When East Carolina went up 14-0 early in the Knights'Conference USA opener Thursday night, the energy in the stadium was in dangerof disappearing.

Bright House Networks Stadium received a jolt ofelectricity, however. On the ensuing kickoff, senior receiver Quincy McDuffietook it at the 1-yard line, made a couple Pirates miss and was off to theraces. His 99-yard return for a touchdown sparked the offense and defense.

"It definitely got the morale of the team up, having a quickscore like that and putting an actual touchdown on the board," sophomorequarterback Blake Bortles said. "It definitely did help out."

"It gives you momentum, especially in rivalry games," seniordefensive lineman Troy Davis said. "It swings momentum and it gets the sidelinegoing."

The kickoff return wasn't the only big play McDuffie, anOrlando native, made. In the third quarter he caught a pass from Bortles for a64-yard touchdown. It was a short screen pass that McDuffie took down thesideline.

"He's unbelievable," Bortles said. "He's one of the fastestkids I've ever seen and that was a great block out there on the perimeter andit was a great play call too. They brought the house on a blitz and played mancoverage and Quincy got in the hole and took off. Once he gets into the openfield there aren't too many people who can catch him."

McDuffie finished the game with 195 total yards and he onlytouched the ball four times, including that long touchdown catch-and-run in thesecond half. 

"I saw nothing but daylight," McDuffie said. "I put my footin the ground and just tried to get to the endzone. I knew how bad we needed itand I was very determined to get into the endzone."