No, this isn’t the DVR; the Florida Gators will face off against the East Carolina Pirates for the second time in 2015 when Florida plays host to their Birmingham Bowl opponent in the second game of the season.

Jim McElwain was on hand that cold, rainy day in Birmingham. McElwain sat in a box with athletic director Jeremy Foley and watched the Gators. He had been viewing their bowl practices, learning the roster and what he had to work with in 2015. It was also a chance for McElwain to scout a future opponent.

Opponent: East Carolina Pirates

When and Where:

The Florida Gators and ECU will play in Gainesville on Saturday, September 12.

All-Time matchup:

Florida leads 2-0

Most recent matchup:

The Gators beat ECU 28-20 in the Birmingham Bowl.

Key Returners:

LB Zeek Bigger (140 tackles, 4, tackles for loss, 2 INT, 4 pass breakups, 5 QB hurries)

Bigger led the team in tackles and is truly the Pirates’ quarterback of the defense. ECU returns all four of their starting linebackers, who average 231 pounds, and Bigger is the best of the bunch.

WR Isaiah Jones (81 catches, 830 yards, 5 TD)

There is no way to replace Justin Hardy but Jones will be asked to do as much as he can to fill the void. Jones was second on the team with 81 receptions but with two 1,000-yard receivers on the roster the question must be asked how he will fare when teams aren’t distracted by Hardy or Cam Worthy.

RB Chris Hairston (79 carries, 528 yards, 2 TD)

Hairston was second on the team with his 79 carries last season and assumed the starting role with the departure of senior Breon Allen. The Pirates don’t run the ball too much in their spread offense, Hairston averaged just over six carries per game last year. That number should rise to 10-14 this season. How will he handle the extra workload?

Key losses:

WR Justin Hardy (121 catches, 1,494 yards, 10 TD), QB Shane Carden (392-617, 4,736 yards, 30 TD, 10 INT), RB Breon Allen (134 att, 869 yards, 8 TD), LB Brandon Williams (124 tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss, 5 sacks, 1 INT, 5 pass breakups, 4 QB hurries, 1 forced fumble)

Matchup Preview:

ECU has won 18 games the past two seasons, which is very good for the program, but they are replacing offensive coordinator Lincoln Riley, who left for the Oklahoma Sooners. The Pirates are also replacing Justin Hardy at receiver and quarterback Shane Carden, two veterans who led the team in 2014.

ECU does however have a very good defense coming back led by linebacker Zeek Bigger, who led the team in tackles in 2014. Bigger along with Fred Presley and Johnathon White give the Pirates a formidable front seven.

The Pirates only allowed 111.77 yards per game (11th best in the country) in 2014 but did allow Florida to rush for 168 yards in the bowl game. However, it took Florida 43 attempts to reach that total and their 3.91 yards-per-carry were the lowest total they had against a non-conference opponent other than Florida State.

After an opening game against New Mexico State, the Gators should be able to keep their winning ways going against an East Carolina team that should be overmatched by Florida.