Holton Ahlers, East Carolina Football News: Draft Scout Player News

10/27/22 - QB Holton Ahlers, rSr/2023, East Carolina

Less than an hour after the East Carolina football team pulled off its most important win of the season, Holton Ahlers spoke about the end. Aware that his time playing quarterback for ECU is fading, Ahlers said he made sure to take note of his entrance into Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium and the feeling of playing under the lights in front of a lively crowd. One home game remains on the 2022 schedule, a Nov. 19 date with Houston, and Saturday marked the fifth-year senior's penultimate game in Greenville. And while Ahlers spoke of his time here, a thought occurred to me. The Pirates, and everyone who invests time and energy in following this team, should be thankful that Ahlers is still around. ECU doesn't beat a Central Florida team that was receiving votes in the national polls the way it did on Saturday without a quarterback of his caliber.

He gave his receivers opportunities to make plays all game and his coach-like understanding of everything going on around him was important as the Pirates ripped apart the Knights' vaunted defense. It was Dec. 4, 2021, a Saturday, when Ahlers announced he would be returning for his fifth season at ECU. In the days leading up to games this year, some opposing coaches have joked that Ahlers has seemingly been around forever. He has certainly been a longtime fixture under center for the Pirates, and Saturday's performance showed why he belongs back there. His decision to return stamped out any question of who would play quarterback for the Pirates in 2022. His decision also pushed the pause button on the rest of the quarterback room's ascent to the field on game day. The rostered quarterbacks would spend another season lying in wait as the veteran exhausted his eligibility. - Daily Reflector

rSr/2023