East Carolina football’s transition from the 2025 season into 2026 looks dramatic on paper.
A nine-win team lost its starting quarterback, top running back, multiple receivers, its defensive leader in the secondary, and both coordinators — all in one offseason. For programs still finding their footing, that kind of turnover often signals a step backward.
For ECU, it may be a sign of something very different.
From survival to sustainability
The Pirates’ trajectory since late 2024 matters when evaluating everything that followed.
After Mike Houston was dismissed midseason, Blake Harrell steadied the program immediately, closing 2024 on a 5-1 run that included a satisfying Military Bowl win over NC State. In 2025, ECU didn’t regress — it moved forward, finishing 9-4, going 6-2 in the American Conference and winning another bowl game, this time over Pitt.
That context matters, because 2026 is not a rebuilding year born from failure. It’s a transition year born from success.
And success changes how roster movement should be interpreted.
Why the outgoing portal losses aren’t a red flag
ECU lost 25 players to the transfer portal, including:
- QB Katin Houser (Illinois)
- RB London Montgomery (Florida)
- S Ja’Marley Riddle (Georgia)
- Multiple receivers, tight ends, linemen and defensive backs
At first glance, that looks alarming. But look closer at where those players went: Florida. Georgia. Florida State. South Carolina. Illinois. Vanderbilt. NC State. SMU.
Those aren’t lateral moves. They’re upward ones to Power 4 conference teams.
Good programs may lose players sideways. Growing programs lose players upward.
ECU didn’t lose a bulk of transfers because the program stalled — it lost players because it developed them into Power Four-caliber pieces. That’s not an accident, and it’s not a warning sign. It’s evidence that Harrell and staff have built credibility quickly in Greenville.
The challenge now is replacement strategy.
A portal class built for stability, not flash
East Carolina’s 22-player incoming portal class tells a clear story: replace roles, not stars.
Rather than chasing one-for-one replacements for Houser or Montgomery, ECU targeted experience, competition and system familiarity.
The secondary: reset the room
Six defensive backs arrived via the portal, including players from Louisville, Minnesota, UCF, Memphis and Appalachian State. That’s not just depth-building — that’s a full back-end reset after losing Riddle and multiple contributors.
The goal isn’t to find the next star immediately. It’s to replace pieces with competency and experience.
Linebacker continuity
The additions of Cade and Crews Law from Memphis are especially telling. Two linebackers from the same program, arriving alongside a defensive coordinator hired directly from that staff (Jordon Hankins), is about more than talent — it’s about on-field leadership and system carryover.
Quarterback: two paths, not one gamble
With Houser gone (3,300 passing yards, 19 TDs) as well as his two primary backups (Chaston Ditta and Raheim Jeter), ECU avoided the biggest offseason mistake programs make: betting everything on a single answer.
Instead, the Pirates added:
- Emory Williams (Miami), an upside option with Power Four pedigree
- Mitch Griffis (Texas Tech), a battle-tested veteran profile who also played and started at Wake Forest
Spring practice will decide the starter, but the approach matters. ECU chose options over desperation. (The Pirates also added three-star QB Trey Burke from Spartanburg, SC, to its high school class. He is already enrolled and on campus).
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Subscribe to our new YouTube channel!https://t.co/C1HLTmZuCI pic.twitter.com/dI2aIRDeMX — The Holton Ahlers Show (@HoltAhlersShow) January 14, 2026
Skill positions by volume
Four receivers, two running backs and two tight ends arrived via the portal. None are billed as saviors — and that’s intentional.
The staff is betting that system, balance and quarterback distribution can keep the offense humming at 2025 production levels.
The high school class explains the long view
While the portal class stabilizes 2026, ECU’s high school and JUCO class shows what the staff is building underneath.
The emphasis is clear:
- Offensive line depth
- Defensive front seven
- Southeast and North Carolina recruiting footprint
Multiple linemen enrolled early. Several defensive prospects bring elite high school production in tackles for loss and sacks. This isn’t a flash class — it’s a foundation one.
ECU didn’t try to replace its 2025 stars with freshmen. It replaced them with adults — and is building the pipeline behind them, much like a lot of schools do now in this transfer portal era.
Coaching turnover, but not philosophical chaos
Losing both coordinators would derail some programs. ECU responded by staying within its ecosystem.
