Spring Break
Former Pirates on display in NFL's opening week
Sean Labar
Issue date: 9/9/08 Section: Sports
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Former ECU greats David Garrard and Chris Johnson were both trying to establish themselves in the NFL, but doing it in different ways.
For former ECU quarterback David Garrard, the day was about establishing himself as the starter and leader of the explosive Jaguars offense. Garrard, who is ECU's all-time leading passer and leader of the Jaguars to the playoffs last season, is entering his first full season as the Jaguars' starting quarterback.
But the Tennessee defense proved to be too much to handle in a 17-10 win by the underdog Titans.
The aggressive Titians' defense contained the former Pirate standout, sacking him seven times and intercepting him twice.
"This is the sorest I have ever been," Garrard told the Associated Press. " I don't like being this sore."
Titans coach Jeff Fisher accredited the win mainly to his defense.
"If you get seven sacks in a ballgame, it speaks volumes of what you're doing up front," said Fisher. "With the turnovers, it was definitely a huge day…we had to have that kind of day definitely to win this ballgame."
There was another bright spot for the Titans, and it came as a familiar face for ECU football fans.
Former ECU running back Chris Johnson, who led the NCAA in all-purpose yards last season, made his rookie debut with the Titans, proving that he has the skill and the speed to compete at the professional level.
The opening offensive play for Tennessee was an 18 -yard dash by the speedy back that gave commentators, fans and opposing players a little taste of what Johnson has to offer. "We've got somebody who can break that big one and get us six [points]," Titans' defensive lineman Javon Kearse said of Johnson. "On the defense, it's incentive for us to get the ball back so we can watch this young boy use those fresh legs.
Johnson finished the day with 127 total yards before leaving the game a little early due to a light injury. He is expected to play next week.
For Pirate fans, this comes as no surprise, considering it was this lighting speed that contributed greatly to ECU's victory over Boise State in the Hawaii Bowl last December.
Tennessee fullback Ahmard Hall, who is the lead blocker for Johnson on most plays, is glad to have the former ECU star in the Titans' backfield this season.
"He slips loose, he's gone, no one is going to catch him," said Hall. "It's so exciting because we haven't had that here in a long time. Chris is the X factor. You put him in there, he can catch the ball, you have to respect him when he's out wide. …We've got a lot in store for Chris. It's only going to get bigger, and we're only going to give teams more to prepare for each week with the threat of what Chris can do."
Garrard and Johnson exchanged pleasantries after the game, uniting together as former ECU greats.
The veteran Garrard is trying to find his identity by establishing himself as the leader of the Jauguars' offense and the young rookie Chris Johnson is slowly, or maybe not so slowly, making his mark in the Titans' organization and NFL as a whole.
Johnson stole the show in week one, but both are expected to represent ECU football well this season.
This writer can be contacted at sports@theeascarolinian.com.
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