Kurt Benkert Injury Another Major Loss for East Carolina Offense in 2015

The East Carolina Pirates enjoyed a great deal of success during their first season in the AAC in 2014. They beat two Power Five opponents, ranked as the No. 3 passing offense in the nation, and finished the year with a strong 8-5 record. Replicating that success in 2015 was already going to be a challenge, but it’s going to even more difficult following the news that new starting quarterback Kurt Benkert would be lost for the season with a leg injury.

Benkert was facing the tall task of replacing 2014 starter Shane Carden after he put a cherry on his prolific run at ECU with 4,736 yards passing and 30 touchdowns during his senior season. As a freshman, Benkert saw limited action in just three games for the Pirates, completing 8-of-10 passes for 58 yards with an interception. That experience, although limited, helped Benkert win a three-man QB race this offseason against junior college transfer Blake Kemp and junior Cody Keith, who had missed two weeks of drills with a foot injury.

The loss of their new quarterback continues an offseason of turnover on the offensive side of the ball that will likely hurt ECU in the early going this season. In addition to losing their QB Carden, the Pirates saw their top two receivers, Justin Hardy (who set an NCAA record for receptions in a career) and Cam Worthy, graduate along with their No. 1 running back, Breon Allen. On top of all that, their offensive coordinator behind their high-powered attack, Lincoln Riley, left to take the offensive coordinator position with the Oklahoma Sooners.

As ECU looks to establish themselves as legitimate contenders in the AAC, offensive attrition looks to be a major roadblock in 2015. Can the team overcome the loss of their new starting quarterback, Kurt Benkert, in addition to their litany of graduated playmakers?

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