| Ruffin McNeill is gaining a name for himself as the | | | | some roots. In breaking with his past track record |
| new head football coach for the East Carolina | | | | of changing jobs every couple of years Ruffin |
| University (ECU) Pirates football program. The | | | | surprisingly stayed with the Texas Tech Red |
| ECU campus is located in Greenville, North Carolina | | | | Raiders in Lubbock, Texas for a full decade. |
| and Coach McNeill is excited to bring winning | | | | Initially brought on board as a linebackers coach |
| football back to the area that very much enjoys | | | | McNeill was eventually promoted to interim |
| it. | | | | defensive coordinator in 2007 by head coach Mike |
| Born on October 9, 1958 McNeill spent roughly 25 | | | | Leach. |
| years as an assistant in the world of college | | | | In late December of 2009 Texas Tech head |
| football before landing his first permanent head | | | | coach Mike Leach was fired for alleged |
| coaching job at his alma mater where he played | | | | misconduct involving physically mistreating a |
| defensive back and graduated in 1980. After | | | | player. Upon the dismissal of Coach Leach, McNeill |
| serving as the team captain for two seasons as | | | | was asked to step in as interim head coach and |
| an undergraduate student athlete at East Carolina | | | | coach the team in the post season Alamo Bowl |
| Ruffin decided to pursue a career in coaching | | | | game on January 2, 2010. Ruffin helped the Red |
| football and picked up a master's degree from | | | | Raiders finish the season on a bright spot by |
| Clemson University along the way. | | | | defeating the mighty Michigan State University |
| In the 1980s Coach McNeill held down assistant | | | | football program to end the season on a high |
| coaching positions at: | | | | note. |
| Clemson University in South Carolina | | | | After the Alamo Bowl Texas Tech brought in a |
| (1985-1986) | | | | more high profile head coach in Tommy Tuberville |
| Austin Peay in Clarksville, Tennessee (1987) | | | | who has a coaching resume that includes head |
| North Alabama in Florence, Alabama(1988) | | | | coaching stints at both Ole Miss (1995-1998) and a |
| Appalachian State in Boone, North Carolina | | | | nine year stay at Auburn University from |
| (1989-1991) | | | | 1999-2008. Ruffin lost his job during the Tuberville |
| In the 1990s Ruffin McNeill continued to move | | | | transition. |
| around quite a bit as he took every opportunity | | | | The fact that Ruffin McNeil was forced out of |
| available to him in order to educate himself about | | | | Texas Tech after spending ten years on the |
| his craft and to make himself more hirable for | | | | Lubbock campus turned out to be a bit of a |
| more desirable opportunities. | | | | blessing in disguise as it provided him the |
| During the 1990s Ruffin coached at: | | | | opportunity to attain the coveted position of being |
| Appalachian State in Boone, North Carolina | | | | the head coach at his alma mater, ECU. Since the |
| (1989-1991 & 1993-1996) | | | | January 21, 2010 announcement that Ruffin McNeill |
| East Carolina in Greenville, North Carolina | | | | is the latest head football coach at East Carolina |
| (1992) | | | | University area fans are excited to see what he |
| UNLV in Las Vegas, Nevada (1998) | | | | will do now that he is finally in charge of |
| Fresno State in Fresno, California (1999) | | | | overseeing a college football program from the |
| Finally, in the year 2000 Ruffin found a school in | | | | head coach position. |
| Texas Tech University where he could establish | | | | |
