GREENVILLE — Over the past few seasons, the secondary has been a unit of concern for the East Carolina football team. Entering the 2015 season, things may not be getting any easier for the cornerbacks and safeties on the Pirates’ roster.

The Pirates are returning two of the four starters from last season in Josh Hawkins at the field corner and Domonique Lennon at free safety. Detric Allen and Lamar Ivey each graduated following last season, where the two started at boundary corner and strong safety, respectively.

The group struggled and finished 98th in the country — out of 125 FBS teams in 2014 — in pass defense, while allowing 255.5 yards in the air per game. In four separate games, the Pirate defense was opened up for 300-plus passing yards, including a 436-yard, four-touchdown performance against Gunner Kiel and the Cincinnati Bearcats.

The 54-46 shootout against the Bearcats was the lone loss in the 300-plus-yard games. However, with an unproven quarterback and a potentially less potent offensive attack, the secondary — and defense overall — will be even more vital in earning wins compared to last season.

Two new starters slide in at strong safety, where Terrell Richardson will likely start the season, and at boundary corner, where a position battle is still taking shape between Rocco Scarfone, DaShaun Amos and Bobby Fulp.

To make matters a little more difficult for the Pirate secondary, there is a tough slate of quarterbacks on the schedule. The biggest threats come in the form of UCF’s Justin Holman, BYU’s Taysom Hill and Kiel from Cincinnati.

Holman threw for 2,952 yards in 2014 with 23 touchdowns. Hill suffered a season-ending injury in his fifth start last season and was off to a scorching start before his year was cut short. Kiel tore the Pirates’ secondary apart last November — though they were not alone. The now-redshirt junior threw for 3,254 yards and 31 touchdowns to just 13 interceptions.

Navy’s Keenan Reynolds is another quarterback threat to the Pirates’ defense, though less with his arm and more with his legs. Reynolds enters the season as a Heisman hopeful after bursting onto the scene last year. The senior completed 52 passes on 111 attempts with six touchdowns, but in the Midshipmen’s triple option attack, Reynolds led the team with 1,191 yards and 23 touchdowns. Reynolds may not torch the secondary as much as the other quarterbacks, but he is a major threat, nonetheless.

The 2015 season could be a swing year for defensive coordinator and secondary coach Rick Smith, entering his third year in his second stint at ECU. Smith and his defense overall had a solid season, finishing 11th in rush defense and 37th in total defense, but the secondary has still failed to take the next step.

One encouraging factor for the Pirate secondary comes in depth. Smith has spoken highly of the second stringers at each position in the defensive backfield.

Corey Seargent, Travis Phillips, DaShawn Benton and Travon Simmons will all likely see playing time this year in the secondary. Seargent, Phillips, Simmons and Fulp are all underclassmen who will be looking to work their way up the depth chart. With three seniors slated to start opening night in the backfield, the depth and youth behind the starters can only help the Pirates in the long run.

For now, though, there is a lot to prove in the unit that has struggled with consistency over the past couple seasons.