GREENVILLE, N.C. (AP) – East Carolina has officially named Blake Harrell as its permanent football coach after he guided the team to four consecutive wins.
The university made the announcement on Wednesday, about five weeks after Harrell stepped in as interim coach following Mike Houston’s firing. Harrell had been with the program since January 2020, initially as the defensive coordinator and inside linebackers coach.
Under Harrell’s leadership, ECU (7-4, 5-2 American Athletic Conference) won games against Temple, Florida Atlantic, Tulsa, and North Texas, securing bowl eligibility for the third time in four years.
During this four-game streak, ECU averaged 45.8 points and 535 yards of offense. Over the previous four seasons, the team allowed an average of 27.3 points per game, marking the program’s best defensive stretch in nearly a decade.
Athletic director Jon Gilbert praised Harrell for presenting a “detailed vision” for the program as it navigates the evolving landscape of revenue sharing and name, image, and likeness (NIL) opportunities for players.
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