Junior quarterback James Summers has taken the Pirate Nation by storm in recent weeks. Working alongside Blake Kemp in East Carolina’s newly instated dual-quarterback system, his mobility and accuracy have provided nice counterparts to the traditional air-raid scheme.

Kemp and Summers both know their roles — the former a lefty game manager and the latter a dynamic playmaking threat on the ground. The new game plan has increased the offense’s production and resulted in two wins through the last two weeks. And heading into Saturday’s road matchup with Brigham Young, head coach Ruffin McNeill is sticking to that philosophy. After all, why fix it if it ain’t broke?

“We plan on keeping it a two-quarterback system,” McNeill said in his weekly press conference on Monday. “We judge who starts on what gives us the best advantage. One thing you saw with us last week, with (running back) Shawn Furlow and (tackle) Justin Brown, it’s about what gives us the best advantage. It’s about having your adjustments and answers ready … James is getting more comfortable with the package and the system. He’s really a neat kid on the sideline. I’m proud of his progress, but we’ll use both. I think it gives us the best opportunity as a team.”

As the Pirates look for continued success with their two quarterbacks, 30 minutes down U.S. Highway 264, the Washington football team is trying its luck at a similar system. Juniors Sharwan Staton and Tripp Barfield have spent near equal minutes under center for the Pam Pack — Staton started the first two games (both losses) before Barfield won the job on Sept. 4, navigating the team to a 2-1 record in September. But last week against Plymouth, both field generals saw substantial playing time, as Barfield played for most of the first half and Staton took over in the second quarter. In terms of minutes, it’s oddly similar to how McNeill has used Kemp and Summers.

“Right now we’re going to play a two-quarterback system and see which one works,” said head coach Sport Sawyer. “If Tripp’s quarterbacking is working, we’re going to continue using him, if we have to change things up we’ll throw Sharwan in there. It just depends on what’s working. Each (opposing) team prepares for different things and sometimes if they stop one thing, we’ll try to go to something else.”

After facing an early deficit, Washington powered its way to a 25-17 over Plymouth on Thursday. With Barfield under center, a sizeable Vikings front seven targeted the running backs. In the first quarter, linebackers pressed the line of scrimmage and muffled nearly everything running backs Jarquez Keyes and Clinton Pope through at them. The weather conditions were not favorable for throwing the ball, so with Barfield in the backfield, Plymouth knew, for the most part, what was coming out of the pistol wing-T formation.

What they weren’t prepared for was a mobile quarterback. Staton was inserted late in the second quarter and provided an instant spark, whether he was running the ball or handing it off. He rushed the ball 10 times for 82 yards, but when he was under center, the other running backs flourished. After recording just 20 yards in the first half, Keyes opened up for 49 yards on four carries and a touchdown in the final 24 minutes. In the first half, once Staton entered the game, Pope broke free for a 38-yard run up the sideline, finishing the game with 88 yards and a touchdown.

So far, Washington’s offense has been, Sawyer admits, deliberately “ultra-conservative” and “boring.” By running the ball, especially with the lead, the team drains clock and puts the game in the hands of a strong defense.

“(Defensive coordinator Jon) Blank and the defensive staff do such a great job that if you’re ahead in a ballgame, you don’t want to do anything to give a team an advantage … Whatever gives us the best opportunity to win is what we’re going with. It ain’t flashy, but it’s what we’re doing.”

Sawyer is focused on adjusting to his player’s individual strengths. For Barfield, that’s intelligence and game management. He’s only thrown the ball 16 times this season, completing seven passes for 61 yards, but he’s limited turnovers and worked well with a deep stable of running backs, each with a different skill set.

Staton, like ECU’s Summers, is capable of breaking free down field at any given moment. Against Plymouth, one of those moments came in the form of a 44-yard touchdown run with 52 seconds remaining in the first half, a score that gave the Pam Pack its first lead of the game. Staton, however, has fumbled the ball on occasion and doesn’t possess Barfield’s accuracy. Overall, Sawyer has two quarterbacks with two perfectly complementary skillsets, an aspect of the offense he believes gives the team a distinct advantage moving forward.

“With Tripp back there, he can run the offense and throw when given opportunities,” Sawyer said. “If we’re not throwing or don’t feel comfortable or the conditions aren’t good to throw, if we’re just going to run the ball, Sharwan gives us another threat. That was the thinking after the Kinston game (a 20-14 loss on Sept. 28). If we put him at quarterback, we can have him run some counters and some darts. It worked to our advantage Thursday night against Plymouth.”

Finishing nonconference play with a 3-3 record, Washington’s quest for a third-straight Eastern Plains Conference title begins on Friday when the Pam Pack faces Farmville Central at Choppy Wagner Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.