ECU, and he said that the secondary is
(06:42):
all very new and so it's going to be interesting
to see how the defensive backfield plays this year. Jamari
Riddle is considered maybe their best player overall on this team.
He's a terrific young free safety. As written here with
the College Football News outlet, Jamari Riddle is their free
safety that's going to start for them. You have a
(07:02):
veteran playmaker in Tiaguan Wilk, a four year starter over
there with ECU. He's back after going to Houston last year,
so he's actually back with the Pirates. And then Tamir Brown,
a corner who is a senior, is described as a
key guy for them if he balls out after Shavon
Revel leaves for the NFL. It was a big loss,
excellent excellent player last year. Could their secondary beat the
(07:25):
driving force for this defense where they have a key
guy in Tamir Brown as that outside starting corner, but
also a couple of transfers and holding on to what
is maybe their best player overall than Jamari Riddle.
Speaker 2 (07:36):
It could be And I think you're right.
Speaker 3 (07:38):
I think the former tar Heel timer Brown is probably
the key to that secondary.
Speaker 2 (07:43):
Is he a guy that can take over for Chavon Revel?
Speaker 3 (07:46):
That's asking a lot, and Revel was a guy that
remembered before the injury, he was considered a first round
NFL corner, So I don't know if he's necessarily going
to be that, But can he be a guy that
creates some turnovers? Is you know, maybe not a lockdown corner,
but serviceable enough on the outside if he can do that.
And then Jordan Lowry, the transfer from Western Carolina, also
(08:08):
expected to play a big role for them this year.
So I'm interested to see both of those guys at
corner because I think safety they're fine. You know, Teagan
wilk sort of chased a dream going up to the
Power Conference level see if he get worked out there.
He didn't, so he comes back him alongside of Riddle,
probably gonna be one of the better secondaries, one of
the better safety tandems rather in the AAC this year.
(08:31):
So I think there are areas to like about this defense.
If they can get everybody back on that defensive line
relatively early in the season, if they're not suspended for
that long or whatever they're going to end up doing,
then I think you like what the defensive line brings,
You like what the corners and safeties bring to the
table in that secondary. And then the question becomes, what
(08:53):
about your linebacking core where you don't have anybody coming
back from last year? Does Damian Wilson really show out
now that he's back home. He's a guy that went
to King's Mountain High School. Maybe going down to the
group of five level helps him out a little bit
more than with his time at Missouri where he just
really wasn't able to get on the field. So that's
gonna be the biggest question I think for ECU going
(09:14):
into this year.
Speaker 2 (09:15):
What does that linebacking court
It's the sound you've waited much to hear.
Speaker 2 (00:05):
It's caused some of your greatest tryout player. It's with
a fitter team today, and they win at twenty seven
to twenty two, and your biggest heartbreaks. Johnson bounces offful one.
Speaker 1 (00:15):
He's de up. Johnson to the outside, has a chance
for grace, goodbye.
Speaker 2 (00:21):
It's the option at Georgia Tech.
Speaker 3 (00:23):
It's Howard's Rock the smoke in Miami, and every Saturday
you tap that sign.
Speaker 2 (00:33):
College football is here. So yo, all right.
Speaker 1 (00:39):
Taking a look at Eastu's defense this upcoming season, new
coordinator Josh Aldridge is in charge now. He's a former
Auburn assistant and Liberty defensive coordinator. He is bat Colin
plays for the Pirates, where he'll work under another defensive
guy and Blake Harroll, who's now the head coach. We
don't know exactly at this time how the scheme is
going to look. According to a couple people putting out
(01:00):
some previews of ECU football, but it does look to
be pretty similar base four two five. You got your nickel,
the Star. I love the college nicknames for the positions
out there. You don't really see that a lot in
the NFL. But looking at Nickel or the Star, an
outside linebacker in the front four for this two four
to two five alignment. And if you look at what
happened last year, the defense wasn't great. I know, it
(01:22):
looks like the offense is going to be better than
the defense this season for the Pirates, But they were
very good in the red zone. They came up with
a ton of tackles for loss, and they allowed thirty
one points or fewer the offense. They did the rest
when they did allow thirty one or fewer, which is
a low bar, but still that's pretty good if you're
just going to have your offense score more than thirty
(01:42):
one that leads to wins. Flounder. I can do math
every once in a while. So the big position groups
to look at and evaluate what's going out of the
portal and what's coming in through the portal. Top linebackers,
they're gone. Mike Edwards gone from MECU.
