East Carolina starting quarterback Kurt Benkert was generating some buzz around camp with his play, earning the starting nod just last week. Taking over the job held by Shane Carden for the past three seasons, Benkert was expected to put up big numbers in the Pirates' potent offensive attack.
The momentum of the last few weeks came to a halt Wednesday with the announcement that Benkert will miss the entire 2015 season because of a right knee injury.
"Everyone in college football is affected by injuries and we are no different," Ruffin McNeill said in a school-issued release. "I am disappointed for Kurt because he has worked so hard for this opportunity. We've got a lot of talent on this team and we'll be asking everyone to step up."
Benkert apparently felt "discomfort" in his right knee after Tuesday's practice, and tests on Wednesday revealed the severity of the injury.
Blake Kemp, a former junior college prospect who redshirted last season, will battle Cody Keith, back in action after a foot injury kept him sidelined for two weeks, for the starting job.
Though former offensive coordinator Lincoln Riley is now at Oklahoma, a major change in the Pirates' offensive attack is not expected with McNeill's decision to promote Dave Nichol, the team's outside receivers coach for the past three seasons. For Nichol, now coaching the quarterbacks in addition to his duties as OC, the clock is ticking to identify the guy to distribute the ball to Isaiah Jones, Davon Grayson and the rest of the receivers returning from a productive first year in the American Athletic Conference.
