“Our outside [line] backers have grown a lot,” ECU head coach Scottie Montgomery said. “It’s coach (Kenwick) Thompson’s position that he coaches, so it’s probably the most ridiculed position that we have on our defense.”
Last year’s starting linebackers Zeek Bigger and Montese Overton graduated in the spring, leaving a hole in East Carolina's front seven.
Montgomery and his staff are looking at players like Yiannis Bowden and Dayon Pratt to step up in Bigger and Overton’s absence. Although Montgomery indicated at ECU’s media day that players like Bigger and Overton would be hard to replace.
“[Bigger and Overton] are Pirates, and those are guys who helped us get to where we are right now,” said Montgomery.