In the ever-changing landscape of college football, West Virginia University head coach Dana Holgorsen drew a very fine line in the sand with some comments he made to a Charleston, WV newspaper, in which he specifically called out East Carolina by name.
"I don't think it was a good thing for Dana to say," said ECU head coach Ruffin McNeill.
Other WRAL Top Stories
Holgorsen told the Daily Mail, quote, the major conferences breaking away from schools like East Carolina and Marshall, I hope it happens because they're the ones holding us back from being able to feed our players three times a day or being able to pay them just a small stipend to make their lives a little bit easier so they're not starving to death at specific times of the year.
"If you're not one of the big boys, don't hold the big boys back from being able to make their program better. Why should East Carolina be fighting for the same prize as North Carolina, that's absurd."
Odd statements considering his ties to several Pirate staffers.
"Dana and I began coaching together at Texas Tech, on Coach (Mike) Leach's first staff," said McNeill. "Dana and I are still good friends, not just good friends, but best friends."
"When we first got the job here, Dana, who had been at Houston and played against East Carolina, was really excited for Ruffin getting the job here," recalled ECU offensive coordinator Lincoln Riley. "He talked about how awesome the stadium was and how it felt like a BCS atmosphere."
Holgorsen's comments could have been a political ploy.
"Here's a coach who is trying to make sure that his program is moving to the next level," said ECU Athletic Director Jeff Compher. "He's mentioning teams that are familiar to their fanbase."
Or a simple slip of the tongue.
"People say things to the media all the time that they wish they could take back," said Riley. "Maybe that's what makes your job a lot of fun, eh?"
A real blast, indeed.