By By STEVE FRANKLIN, Sports Writer
GREENVILLE — East Carolina has been plagued by numerous injuries all season long.
And now, the list continues to grow.
On Monday, Pirates coach Skip Holtz announced that six more members from the Pirates two-deep depth chart will be out of action this weekend when East Carolina travels to Birmingham, Ala. to take on UAB.
The Pirates suffered key losses to two positions where they were already short-handed, wide receiver and linebacker.
At wide receiver, Dwayne Harris, who leads the Pirates with 58 receptions (fourth most receptions by a Pirate in a single season) for 654 yards and a touchdown, suffered a broken foot against Southern Miss on Saturday and will be out for the remainder of the regular season. Also, wide receiver T.J. Terrell will likely undergo season-ending knee surgery later this week.
The Pirates are already without suspended wide receiver Jamar Bryant, who is out for undisclosed disciplinary reasons.
That leaves the Pirates with just two of their top-five receivers for next week’s game, meaning youngster Joe Womack and Alabama transfer Reyn Willis will be thrust into more action than normal against the Blazers.
At linebacker, Holtz announced that two of his top-three outside linebackers would miss this week’s game as well. Jeremy Chambliss (undisclosed injury) and Cliff Perryman (shoulder) will not make the trip to UAB. ECU is already without star linebacker Quentin Cotton, who was lost with a knee injury back on Sept. 13.
All told, the Pirates will be without at least 13 guys for Saturday’s contest at UAB, all of whom began the season on ECU’s two-deep depth chart,
There are currently 20 players listed on this week’s injury report.
The Injury Report
OUT — WR Dwayne Harris (foot), WR T.J. Lee (foot), WR T.J. Terrell (knee), RB Dominique Lindsay (knee), OL Stanley Bryant (knee), DE Marcus Hands (back), DT Khalif Mitchell (back), DT Brandon Setzer (knee), LB Melvin Patterson (leg), LB Quentin Cotton (knee), CB Jerek Hewett (shoulder), LB Jeremy Chambliss (ankle) and LB Cliff Perryman (shoulder). DOUTBFUL — CB Darryl Reynolds (ankle) QUESTIONABLE — WR D.J. McFadden (leg), DE Josh Smith (neck) and SS J.J. Milbrook (ankle). PROBABLE — WR Reyn Willis (hip), DE Zack Slate (concussion) and DT Jay Ross (hip).