Montgomery says Ahlers has "best practice of the year" Tuesday

After ECU football practice Tuesday morning, head coach Scottie Montgomery told reporters that true freshman quarterback Holton Ahlers had his "best practice of the year."

Montgomery added that he witnessed a new level of intensity and that his team has made some serious strides throughout the bye week.

"We had a really good day at quarterback," said Montgomery. "Holton, this was his best practice of the year. Accuracy with the football. Just did a really, really good job of protecting himself in protection, but it was mainly the throws today. The run game has always been there for him, but today, he threw it as well as he's thrown it since he's been here."

"Just more days in the play book and more days running with the ones," said Holton Ahlers. "And I try to make every day the best practice I have of the year. So I just have to keep working and the more reps, the more comfortable you get and the better you get at it. Especially with the receivers, the timing just gets better with more reps."

"[Holton] is connecting with us," said senior wide receiver Trevon Brown. "We're getting more time with him. He's just taking the lead, taking charge of the team, and he's throwing the ball all the time, and we're catching it. Even if he doesn't throw it on time or doesn't throw it near us, it's our job to catch it, so if we don't catch the ball it's on us."

The Pirates (2-5, 0-4 AAC) host Memphis (4-4, 1-3 AAC) at noon on Saturday at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium.