Spring Break
Liberty Bowl Blog: Final thoughts
Addison Harvey
Issue date: 12/4/08 Section: Sports
Staff writer Addison Harvey was on the road with the Pirates as they faced Kentucky in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl on January 2nd.
1/5
Back in Pirate Nation:
As the final seconds ticked off the game clock at the Liberty Bowl, many memories from this amazing up and down season rushed through my head. Who could forget the back-to-back wins versus nationally ranked Virginia Tech and West Virginia to begin the season? Or the 3 straight loses versus N.C. State, Houston, and Virginia.
Then there was the C-USA East-clinching game at UAB and the C-USA Championship Game versus Tulsa. It was a great year with more ups than downs, but in typical ECU fashion it ended on a down note.
As I walked through the locker room and boarded the team bus, there were mixed emotions and reactions. Some were shocked, in disbelief, and others were devastated realizing they may have played the last football game of their career.
Every senior I saw was extremely emotional realizing they have put on the purple and gold jersey for the last time. This was a senior group that came to ECU when the program was going through its lowest point in school history and completely turned the program around during their stay.
Some seniors like Davon Drew, Pierre Bell, Stanley Bryant, J.J Millbrook and Zack Slate have possible NFL futures ahead of them. Then there are the others like Kurtis Von Bargen, Leon Best, Derrick Jones, Fred Hicks, Joseph Sloan, J.R. Kraemer, Brandon and Jason Simmons that likely played their last football game of their career this past Saturday.
One of the saddest moments of Saturday's game was seeing senior long snapper Wilson Raynor leave the game with a serious knee injury. Raynor, a C-USA All-Conference honorable mention selection, is one of the best long snappers in the nation.
In the past two years of working with the football team, I can't remember the last time the Pirates had a bad snap on a punt or kick. I was hoping to see Raynor snapping in the NFL one day and now with his knee injury that dream is at least for know put on hold.
1/5
Back in Pirate Nation:
As the final seconds ticked off the game clock at the Liberty Bowl, many memories from this amazing up and down season rushed through my head. Who could forget the back-to-back wins versus nationally ranked Virginia Tech and West Virginia to begin the season? Or the 3 straight loses versus N.C. State, Houston, and Virginia.
Then there was the C-USA East-clinching game at UAB and the C-USA Championship Game versus Tulsa. It was a great year with more ups than downs, but in typical ECU fashion it ended on a down note.
As I walked through the locker room and boarded the team bus, there were mixed emotions and reactions. Some were shocked, in disbelief, and others were devastated realizing they may have played the last football game of their career.
Every senior I saw was extremely emotional realizing they have put on the purple and gold jersey for the last time. This was a senior group that came to ECU when the program was going through its lowest point in school history and completely turned the program around during their stay.
Some seniors like Davon Drew, Pierre Bell, Stanley Bryant, J.J Millbrook and Zack Slate have possible NFL futures ahead of them. Then there are the others like Kurtis Von Bargen, Leon Best, Derrick Jones, Fred Hicks, Joseph Sloan, J.R. Kraemer, Brandon and Jason Simmons that likely played their last football game of their career this past Saturday.
One of the saddest moments of Saturday's game was seeing senior long snapper Wilson Raynor leave the game with a serious knee injury. Raynor, a C-USA All-Conference honorable mention selection, is one of the best long snappers in the nation.
In the past two years of working with the football team, I can't remember the last time the Pirates had a bad snap on a punt or kick. I was hoping to see Raynor snapping in the NFL one day and now with his knee injury that dream is at least for know put on hold.
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