GREENVILLE — East Carolina Head Football Coach Ruffin McNeill wrapped up the first week of spring workouts, which he termed a “focused” start, by guiding the Pirates through a near three-hour practice late Saturday morning on Hight Field inside the Cliff Moore Practice Complex.

Saturday’s session was ECU’s fourth of the spring and second conducted in pads.

Similar to Friday’s first full-pad practice, the Pirates maintained an emphasis on the execution of fundamentals by working through different positional and unit drills before a lively 30-minute full-speed team-on-team segment that primarily keyed on third down efficiency concluded the workout. ECU will have 10 more days remaining that will feature contact work, including two intra-squad scrimmages and the Purple-Gold Game scheduled for April 16.”I’ve enjoyed watching them enjoy the competition,” McNeill said. “I’m pleased with the focus and effort, and in turn, I’ve seen us get better each day. It’s been a good first week with the progress we’ve made in the process of executing fundamentals and I’m looking forward to continuing that Monday and through remainder of the spring.

“The Pirate defense had the upper hand during Saturday’s scrimmage-like 11-on-11 period, providing plenty of pressure with a pass rush that produced four sacks, two interior batted passes and an interception by sophomore free safety Damon Magazu – his second in as many days. Newly-converted sophomore running back Torrance Hunt contributed one of the few offensive highlights with a 21-yard touchdown run, the unit’s only score of the session.

East Carolina will open the second week of work Monday, beginning at 3:25 p.m.

NOTES: One of the areas hard-hit by personnel losses is ECU’s offensive line, where only sophomore tackle Grant Harner and junior center Dalton Faulds return as starters off a unit which helped the Pirates establish 11 unit single-season school records in 2010, including new total yardage (5,689/437.6 ypg) and scoring (478/36.8 ppg) standards … With Faulds sitting out the spring period because of a right shoulder injury, McNeill’s early top line after the first week consisted of sophomore Jordan Davis (LT), senior Doug Polochak (LG), redshirt freshman Mack Helms (C), sophomore Will Simmons (RG) and Harner (RT) … Senior SS Bradley Jacobs has been held out of contact work this week because of continued rehabilitation efforts following a late season left knee injury, but is expected to experience action later this spring.