Pirates eager to match Knights

First-year East Carolina coach pushing his team to improve.

The Pirates (1-5, 1-2 American Athletic Conference) are eager to enjoy the same success as their opponent this week, No. 22 UCF (4-0, 2-0).

The Knights are thriving entering coach second season.

Montgomery, however, suggested East Carolina will need to take a different path to the top of the AAC. The programs’ resources and natural recruiting territory vary considerably.

“I think that their situation is a little different than ours for a lot of reasons. I think that coach Frost has done a great job. If you do look at their roster, their two deep. He has recruited some good players to be complements to the older players that were already in place with a lot of speed and he has grown it,” Montgomery said.

“They’re in a place where they aren't going very far to recruit their talent and they are doing a good job. Now what I will tell you is that I do think that this program [ECU] can look at that program [UCF] and see that each one of these kids that are developing, getting better and stronger.

“... They are getting bigger, fast and stronger so we can mimic them in that way and continue to grow, but our situations are a lot different. We recruit the eastern part of the state and we recruit this state, and I think we can do it with this state. We don't need to always go and try to mimic what other people are doing.”

No. 22 UCF vs. East Carolina, Saturday, 7 p.m., CBS Sports Network

Next game: Scottie Montgomery

is

Scott Frost’s