Speaker 2 (01:58):
Barker.
Speaker 1 (01:59):
I don't know how he pronounces name, but Barker is
leaving for SMU. Damian Wilson, a former Missouri transfer. Shout
out to Willie p He will be in the middle
at that linebacking corp and then Cavan Merrill. He's a
safety sized outside defender who can move. Raheem Craig is
back at his starting spot as a hybrid edge guy.
(02:19):
So we'll take a look at the secondary, which I
think there's some interesting things to discuss with the secondary
for this squad. But you take a look at this defense,
how are you feeling about them heading into this year?
Speaker 3 (02:28):
Yeah, I mean there is a lot to replace. They
only have two starters coming back. You mentioned Raheem Craig.
You got jamar Lee Riddell who is also coming back
after a really strong year as a freshman. But the
thing is is that I mean, yeah, they're going to
have to replace a lot of guys. Gavin Gibson, their
starting corner, left in the portal, they're starting nickelback left
(02:48):
for Carolina. Same thing with their big man in the middle, CJ.
Speaker 2 (02:51):
Mims. I know he's at Carolina as well.
Speaker 3 (02:53):
So they've had a lot of guys that graduated and
they have a lot of guys that have left in
the portal. So now they've got to find guys that
can step up. Now. I do think there are some
guys on this roster I really like Raheem Craig, former
Louisville player that now is back in his home state.
I think he's a guy that could have a big
season for sure. And you know, the secondary I still
(03:14):
think is a good shake. Teague in wilk is going
to start at safety alongside of Radell, and I think
both of those guys form a pretty good safety tandem.
Speaker 2 (03:23):
We'll just have to see, though.
Speaker 3 (03:24):
I think this group's going to be tested early on
in the season, especially in that game against NC State.
That's what kind of has me worried about them going
into that season opener is I just don't know with
all the new faces there, how they're going to be
able to hold up defensively, because you look at the
end of last year, even with all the guys that
they still had on that roster at the time, in
the five wins, they allowed thirty four points, fourteen points,
(03:48):
thirty one points, twenty eight, thirty four and twenty one,
So they still it was a decent defense. They really
relied on takeaways and on tackles for loss. Are they
going to be able to rely on those same things
again this year? I'm just not sure.
Speaker 1 (04:05):
Well, the big story about their defense right now it's
not a good one. But in I think July twenty second,
but somewhere in the July twenties, Greenville police were called
to a house on Locust Drive over there in Greenville,
and it's about a mile off campus, and they were
called because a report of gunshots being heard, and yep,
it was a few ECU players responsible for said gunshots.
Speaker 3 (04:26):
J D.
Speaker 1 (04:27):
Lampley, Preston Carr, Brock Spauding all allegedly not even allegedly,
they all were I guess they all admitted to shooting
outside and Brock Spaulding when the police were called, actually
allegedly refused to come out initially, but said the situation
was soon resolved. And so we don't know what's going
to happen with all of those players. But JD. Lampley
(04:48):
and Preston Carr, they're both defensive players. And Lampley and Spalding,
by the way, rock Spauding was a wide receiver. They
were both named preseason All American Athletic Conference Players by
phil Stea magazine. So Lampley being a pretty big story
heading into this year. But I don't know if it's
going to be one of those things where they suspend
(05:10):
them for a game that doesn't necessarily matter, and then
they bring them back.
Speaker 2 (05:14):
Where it could be Campbell.
