New East Carolina head coach Mike Houston’s rebuilding job with the Pirates looks like it just got a little tougher right as the team was beginning spring practice.
Houston confirmed on Saturday that standout defensive end Nate Harvey’s appeal for another season of eligibility was denied by the NCAA and the reigning AAC Defensive Player of the Year will instead begin preparing for the NFL draft as a result.
“When I took the job here, I didn’t even know who Nate Harvey was,” Houston said, according to the school’s website. “Over the last three months, I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know him on a daily basis. Unfortunately, I received a call last night denying his appeal with the NCAA. We respect the decision of the NCAA, but at the same time, we are disappointed.”
The waiver that was denied was centered around Harvey’s time at Georgia Military College, where he saw limited action due to injury. He still turned out to be a great story for the Pirates either way, transferring in as a walk-on fullback and eventually turning into a force at defensive end last season.
While Harvey’s 2018 campaign turned out to be a one-and-done at that position, it was still an incredible one considering where he was on the depth chart the year prior at ECU. All told, the senior recorded 14.5 sacks and led the nation in tackles for loss on his way to being named conference defensive player of the year. While he apparently did take part in the Pirates’ first spring practice on Friday, he sat out Saturday and met with the media afterward upon learning of the NCAA’s decision.
Either way, it’s a big blow for Harvey, Houston and the entire team as they start preparations for the 2019 season without one of their key players going forward.
