• From Sunday's college football column
East Carolina played the second half of the 2008 season without two of its best playmakers. Receiver Jamar Bryant was suspended after five games and running back Jonathan Williams after seven for violating team policies. (In Williams’ case, the suspension was related to charges of assault and resisting arrest.)
Pirates coach Skip Holtz said both Bryant and Williams are on track to return to the team for the upcoming season.
"At this point, if they keep doing what they're doing, I would expect them to be back," Holtz said.
Bryant, who had 19 catches in five games, practiced with the team during the spring. However, Williams, who led the team with 5.1 yards per carry, did not.
"They made a 30-second bad decision," Holtz said. "As I told them, our prisons are full of good people who made a 30-second bad decision."
With both Bryant and Williams, and the return of a healthy receiver Dwayne Harris, who missed four games with a shoulder injury, ECU's offense should be back in high gear.
The Pirates failed to score 20 points in four of their final five Conference-USA regular-season games. ECU's defense was so good, the Pirates found a way to win without the offensive production. With Bryant and Williams back, points shouldn't be a problem in 2009.