Speaker 1 (05:15):
Well, you're looking at NC State as the home opener,
so are they going to do the let's dodge this
really important game while we still quote unquote figured things
out and then Lampley misses a game that they would
deem less meaningful. But Lampley a big deal. Who's supposed
to help this defense on the defensive line.
Speaker 3 (05:32):
Yeah, Neil Lampley is a guy that last year had
five tackles for lost two and a half sacks.
Speaker 2 (05:37):
They expect.
Speaker 3 (05:38):
The magazine that I have, the Athlon does not have
him listed as a starter. But I do think that
he is a guy that was going to play a
very significant role even if he wasn't a starter, similar
to what we saw last year. You remember my love
for bo Atkinson at Carolina wasn't a starter but played
a lot of snaps and was very effective. I think
that's the same way you would feel about Lampley even
(05:59):
if he wasn't gonna start. And then Preston Carr, he
was supposed to be a starter for them, So that's
a big loss, and he's a defensive tackle as well.
It's a big loss on the defensive line. Man, he
got two guys that you're looking at right now and
you're saying, man, do we really are we really going
to be without these guys in the opener, So that
could be an area of concern, especially in that game
(06:20):
against NC State.
Speaker 1 (06:21):
Yeah, he earned All AAC honors at the end of
last year. He is described as not necessarily a dominant
pass rusher, but pre good player all the round. Now,
once we get to the secondary, I was talking with
Jim out there at Panthers joint practice, Jim Zochi, the
voice of ECU, and he said that the secondary is
(06:42):
all very new and so it's going to be interesting
to see how the defensive backfield plays this year. Jamari
Riddle is considered maybe their best player overall on this team.
He's a terrific young free safety. As written here with
the College Football News outlet, Jamari Riddle is their free
safety that's going to start for them. You have a
(07:02):
veteran playmaker in Tiaguan Wilk, a four year starter over
there with ECU. He's back after going to Houston last year,
so he's actually back with the Pirates. And then Tamir Brown,
a corner who is a senior, is described as a
key guy for them if he balls out after Shavon
Revel leaves for the NFL. It was a big loss,
excellent excellent player last year. Could their secondary beat the
(07:25):
driving force for this defense where they have a key
guy in Tamir Brown as that outside starting corner, but
also a couple of transfers and holding on to what
is maybe their best player overall than Jamari Riddle.
Speaker 2 (07:36):
It could be And I think you're right.
Speaker 3 (07:38):
I think the former tar Heel timer Brown is probably
the key to that secondary.
Speaker 2 (07:43):
Is he a guy that can take over for Chavon Revel?
Speaker 3 (07:46):
That's asking a lot, and Revel was a guy that
remembered before the injury, he was considered a first round
NFL corner, So I don't know if he's necessarily going
to be that, But can he be a guy that
creates some turnovers? Is you know, maybe not a lockdown corner,
but serviceable enough on the outside if he can do that.
And then Jordan Lowry, the transfer from Western Carolina, also
(08:08):
expected to play a big role for them this year.
So I'm interested to see both of those guys at
corner because I think safety they're fine. You know, Teagan
wilk sort of chased a dream going up to the
Power Conference level see if he get worked out there.
He didn't, so he comes back him alongside of Riddle,
probably gonna be one of the better secondaries, one of
the better safety tandems rather in the AAC this year.
(08:31):
So I think there are areas to like about this defense.
If they can get everybody back on that defensive line
relatively early in the season, if they're not suspended for
that long or whatever they're going to end up doing,
then I think you like what the defensive line brings,
You like what the corners and safeties bring to the
table in that secondary. And then the question becomes, what
(08:53):
about your linebacking core where you don't have anybody coming
back from last year? Does Damian Wilson really show out
now that he's back home. He's a guy that went
to King's Mountain High School. Maybe going down to the
group of five level helps him out a little bit
more than with his time at Missouri where he just
really wasn't able to get on the field. So that's
gonna be the biggest question I think for ECU going
(09:14):
into this year.
Speaker 2 (09:15):
What does that linebacking court
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