Bonesville: The Authoritative Independent Voice of East Carolina

News & Features from ECU, the AAC and Beyond

  • Home
  • News & Features
  • Recruiting
  • Photos
  • Audio
  • Roundup
  • Comments
  • Legacy Archives

• ECU 2022 Football Schedule
• ECU 2022-23 Hoops Schedule
• ECU 2023 Baseball Schedule

— Recruiting Thumbnails —
Football: 2023 • Hoops: 2023-24

From the Anchor Desk
The boys are back in town

December 11, 2018 By Brian Bailey 1 Comment

Tweet
Share
Share
Pin

Rock band Thin Lizzy had a hit song in the mid ‘70s with “The Boys are Back in Town.”

The band certainly wasn’t talking about coaches returning with the hit, but that’s what it feels like at East Carolina.

New ECU coach Mike Houston has made Donnie Kirkpatrick, Steve Shankweiler and Dale Steele part of his new staff. All three have Pirate ties, making this a most unique situation. The staff may be new, but the ECU experience will certainly pay quick dividends.

I had the honor of hosting all three on my Monday night radio show this week on Pirate Radio 1250 and 930.

Donnie Kirkpatrick returns to ECU after a three-year run under Houston at James Madison as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. Kirkpatrick had spent his previous time under two difference coaches at ECU, serving as an assistant head coach, wide receivers coach and recruiting coordinator for the Pirates from 2005 to 2015.

Then-ECU assistant coach Donnie Kirkpatrick addresses Pirate receivers during a game at Southern Miss on Sept. 15, 2012. (Photo by Al Myatt)

“Coach K” was an integral part of JMU’s 2017 FCS National Championship team as the offensive coordinator.

“We’re just thrilled to be back,” said Kirkpatrick. “Of course, I think more people are excited to see my wife Misty coming back as they are me.”

Kirkpatrick will get a chance to work with former D.H. Conley star Holton Ahlers, who Kirkpatrick has known since he was little.

“I don’t think he ever was little,” Kirkpatrick joked. “But I have known him for a while. I’m looking forward to working with him and all of our quarterbacks.”

While Kirkpatrick had one long stint at ECU, offensive line coach Steve Shankweiler has had three, separate, five-year runs with the Pirates. This will be his fourth stint as a Pirate assistant coach.

Shank spent last season with JMU as the offensive line coach. The year before he worked with N.C. State coach Dave Doeren’s staff as a defensive analyst. Before that he was at Florida International for four seasons as offensive coordinator and offensive line coach.

Shank’s previous stints at ECU coincided with some of the most successful years in the history of East Carolina football. The Pirates played in seven bowl games during his time in Greenville, which included their historic 1991 season in which they won the Peach Bowl and finished the year ranked 9th in the nation, which is an all-time program record.

“I can’t put into words how excited I am to be back,” said Shankweiler. “This is a very special place to me and my family, and I can’t wait to get to work.”

It was once described by some that Shankweiler was the trainer, and his lineman were the ‘dancing bears.’

“I don’t know who came up with that,” he explained. “I think it was because we had some big guys who had good feet. But we won’t have any dancing bears now. We’re going to be physical and pave the way to run the football.”

Dale Steele was also a member of the coaching staff for the record breaking 1991 season. There is a great shot on YouTube that shows Shankweiler and Steele together on that Pirate sideline during the Pittsburgh game that season. Pirate fans remember that ECU rallied late in that win over the Panthers. ECU scored in the final minute and then made the two-point conversion to win the game.

“That was a great game and one of many amazing memories at ECU,” said Steele.

Steele is the Director of Football Administration under Coach Houston. He says Pirate fans will see a very meticulous, old school type of coach in Mike Houston.

“He’s very organized,” said Steele. “More than anything Coach Houston is a winner. He does things his way and his record speaks for itself.”

Houston has hit the ground running at East Carolina. It certainly helps to have so much “Pirate” experience on his first staff.

Related

Tweet
Share
Share
Pin

Filed Under: News & Features

Comments

  1. H Gray says

    December 12, 2018 at 1:37 am

    Feeling very optimistic. Can’t wait for fall 2019!

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recent News & Features

Basketball News
Pirates rally past Tulsa to snap losing streak

ECU Recruiting News
Portal delivers blue chipper RaRa Dillworth

VIEW FROM THE EAST: CHARLOTTE
The new American

Basketball News
Owls pull away from ECU in second half

Class of 2023 Early Signing Review (UPDATED)
Pirates tap transfer portal for more talent

Basketball News
Small matter costly in ECU loss

VIEW FROM THE EAST
The new American

Basketball News
Bearcats beat ECU from long range

Basketball News
Memphis run tops ECU

Basketball News
Kelly leads UCF past Pirates

More News & Features

ECU Schedules

  • ECU 2021 Football Schedule
  • ECU 2020-21 Basketball Schedule
  • ECU 2021 Baseball Schedule

