By By KEVIN TRAVIS
Sports Editor
GREENVILLE — C.J. Wilson made sure his Senior Day was going to be a special one.
Wilson, who received arguably the loudest ovation when the seniors were honored prior to East Carolina’s kickoff against Southern Miss, has a knack for blocking kicks. At sun-splashed Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium on Saturday, Wilson came up with the biggest play of his college career. His block of a PAT, and subsequent return for 2 points helped lift the Pirates to a 25-20 victory.
“I’ll never forget it,” Wilson said. “Coming on Senior Night, I’ll never forget it. I’m glad I could help out my team.”
Just after Damion Fletcher tossed a 3-yard scoring pass to Leroy Banks to tie the game at 20-20, Southern Miss kicker Daniel Hrapmann attempted to put the Golden Eagles ahead with his PAT.
The kick was low, bouncing off the chest of a leaping Wilson, the fourth block of his career. As players scrambled for the ball, Wilson shoved Hrapmann aside, scooped up the ball and raced 75 yards for 2 points and a 22-20 ECU lead.
“We work on that in practice every day,” Wilson said. “It was just great timing, and thank God for that. I saw the ball rolling and I thought I had a chance to get it.
“I pushed (Hrapmann) out of the way and took off running. I thought somebody might catch me, but I saw so much purple so I knew I had it. Once you get a play like that, you hear the crowd. Getting in that end zone meant a lot because the game was on the line.”
The block and return, coming with 7:35 to play in the fourth quarter, helped the Pirates (8-4, 7-1) knock off the Golden Eagles (7-5, 5-3) and win the Conference USA East division.
“That unit (kicking team) has continued to let the football team down throughout the entire year,” Southern Miss coach Larry Fedora said.
ECU will play host to Houston at noon Saturday for the C-USA championship.
ECU head coach Skip Holtz said he was proud of Wilson, who was tabbed the C-USA Preseason Defensive Player of the Year.
“C.J. is a very talented player,” Holtz said. “As a senior to step up in a game like that (is big). It was great to see him step up.
“C.J. is a special young man. He’s just a class act. I just have a world of respect for him.”
The affable 6-4, 290-pound Wilson, who wears No. 95, finished the game with three tackles and the all-important block and return. Wilson, who made his 42nd consecutive start, also had four quarterback hurries.
Coming up big on Senior Day was special for Wilson, who shared in the celebration with his parents, Amos and Doris Wilson, and his appreciative fans.
“We have a great fan base,” Wilson said. “We do have the best fan base in this conference, and they are very loyal.
“I was happy for my mom and dad to be there. They got to experience how I feel.”
While Wilson is used to tackling players with the ball, he admitted that it felt good to run with the ball once again. Wilson was a standout fullback for the Northside Panthers in high school. He said he never had a run longer than the one he had against Southern Miss.
Wilson recalls the longest run of his career going for 66 yards against Roanoke High School, coming in his junior year of high school.
“I felt just like I did in high school,” Wilson said with his customary big grin. “I tucked the ball away under my right arm. It felt great.”