Prolific prep coach joins Pirates

Staff Report
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New East Carolina football coach Scottie Montgomery continued the building of his staff on Friday with the hiring of one of the most successful high school coaches in North Carolina as running backs coach.

Antonio King will take charge of the Pirates' runners after guiding Durham Hillside to six straight PAC-6 titles, a run which started when his 2010 Hornets team won the 4A State Championship with a perfect 16-0 record.

King was named league coach of the year after each of the past six seasons and was twice named Durham Herald-Sun coach of the year.

King served as an assistant coach for the victorious North Carolina team in the 2015 Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas. The Tar Heels defeated the South Carolina Sandlappers 54-39 in the annual clash of the best prep players from both states

In a press release, Montgomery praised King's track record of molding players for success.

"Antonio's history developing student-athletes and leading young men is unparalleled," Montgomery said. "His ability to communicate, encourage and motivate is well-documented through the success of all the players he's touched.

"My respect for high school coaches in the state of North Carolina runs deep and Antonio’s addition to our staff is a testament to that.”

Before succeeding Ray Harrison as Hillside's head coach in 2009, King served as the Hornets' offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.

A North Carolina Central alum, King played quarterback in the college ranks, logging stints at both Howard and NCCU.

King joins nine previously-announced staff hires since Montgomery's appointment to succeed Ruffin McNeill as head coach of the Pirates:

• Offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Tony Petersen (previously served in that same capacity at Louisiana Tech)

• Defensive coordinator Kenwick Thompson (previously served as Vanderbilt associate head coach and linebackers coach)

• Offensive line coach Geep Wade (previously served in the same role at Middle Tennessee State)

• Defensive line coach Deke Adams (previously served in the same role at South Carolina)

• Wide receivers coach Phil McGeoghan (previously served in the same role for the Miami Dolphins)

• Secondary coach Rick Smith (previously served as defensive coordinator and secondary coach on former ECU coach Ruffin McNeill's staff)

• Special teams coach Shannon Moore (previously served as special teams coach at Florida International)

• Assistant athletics director for football operations Terrell Smith (previously served as director of football operations at Duke)

• Director of player personnel Ethan Johnson (previously served as Duke's assistant director of player personnel)

PAGE UPDATED 01/09/16 04:57 AM.

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