If there’s any consolation for East Carolina fans, it’s that their football team has been here before, 13 years ago, and needed only five years to get back to where the Pirates expect to be. That won’t make it any easier to endure the rest of this season, but at least it’s an indication that there may be a way out.
In any case, there’s no question the feelings are familiar in Greenville after an 0-2 start that includes a lopsided home loss to FCS James Madison and a no-contest road loss at West Virginia, with players pointing fingers at each other and the defensive coordinator summarily fired Monday in a spasm of desperation.