BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — D.J. Durkin summed up a college football game for the first time as a college head coach on Saturday afternoon. But the interim Florida head coach cut to the critical parts of the game like a veteran following the Gators 28-20 victory over East Carolina in the Birmingham Bowl at Legion Field.
“The story of the game, what it came down to, was turnovers, which is what we talk about quite a bit,” said Durkin, who served as the team’s defensive coordinator before the firing of head coach Will Muschamp. “We kind of let them back in the game with turnovers and ultimately that was the difference for us in the game. That and red zone defense, they got seven trips to red zone and got in the end zone on two of them. We were 2 for 2 on our offense. We played 101 snaps on defense in that game so for our guys to get it done, I can’t say enough for the characters of our guys. “
The Gators survived against an East Carolina team that gained 536 yards on the 101 offensive plays and appeared poised to possibly force overtime in the final minutes. The Pirates had first-and-goal at the 5-yard line with a chance to dig into the eight-point Florida lead. Florida defensive lineman Dante Fowler Jr. swatted down a Shane Carden pass on first down and All-American cornerback Vernon Hargreaves III intercepted a pass intended for standout ECU receiver Justin Hardy in the end zone on the following play. All that was left afterward was to run out the final 1:20 on the clock.
It was a fitting end for Florida defense that had four sacks, two fumble recoveries and two interceptions against the high-octane Pirates offense. It was not a fitting to end to a spectacular game by Hardy, who had 11 catches for a Birmingham Bowl record 160 yards and a touchdown, and Carden, who completed 34- of-66 passes for 427 yards and two touchdowns. Carden also set bowl records for completions and passing yards.
“We just got to execute better in the red zone, that was the problem today,” Carden said. “We ran 101 plays, and got a ton of offensive yards. We got a few field goals there, we should have executed more and got first downs. Interceptions in the end zone can’t happen. “
The Pirates (8-5) looked sharp early in the game, taking a 7-0 lead with 7:06 left in the first quarter on a 3-yard pass from Carden to Hardy.
After that, though, the Pirates were their own worst enemy.
The first half for East Carolina’s offense included a pick-6 interception by Florida cornerback Brian Poole, a fumble at the Florida 1-yard line by Wildcat quarterback Kurt Benkert, two failed fourth down conversions and a missed 42-yard field goal attempt by Warren Harvey.
Durkin indicated that Poole’s interception for a touchdown served as the game’s turning point.
“It was huge,” Durkin said. “It was a big momentum swing in the game. I’ve been teasing Brian, he finally got one in the end zone. He’s had a couple close ones this year where he’s let offensive linemen catch him and he’s slipped a couple times.
East Carolina outgained Florida, 282-159, in the first half, but had little to show for it.
Florida, with new head coach Jim McElwain watching from the press box, tied the game on Poole’s 29-yard interception return late in the first quarter.
The Gators took the lead when redshirt freshman running back Adam Lane Jr. did all the work on a four-play, 68-yard drive that ended on his 2-yard scoring run on the first play of the second quarter.
The lead grew to two touchdowns when quarterback Treon Harris found Brandon Powell for a 13-yard score to cap a 13-play, 80-yard drive with 6:23 left in the half.
Florida converted four third downs on the drive, including a 24-yard run by Harris on third-and-17.
Benkert’s fumble came with East Carolina in a first-and-goal situation at the Gators’ 1-yard line. He lost the ball after being hit by Gerald Willis and Poole recovered with 3:23 left in the half.
East Carolina came out quickly in the second half, with Josh Hawkins intercepting Harris on the first series. On the following play, Hardy took a screen pass 66 yards to the 4-yard line, before Carden connected with Cam Worthy three plays later to cut the deficit to 21-14.
Three plays later, Florida came up with its own big play when Ahmad Fulwood turned Harris’ screen pass into an 86-yard touchdown.
Two 24-yard field goals by Harvey, the second with 11:55 left in the game, cut the deficit to 28-20. But Florida refused to break at the end.
“I give credit to D.J. Durkin, that staff and those players,” said ECU head coach Ruffin McNeill. “Having to go through that interim (coaching) and no knowing about his job situation, they did a great job of making plays.”