How Did Blake Harrell Earn the ECU Job?

The last time East Carolina head coach Blake Harrell walked off a field for a game, he walked off having beaten in-state rival North Carolina State. The victory celebration became contentious after several players on the Wolfpack lost their cool and sparked a brawl in the waning second of the game with ECU's players.

Harrell walked away a winner with bragging rights over a power conference school in the same state. The feat was made even more impressive by the fact that Harrell took over the team a little over halfway into the season.

The coach earned the full coaching position before the Military Bowl, but the victory over State only sweetened the deal for ECU.

Dec 28, 2024; Annapolis, MD, USA; East Carolina Pirates head coach Blake Harrell celebrates with players after defeating North Carolina State Wolfpack to win the Go Bowling Military Bowl at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images | Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

How did Harrell become the coach?

ECU's former head coach, Mike Houston, started the season with a 3-4 record last year. The program began to decline after the 8-5 campaign in 2022. Houston won just two games in 2023 and finished dead last in the American Conference.

The program saw enough from Houston to fire him after the Pirates were dominated by Army 45-28 in the seventh game of the season. The ECU brass picked Harrell to serve as the interim coach while it searched for Houston's successor.

Harrell made an immediate impact on the locker room and on the field. ECU won four consecutive conference games to finish the season and improved massively with the decision to hand quarterback Katin Houser the keys to the offense.

Oct 19, 2024; West Point, New York, USA; East Carolina Pirates quarterback Katin Houser (4) reacts during the first half against the Army Black Knights at Michie Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Lucas Boland-Imagn Images | Lucas Boland-Imagn Images

With push from the players and the success of the team, the ECU athletic department realized Harrell was the best option to lead the program moving forward and hired him permanently to the position before the Military Bowl. He finished with a 5-1 record in 2024.

Houser went to bat for Harrell on social media, positing a viral tweet saying "#wewantharrell" in an effort to keep the coach on board for the long haul.

#Wewantharrell
— Katin Houser (@katinhouser) November 24, 2024

Harrell and Houser responded to the good news by going out and beating NC State in the bowl game. The expectations are higher for Harrell in his first full year as ECU's head coach. With a returning quarterback and a full offseason to assemble his own team, Harrell and the Pirates should be among the American Conference's more competitive teams in 2025.

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