Rush Offense Should Be A Priority At East Carolina This Spring

Tim Heitman-USA TODAY SportsThe loss of Chris Hairston at running back should not hurt all that much with a young and talented group in the East Carolina backfield. How they are used will determine how good the Pirates are under Montgomery.

The offenses of East Carolina and Duke were not terribly different last fall. While the East Carolina Pirates fell to 5-7 and missed on a bowl berth, the Duke Blue Devils were able to run the ball on a regular basis and ended the season in a bowl game.

At first glance, the ability to run the ball effectively in an "Air Raid" offense seems low on the priority list. When throwing the ball over 55% of the time, all you need is a run game that can keep the…