By Al Myatt
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I never was a big Star Trek fan but the headline phrase ran through my mind when Scottie Montgomery was named football coach at East Carolina.

There was some degree of urgency oftentimes when Captain Kirk asked to be returned to the Enterprise on the television show.

There are definitely some urgent matters to be addressed as the Duke offensive coordinator assumes control in Greenville.

The good thing about Montgomery is that he seemed to have a firm grasp of priorities as he stepped to the podium in the Murphy Center on Monday.

In some ways the 37-year old Montgomery resembles a younger version of his predecessor, Ruffin McNeill. Montgomery has never been involved in a Football Bowl Subdivision game as a head coach, but his NFL experience as a player and assistant coach is a factor which should give him a perspective that offsets that aspect of his resume.

His pro background also gives him an edge over UNC defensive coordinator Gene Chizik and former Michigan coach Brady Hoke, who were more publicized – and apparently more expensive candidates for the ECU post.

The Pirates are committed to full cost of attendance for athletes but there is still a significant disparity in coaching salaries from the Power Five to ECU's place in the Group of Five within the American Athletic Conference.

Still, there seems to have been a degree of providence in this hire for the Pirates as there has been on occasion in the past.

There was the gleam in Skip Holtz's eye that former ECU athletic director Terry Holland detected as they toured the new strength and conditioning facilities at the Murphy Center late in 2004.

When Holtz left for South Florida after winning his second Conference USA title for the Pirates in 2009, there were some unusual circumstances at Texas Tech that resulted in Mike Leach's departure as head coach.

McNeill became interim coach for the Red Raiders' win over Michigan State in the Alamo Bowl, legitimizing his candidacy as coach at his alma mater.

Holland remains linked to McNeill's career it would appear.

Holland scheduled ECU's game at Brigham Young this season that resulted in the development of a mutual admiration society between Cougars coach Bronco Mendenhall and McNeill. The Pirates actually played better with their backup quarterbacks in that matchup than BYU, but when Tanner Mangum returned from a pulled hamstring late in the game he was able to lead the Cougars to a 45-38 win.

When Mendenhall accepted the head coaching position at Virginia, he quickly took advantage of McNeill's unanticipated availability.

McNeill will be an asset at the school where Holland coached basketball so long and so well before becoming athletic director for the Cavaliers.

Some things are too coincidental to be coincidences as McNeill would sometimes say.

Perhaps providence is better at this point for the Pirates.

Like Mendenhall, who will coach BYU in the Las Vegas Bowl, Montgomery will not officially assume his duties at ECU until Jan. 1. That will allow the new Pirates coach to do what he does for Duke in the Pinstripe Bowl on Dec. 26.

Although many schools want a new coach on the job as soon as possible, loyalty is a refreshing quality.

"One of the biggest challenges of being a head coach is managing your time," Montgomery said.

He put in an appearance at halftime Wednesday night during East Carolina's 78-73 basketball win over UNC-Wilmington before heading back to Durham.

He will be working two jobs, like his Mom did, as he puts together a staff and does the best he can for his alma mater.

Montgomery was a surprise to many as the ECU coaching search concluded but he's regarded as the real deal by those who know him.

N.C. State safeties coach and co-special teams coordinator Clayton White first met Montgomery at Duke football camp in the summer of 1995.

"He was a receiver and I was a defensive back," White said. "We went one-on-one some in front of the whole camp. He won some and I won some."

They played against each other in college as well when Montgomery was at Duke and White played for the Wolfpack.

White remembered talking to Montgomery before a Monday night game in Denver when Montgomery was with the Broncos and White was with the New York Giants.

Denver won 31-20 on Sept. 10, 2001, the night before 9-11.

White has stayed in touch as the two have worked for their respective programs in the Triangle.

"Anybody who goes to coach with the Pittsburgh Steelers is close to getting their doctorate in football," White said. "He kind of came out of nowhere as a candidate. You heard about him the day before and the next day he had the job.

"I can't be anything but excited for him in this profession. I'm happy for him and his family. I think it's a home run."

The ECU fan base has the kind of anticipation that a prospector might have upon finding a diamond in the rough.

With a long way to go and a short time to get there, Montgomery will be putting together a staff and signing a recruiting class before supervising a vast quarterback competition in spring ball.

He has youth, energy and pro experience on his side.

Maybe he's the package that can beam up Pirate Nation.