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BAILEY'S TAKE
ON PIRATE SPORTS
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From the Anchor Desk
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
By Brian Bailey |
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McNeill era off and
running at ECU
By
Brian Bailey
©2010 Bonesville.net
All rights reserved.
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RUFFIN McNEILL |
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(Photo: ECU SID) |
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Skip Holtz developed a
certain swagger with his
success at East Carolina
that he carried to his
new job in Tampa.
Ruffin McNeill comes to
town with a different
kind of swagger. McNeill
is now home. He beamed
with pride as he dished
out fist pumps to the
huge crowd at his first
news conference as the
Pirates' head coach.
I didn’t know what to
expect. I do know that
the day before many at
East Carolina thought
Steve Shankweiler was
going to be introduced
in that press and fan
gathering. Coach Shank
had several
“congratulatory” text
messages and calls
during the day that
didn’t quite pan out.
McNeill was the final
candidate to interview
and several close to the
hiring process said he
was outstanding in that
interview.
The decision was made
early last Thursday
afternoon. Ruffin
McNeill was the pick to
replace Skip Holtz at
ECU.
At the introductory
press conference,
McNeill was a huge hit
with stories he told the
crowd. They especially
liked the one about his
former coach Pat Dye’s
shoe size.
McNeill was emotional at
time. He was thrilled
that several of his
former teammates were in
attendance.
He said that football
coaches don’t cry, but
that their eyeballs
sweat. There was a lot
of that going on as
well.
He was emotional for
sure, a trait that
should carry well in
this East Carolina
program.
"I cannot begin to
repeat how honored I am
to be your next coach,”
McNeill said. “This is
my destination job.
Let's get that out front
right now and make sure
that's very clear. This
is not a stepping-stone
hop for Ruff. This is
where I want to be until
you all take me away
from here. You'll have
to drag me away.
"I plan on being here a
long time. We plan on
being here a long time.
I plan on being around
you for a long time. I
am so happy to be back
into Pirate Nation and
to be a part of the
family.”
McNeill spent the past
ten years at Texas Tech.
Those years will
certainly help in
recruiting one of the
nation’s most fertile
recruiting grounds.
North Carolina, though,
will always be the main
focus.
"My home and room at my
parents' house is in
North Carolina," he
said. "I'm from North
Carolina. This will
always be our primary
recruiting area. That's
an exciting part for me.
I know how to get around
this area in a car,
unlike Texas where I
needed a plane to hop
back and forth.
"Our primary area will
be the same ones we've
hit for years around
here. North Carolina
will be the most central
and we'll head up north
to the Virginia and
Washington, DC, areas.
We'll also spread south
to South Carolina,
Georgia and Florida.”
Texas, though, is still
very much a possibility
in recruiting.
"I know from my
relationships I've built
with guys in Texas that
there will be some
calls," McNeill said. "I
think our relationships
are great. They'll call
and there may be a kid
over there who wants to
come play for the Pirate
Nation. We'll look at
him, especially if he's
a big and fast one."
There is an offer on the
table for Steve
Shankweiler to stay on
as assistant head coach
with McNeill.
Shankweiler underwent
hip replacement surgery
on Friday and was in
good spirits when I
visited him on Saturday
morning.
Shank was disappointed,
but not bitter. I truly
believe that Steve
Shankweiler loves this
program so much that he
only wants what’s best
for the Pirates. He is a
class act and a great
coach who’s done wonders
in his three stints at
ECU.
Word is Shank will most
likely join Coach Holtz
at South Florida in the
near future.
BB
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