Key play breakdown: Jarius Morehead's fumble recovery in the end zone

An inside look at what may have been the turning point in NC State's win against ECU

East Carolina came out flying, taking the opening kickoff and driving quickly downfield on a serious of short Holton Ahlers and Darius Pinnix runs. The Pirates had a first-and-goal situation from the Wolfpack 9 and appeared ready to take a quick early lead when the drive abruptly ended when an Ahlers fumble into the end zone was recovered for a touchback by State's Jarius Morehead.

It was a play Pirates coach Mike Houston said changed the entire character of the game.

"We were on the goal line going in and we've got to control the ball all he way through the end zone," he said. "They don't give any ribbons for getting close. That was a big play in he ballgame because it completely changed the outlook in the first half."

Here's how the play unfolded:

The play began as a textbook read option, with Ahlers putting the ball into the chest of running back Pinnix. Seeing all inside running lanes clogged by red jerseys, he pulls the ball back and takes off running off his right end, where he appears to have a one-on-one matchup with strong safety Morehead (31).

Even though cornerback Nick McCloud (4) has beaten his blocker and has turned his focus on Ahlers, the 6-foot-3, 235-pound quarterback appears to have a clear path to the end zone.

Ahlers cuts to the inside, forcing McCloud to overpursue and get taken out along with Morehead by a single blocker, ECU tackle Matt Morgan. That leaves free safety Tanner Ingle, hustling over from the opposite side of the play, as the last man to beat. Ingle not only takes Ahlers down short of he goal line, but in the process of making the tackle, his helmet knocks the ball out of Ahlers' hand.

At this point, it appears as though ECU players are he only ones that realize the ball is on the ground in the end zone. The only State player near the ball is Morehead, but his momentum forced him to run past it. But he catches a break when he runs into ECU's D'Ante Smith (67). Not only does it stop his forward momentum, but it also prevents Smith from recovering the fumble for a touchdown.

Then, while everyone else converges on the loose ball, Morehead (at the bottom of the frame partially obscured by the umpire) somehow manages to recover, get up, dive into the pileup and come away with the ball to keep the game scoreless. The Wolfpack offense then took advantage of the break by driving 80 yards in the opposite direction for the touchdown that paved the way to an impressive opening week win.