- Offensive coordinator Jordan Davis arrives from North Texas after an 11-2 season and prolific offensive numbers
- Defensive coordinator Jordon Hankins comes from Memphis with a track record of disciplined, takeaway-driven defenses
These aren’t experimental hires. They’re AAC-tested ones.
That matters for continuity, especially with a portal-heavy roster.
So how should ECU fans feel right now?
Realistic. Confident. Aware of the stakes. Hopeful that the Pirates can keep their spot among the upper echelon in the American Conference
This roster is not as proven at the top as the 2025 version — but it is deeper, features experience and is supported by a clear plan.
There will be spring and early-season questions:
- Who wins the QB job?
- How quickly does the rebuilt secondary gel?
- How does a new offensive line that lost all five 2025 starters to graduation or the portal come together?
- Can the offense maintain its efficiency under a new coordinator?
But the floor remains intact.
If Blake Harrell guides this roster to another eight- or nine-win season, it won’t just validate the roster strategy — it will cement his status as one of the American Conference’s rising head coaches.
ECU isn’t starting over. It’s testing whether what it’s built can last.
Five New Faces to Know for 2026
Players who will be wearing Pirate purple and gold this fall who intrigue us:
Michael Allen – RB (Marshall)
Allen brings experience and reliability to the backfield – and familiarity with ECU football. After stops at NC State, UNLV and Marshall, he’s a proven Power-Four caliber runner who gives ECU an immediate option in both the run game and pass protection. He’s also a hometown guy, playing his high school football at J.H. Rose and growing up attending ECU games.
Back in the 252 🏴☠️ @MichaelAllen8_ pic.twitter.com/3RMXOh47ga — ECU Football (@ECUPiratesFB) January 8, 2026
Zyeir Gamble – DB (Appalachian State)
A productive, battle-tested safety from App State (76 tackles in 2025), Gamble fits exactly what ECU needed on the back end. His tackling numbers and experience in big games should translate quickly in a revamped secondary. He also has a knack for takeaways, picking off two passes and forcing two fumbles in ‘25.
Landon Sides – WR (North Texas)
Sides arrives with legitimate production and familiarity with the new offensive staff. If ECU is looking for a steady, chain-moving presence at receiver, he’s one of the safest bets in the class. In three seasons at North Texas, Sides has 1,092 receiving yards and six TDs to his credit.
Mitch Griffis – QB (Texas Tech)
Griffis may not arrive as the unquestioned starter, but his experience and command of multiple systems raise the floor of the quarterback room. In a season with an early trip to Alabama, that kind of stability matters.
Ethan Kramer – OL (Northern Arizona)
Kramer gives ECU a physical, experienced lineman who has played a lot of football. With the Pirates leaning on portal additions up front, players like Kramer will quietly determine how high the ceiling can be. He was all-conference at the FCS level in 2025 and has experience at multiple positions.
What’s Next: Transfers, Schedule and the Road Ahead
As East Carolina continues shaping its 2026 roster, two resources will be especially useful for tracking how everything fits together over the coming months.
For a broader picture of player movement across the state, readers can follow our North Carolina FBS Transfer Portal Tracker, which is updated as players enter the portal and announce new destinations. That page provides important context for ECU’s outgoing and incoming transfers — and shows just how frequently Pirates are now landing on Power Four radars.
On the field, ECU’s 2026 football schedule is still coming together, but the framework is already in place. Non-conference opponents and American Conference pairings are set, even as kickoff times and exact dates continue to be finalized. The most up-to-date version of the schedule will live here as details are announced:
Known 2026 Non-Conference Games
- Week 1 (Sept. 5): at Alabama
- Week 2 (Sept. 12): vs. Appalachian State
- Week 3 (Sept. 19): at Old Dominion
- Week 4 (Sept. 26): vs. North Carolina Central
The season opens with a national spotlight test in Tuscaloosa before ECU settles into a stretch that includes a high-interest in-state matchup with Appalachian State and two familiar regional opponents.
American Conference Pairings (Dates TBA)
- HOME: Florida Atlantic, Rice, South Florida, Temple
- AWAY: UAB, Army, Charlotte, Memphis.
On paper, it’s a manageable league slate — notably avoiding Tulane, Navy and UTSA — and one that gives ECU a realistic path to remain in the American Conference title conversation if the roster comes together as expected.
