East Carolina coaching candidates: Top 5 Mike Houston replacements for Pirates

The East Carolina Pirates (3-4, 1-2 American Athletic Conference) fired head coach Mike Houston after its 45-28 loss to No. 23-ranked Army on Saturday. It was the Pirates' second consecutive loss and significantly hurt their chances of getting a bowl game. Houston had been the coach for East Carolina since 2019, amassing a 27-38 record. 2023 was his worst season as he earned a 2-10 record.

With Houston fired, the Pirates have named defensive coordinator Blake Harrell the interim head coach. They will hire a new one in the offseason.

Top 5 East Carolina coaching candidates

Houston was only officially fired on Sunday, so not much time has passed for the Pirates to interview candidates. However, there are some names who we can speculate will likely be in the mix for the position.

#1 Blake Harrell

Blake Harrell will have the opportunity to earn a permanent position. East Carolina has five games left on the schedule and needs to win at least three for bowl eligibility. If Harrell can help the Pirates do that or even better, the athletic department might promote him permanently.

#2 Chris Marve

Virginia Tech defensive coordinator Chris Marve is a possible candidate for the East Carolina head coach position. He is only 35 years old, which would be a change of pace from Houston who is 52. Marve has slowly ascended the FBS ranks since getting his first coaching position in 2014.

#3 Joker Phillips

If the Pirates want to hire someone with lots of experience, NC State associate head coach Joker Phillips is an option. He started coaching in 1988 with Kentucky and has since had stints with nine different colleges and one NFL team. He was a head coach before at Kentucky from 2010 to 2012.

#4 Des Kitchings

Virginia offensive coordinator Des Kitchings is another option for the Pirates. If they want to hire someone who will revamp the offense, that is what Kitchings will do. He has shown he can lead young players, as he did with standout true freshman Anthony Colandrea in 2023.

#5 James Adams

Lastly, Wake Forest associate head coach James Adams is another possible option. Adams has shown throughout his career that he is capable of winning and developing talent, two things the pirates have struggled with recently. He has succeeded at every coaching position throughout his career, so he should be a potential candidate for ECU.