East Carolina sort of fell into disarray in 2016. The Pirates beat FCS Western Carolina and ACC bottom-feeder NC State, then nearly beat South Carolina in Columbia. The ship sunk in Blacksburg when Virginia Tech crushed ECU 54-17. The Pirates fell apart from there, finishing 1-7 in the American Athletic Conference (beating only UConn).
Who did they lose?
The only real weapon that the Pirates had they lost. Zay Jones accounted for over 30% of the East Carolina offense before graduating and being drafted in the second round by the Buffalo Bills.