ECU Recruiting

  • Football Recruiting Class of 2021
  • Football Recruiting Class of 2020
  • Football Recruiting Class of 2019
  • Football Recruiting Class of 2018
  • Football Recruiting Class of 2017
  • Hoops Recruiting Class of 2021-22
  • Hoops Recruiting Class of 2020-21
  • Hoops Recruiting Class of 2019-20
  • Hoops Recruiting Class of 2018-19
  • Hoops Recruiting Class of 2017-18
  • Hoops Recruiting Class of 2016-17

Past Football Schedules

  • ECU 2020 Football Schedule
  • ECU 2019 Football Schedule
  • ECU 2018 Football Schedule
  • ECU 2017 Football Schedule
  • ECU 2016 Football Schedule
  • ECU 2015 Football Schedule
  • ECU 2014 Football Schedule
  • ECU 2013 Football Schedule
  • ECU 2012 Football Schedule
  • ECU 2011 Football Schedule
  • ECU 2010 Football Schedule
  • ECU 2009 Football Schedule
  • ECU 2008 Football Schedule
  • ECU 2007 Football Schedule
  • ECU 2006 Football Schedule
  • ECU 2005 Football Schedule
  • ECU 2004 Football Schedule
  • ECU 2003 Football Schedule
  • ECU 2002 Football Schedule
  • ECU 2001 Football Schedule
  • ECU 2000 Football Schedule
  • Historical Schedules

Past Basketball Schedules

  • ECU 2019-20 Basketball Schedule
  • ECU 2018-19 Basketball Schedule
  • ECU 2017-18 Basketball Schedule
  • ECU 2016-17 Basketball Schedule
  • ECU 2000-2015 Basketball Archives

Past Baseball Schedules

  • ECU 2020 Baseball Schedule
  • ECU 2019 Baseball Schedule
  • ECU 2018 Baseball Schedule
  • ECU 2017 Baseball Schedule
  • ECU 2016 Baseball Schedule
  • ECU 2015 Baseball Schedule
  • ECU 2001-2014 Baseball Archives

Recruiting Class Profiles

ECU Recruiting News
Portal delivers blue chipper RaRa Dillworth

Class of 2023 Early Signing Review (UPDATED)
Pirates tap transfer portal for more talent

AAC Early Signing Review
New members dive into AAC recruiting wars

Class of 2023 Early Signing Review
First wave of recruits just the beginning

ECU Recruiting News
Brown finds way to ECU through portal

ECU Recruiting News
Transfer safety McDaniel destined for ECU

ECU Recruiting News
Pirates land coveted Spartanburg quarterback

ECU Recruiting News
Swift ECU recruit ‘in a class of his own’

ECU Recruiting News
Pirates win out for Georgia prep linebacker

ECU Recruiting News
Linebacker with pedigree charts path to ECU

ECU Recruiting News
Pirates find a gem in Palmetto State receiver

ECU Recruiting News
Official visit swayed North Mecklenburg star

ECU Recruiting News
Physical Georgia receiver poses tough matchup

ECU Recruiting News
Pirates project lineman Durant as center

ECU Recruiting News
ECU spotted potential in Conley lineman

ECU Recruiting News
ECU lands fleet-footed Georgia defensive back

ECU Recruiting News
‘Football town’ helps draw Short to Pirates

ECU Recruiting News
ECU targets edge rushers

ECU Recruiting News
Pirates aim high for interior line talent

ECU Recruiting News
Well stocked Pirates enter fray for O-linemen

ECU Recruiting News
ECU faces uphill battle in hunt for tight ends

ECU Recruiting News
Pirates cast wide net for wide receivers

ECU Recruiting News
Loaded Pirates still courting running backs

ECU Recruiting News
ECU targets quarterbacks of the future

AAC Football Recruiting News
Transfer portal reshaping AAC football programs

Recent Web Roundups

GREG VACEK'S WEB ROUNDUP
Thursday, January 26, 2023

GREG VACEK'S WEB ROUNDUP
Wednesday, January 25, 2023

GREG VACEK'S WEB ROUNDUP
Monday, January 23, 2023

Writer Archives

  • Bonesville Staff
  • Brian Bailey
  • Sammy Batten
  • Bethany Bradsher
  • Brett Friedlander
  • Al Myatt
  • NFF
  • Greg Vacek
  • Danny Whitford

Recent Web Roundups

GREG VACEK'S WEB ROUNDUP
Thursday, January 26, 2023

GREG VACEK'S WEB ROUNDUP
Wednesday, January 25, 2023

GREG VACEK'S WEB ROUNDUP
Monday, January 23, 2023

GREG VACEK'S WEB ROUNDUP
Saturday, January 21, 2023

GREG VACEK'S WEB ROUNDUP
Wednesday, January 18, 2023

GREG VACEK'S WEB ROUNDUP
Monday, January 16, 2023

GREG VACEK'S WEB ROUNDUP
Sunday, January 15, 2023

More Web Roundups

Copyright © 2023 Bonesville.net · Website by Seaport Webworks. · Log in · Privacy Policy