McNeill moves quickly, places Price in charge of Pirate defensive tackles

First-year coach turns to his Texas Tech ties to fill unexpected staff opening

While new East Carolina football coach Ruffin McNeill—a veteran of the coaching industry—knew that he would have to make some more hiring decisions during his tenure at his alma mater; he thought he was finished until at least after his first full season at the helm.

With the opening of camp just days away, McNeill was forced to moved quickly and he did just that.

The former Pirate defensive back’s first East Carolina staff has several coaches with Texas Tech ties.

Add another to the mix.

McNeill has elected to bring Red Raiders’ secondary coach Duane Price to Greenville to tutor his defensive tackles.

Price, who spent the 2009 season coaching McNeill’s defensive tackles at Texas Tech as a defensive graduate assistant, served as a defensive and special teams staff assistant at Tulane during the 2008 campaign.

While he doesn’t possess a ton of collegiate coaching experience, Price—who excelled in football and baseball during his time as a student-athlete in Lubbock—spent six seasons coaching high school football prior to breaking into the college game.

As a result of the addition, Marc Yellock will now coach the defensive ends. He had previously been in charge of mentoring the defensive tackles. Running backs coach Clay McGuire will assume the duties of Special Teams Coordinator. McGuire served in the role for Mike Leach’s Red Raiders staff during the 2008 season.

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