Ruffin McNeill

Ruffin McNeill
Sport(s) Football
Current position
Title Assistant head coach
Team Virginia
Conference ACC
Biographical details
Born (1958-10-09) October 9, 1958
Playing career
1976–1980 East Carolina
Position(s) Defensive back
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1980–1984 Lumberton HS (NC) (assistant)
1985–1986 Clemson (GA/LB)
1987 Austin Peay (LB)
1988 North Alabama (LB)
1989–1991 Appalachian State (LB)
1992 East Carolina (DL)
1993–1996 Appalachian State (DC)
1997 UNLV (DC)
1998 UNLV (AHC/DC)
1999 Fresno State (DC)
2000–2002 Texas Tech (LB)
2003–2006 Texas Tech (AHC/ST)
2007 Texas Tech (AHC/DT)
2008–2009 Texas Tech (AHC/DC)
2010–2015 East Carolina
2016–present Virginia (AHC/LB)
Head coaching record
Overall 43–34
Bowls 2–3

Statistics

Ruffin Horne McNeill Jr.[1] (born October 8, 1958) is an assistant head coach for the University of Virginia football program and the former head coach of the East Carolina Pirates. Before being named head coach of the Pirates, McNeill served the Texas Tech Red Raiders as an interim head coach, assistant head coach, special teams coordinator, and linebackers coach. On December 28, 2009, he was named interim head coach of the Red Raiders following the suspension and later firing of head coach Mike Leach. He served in the position until the hiring of Tommy Tuberville, who subsequently released him as defensive coordinator.[2]

Playing career

McNeill was a defensive back for the East Carolina Pirates for four years under then head coach Pat Dye. Three of his years at ECU he was a starter and two he served as team captain. In his first year with the Pirates, McNeill helped East Carolina to the 1976 Southern Conference Championship and a berth to the Independence Bowl two years later.

McNeill graduated from East Carolina University in 1980.[3] He later went on to Clemson where he earned a master's degree in counseling.[4]

Coaching career

In addition to coaching at the high school level and spending a summer as an intern with the Miami Dolphins under Jimmy Johnson, McNeill has coached 23 seasons at the college level, including seven seasons at Appalachian State, his first job as defensive coordinator. In total, he has been on the coaching staffs at Clemson, Austin Peay State, North Alabama, Appalachian State, UNLV, Fresno State, and Texas Tech.[4]

Texas Tech

McNeill began his tenure at Texas Tech in 2000 as a linebackers coach. In 2003, he accepted the role of assistant head coach as well as taking duties of linebackers coach. In 2007, then-defensive coordinator Lyle Setencich stepped down due to "personal reasons"[5] after a 49–45 loss to Oklahoma State in which the Texas Tech defense allowed over 600 yards of total offense and three 100 yard rushers.[6] Head coach Mike Leach named McNeill interim defensive coordinator shortly after with eight games remaining in the season.

On December 28, 2009, Leach was suspended, and fired two days later, by Texas Tech University over the alleged inappropriate treatment of an injured player. McNeill was named interim head coach and led the team to a 41–31 victory over the Michigan State Spartans in the 2010 Alamo Bowl before being replaced as head coach by Tommy Tuberville.[7][8][9] On January 13, 2010, McNeill was removed from the Texas Tech coaching staff by Tuberville and replaced with James Willis.[10]

Defensive improvements

With McNeill at the defensive helm, the Red Raiders' defense improved in every defensive category.[6] Under Setencich, Tech ranked seventh in pass defense, ninth in total defense, and tenth in scoring defense in Big 12 Conference play. In nine games with McNeill, Tech improved to first in pass and total defense and fourth in scoring defense.[11] The Red Raiders forced more punts and allowed fewer rushing and passing yards than they did to begin the season.[12] These vast improvements in the defense led Leach to drop the interim tag and make McNeill the full-time defensive coordinator.[12]

East Carolina

On January 21, 2010 it was announced that Ruffin McNeill would be named head football coach at his alma mater, East Carolina, replacing Skip Holtz, who had recently left for the head coaching job at the University of South Florida.[2]

After seasons of 6-7 and 5-7, in 2012 East Carolina posted an 8-5 record which included an appearance in the New Orleans Bowl. In 2013, McNeill's Pirates posted the second-most wins in school history, going 10-3 including a 37-20 win over Ohio University in the 2013 Beef 'O' Brady's Bowl. The season also included big wins over in-state rivals North Carolina (55-31) and North Carolina State (42-28).[13]

On December 4, 2015, McNeill was relieved of his duties as head coach after finishing the season with a record of 5-7.[14]

Personal

McNeill and his wife, Erlene, have two daughters, Olivia and Renata.[15]

Head coaching record

Year Team Overall Conference Standing Bowl/playoffs Coaches# AP°
Texas Tech Red Raiders (Big 12 Conference) (2009)
2009 Texas Tech 1–0* 0–0 W Alamo 23 21
Texas Tech: 1–0 *Coached bowl game after Mike Leach was fired
East Carolina (Conference USA) (2010–2014)
2010 East Carolina 6–7 5–3 T–2nd (East) L Military
2011 East Carolina 5–7 4–4 3rd (East)
2012 East Carolina 8–5 7–1 T–1st (East) L New Orleans
2013 East Carolina 10–3 6–2 T–2nd (East) W Beef 'O' Brady's
East Carolina (American Athletic Conference) (2014–2015)
2014 East Carolina 8–5 5–3 T–4th L Birmingham
2015 East Carolina 5–7 3–5 5th (Eastern)
East Carolina: 42–34 30–18
Total: 43–34
      National championship         Conference title         Conference division title
#Rankings from final Coaches Poll.
°Rankings from final AP Poll.

References

  1. ↑ "Stupid Questions with Ruffin McNeill". Mixer. Retrieved August 20, 2014.
  2. 1 2 Stinson, Shawn (2010-01-22). "McNeill lands ECU job". The Robesonian. Retrieved 2010-01-22.
  3. ↑ Player Bio: Ruffin McNeill
  4. 1 2 Hubbard, Sharisse (August–September 2008). "Coaches Corner: A Closer Look at Who is Leading the Red Raiders this Year". Red Raider Sports. p. 8. Check date values in: |year= / |date= mismatch (help)
  5. ↑ Texas Tech defensive coordinator Setencich steps down
  6. 1 2 Ruffin McNeill named Defensive Coordinator
  7. ↑ "Leach suspended after player complaint". ESPN.com. 2009-12-28. Retrieved 2009-12-28.
  8. ↑ "Texas Tech fires Leach". ESPN.com. 2009-12-30. Retrieved 2009-12-30.
  9. ↑ Evans, Thayer; Thamel, Pete (2009-12-39). "Texas Tech Fires Coach Mike Leach". The New York Times. Retrieved 2010-05-23. Check date values in: |date= (help)
  10. ↑ New Texas Tech coach fires defensive coordinator McNeill
  11. ↑ Chip Brown. "Tech's 'pirate' may have strong wind in his sails in 2008". Dallas Morning News. Retrieved 2008-06-20.
  12. 1 2 Ruffin McNeill improved Tech defense, rewarded with D-coordinator position
  13. ↑ http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/ecu/sports/m-footbl/auto_pdf/2014-15/misc_non_event/history.pdf
  14. ↑ ESPN.com news services (2015-12-04). "East Carolina fires Ruffin McNeill". espn.go.com. Retrieved 2015-12-04.
  15. ↑ http://www.witn.com/home/headlines/82189457.html

External links

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