Two key East Carolina Pirates likely staying put

The departure of East Carolina coach Skip Holtz for South Florida brings up the usual questions—will the current recruiting class hold together or shatter, as Tennessee’s appears in danger of doing?

It’s not the same situation. ECU, in underwhelming Conference USA, has to recruit against the ACC and SEC, so it makes its living finding undervalued players that aren’t heavily recruited in the first place. Many of the players landed by the Pirates didn’t have a lot of other options.

Two of their better catches, South Stanly High safety Detric Allen and former South Stanly athlete Desmond Brown, are unlikely to go elsewhere, according to their prep coach. Both had other offers—both, for instance, were offered by Arkansas and Louisville.

“I had Detric in class this morning, and he said he’s sticking with East Carolina,” said South Stanly coach Luke Little moments ago. “I think Desi will stay with them as well. They took their official visit together to ECU a few weeks ago and it went really well.”

Brown finished his prep career in Missouri—his father was transferred just before his senior season at South Stanly began.

“One thing I tell the kids is to pick the school, not the coach," Little said. "It’s likely to be where you’ll be the next five years of your life, and coaches are always moving on. Pick a place where you’ll be happy and stick with it.”

Allen apparently has, and Little believes Brown will as well.

--Stan Olson

Got recruiting info? Pop it to me at solson@charlotteobserver.com.