Ruffin Horne McNeill, Jr., class of 1980, stands out as one of East Carolina’s great student athletes who went on to a distinguished career as a head coach, including an impressive stint at his alma mater, from 2011 until 2016. In the latter capacity, McNeill made history as ECU’s first African-American head football coach, and indeed the first African-American head coach of any Pirate team. After being abruptly dismissed following a losing season, McNeill continued his career as a collegiate coach, well establishing himself as a nationally-recognized team leader.
As a Lumberton High School senior, McNeill was an All-Conference choice in the Southeastern Conference. After signing with ECU, McNeill emerged during his sophomore year as a first string defensive back following an injury that had sidelined Gerald Hall for the season. Early in the 1977 season, McNeill won the hearts of Pirate fans with a final-second, game-winning tackle on the two-yard line, saving ECU’s victory over N.C. State, 28-23. During his junior and senior years, McNeill served as team captain.
Following his graduation in 1980, McNeill first served as an assistant coach at Lumberton High School, 1980-1984. Thereafter he held coaching positions at Clemson, Austin Peay State University, and North Alabama. From 1989-1991, he assumed responsibilities as defensive coordinator at Appalachian State University. In 1992, he returned to ECU briefly, serving as defensive line coach. He next went to Appalachian State, 1993-1996, again as defensive coordinator, before moving to the University of Las Vegas, 1997-1998, as defensive coordinator, and then to Texas Tech, 1999-2009, as defensive coordinator. When Texas Tech coach Mike Leach was fired in 2009, McNeill became interim head coach at Texas Tech, leading his team to victory over Michigan State in the Alamo Bowl.
Following the departure of ECU head coach Skip Holtz for a head coaching position at the University of South Florida, McNeill was hired as Pirate head football coach. McNeill declared the position his “destination job,” adding “this is not a stepping-stone hop for Ruff. This is where I want to be until you tow me away from here.” However, expectations for McNeill were daunting. Under Holz’s leadership, the Pirates won consecutive Conference-USA championships. It was understood that McNeill would need to maintain that momentum if he were to succeed at ECU.
McNeill achieved a 42-34 record at ECU, with three bowl appearances and one bowl victory. His best seasons featured quarterback Shane Carden and receiver Justin Hardy. Carden set the ECU career passing yardage record and Hardy became the NCAA’s record-holder for receptions. McNeill’s teams also defeated in-state rivals North Carolina (twice) and N.C. State. Nevertheless, under McNeill’s leadership the Pirates never won a championship in either Conference USA or the American Athletic Conference. After a 5-7 season in 2015, ECU athletic director Jeff Compher dismissed McNeill, stating that the team “was not meeting competitive expectations.” Despite Compher’s intent to hire a more capable coach, the McNeill era was followed by a downward spiral in football performance. After ECU, McNeill went on to coaching positions at the University of Virginia and the University of Oklahoma serving under his former offensive coordinator at ECU, Lincoln Riley, who had since become Oklahoma’s head football coach.
Sources
- Associated Press. “East Carolina Fires McNeill After 6 Seasons.” The Index-Journal (Greenwood, South Carolina). December 5, 2015. P. 12.
- Beard, Aaron. “ECU Chooses Texas Tech Aide.” Daily Press (Newport News, Virginia). January 22, 2010. P. B2.
- Beard, Aaron. “An Eager Homecoming.” Daily Press. January 23, 2010. P. C3.
- Hall, David. “For McNeill, working for protégé ‘not weird at all.’” Daily Press. June 18, 2017. P. C5.
- “McNeill Saw His Man and Made His Tackle.” Robesonian. September 8, 1977. P. 8
- Morton, Norm. “Sports Meandering.” Robesonian. September 11, 1977. P. 11.
Citation Information
Title: Ruffin Horne McNeill, Jr.
Author: John A. Tucker, PhD
Date of Publication: 6/25/2019