Home Care In Ruffin, NC

RALEIGH, N.C. - NC State head coach Dave Doeren has announced that his mentor and friend Ruffin McNeill has joined the Wolfpack staff. McNeill, one of the most well-liked and respected people in college football, will serve as the special assistant to the head coach.

Doeren has known McNeill, who boasts four decades of coaching experience, for more than 20 years and their professional paths have crossed several times. When Doeren was a graduate assistant at USC in 1999, McNeill was the defensive line coach at nearby Fresno State. The two coached in the Big 12 together from 2002-05 - Doeren at Kansas and McNeill at Texas Tech - and for Doeren's first three years at NC State, McNeill was the head coach at East Carolina.

"I've known Ruffin since the beginning of my coaching career," Doeren said. "Not only is he one of my closest friends in the profession, but he's been a mentor to me since I was 24 years old. We've crossed paths on the recruiting trail many times over the past 22 years and have been friends and competitors. Having a former head coach on our staff who I can trust and have known for almost my entire career is a huge benefit for me personally, as well as for our entire program.

"As a North Carolina native and a former coach at Appalachian State and ECU, Ruffin has great relationships and ties across our state. I am looking forward to working with him and want to welcome him and his wife Erlene to the Wolfpack family."

In his role with the Wolfpack, McNeill will serve as an advisor to Doeren and will contribute to and lead special projects. He will be a source of outreach for Wolfpack football to campus, alumni, and community groups on behalf of the program. He will also help provide player development analysis.

"Dave and I have been very good friends and colleagues and I've followed his career over the past 20 years," said McNeill. "I have the highest respect for him as a coach and cherish our long friendship. Erlene and I are happy to be back in North Carolina and very appreciative of the opportunity.

"I look forward to being a resource for the entire staff, but especially for Dave. I've been in that chair and know the pressures that come along with it, so I hope to be a sounding board for him."

McNeill most recently served as the assistant head coach at Oklahoma, where he led the defensive tackles and outside linebackers during his three seasons with the program. He also served as defensive coordinator for much of the 2018 campaign. He left the program in January in order to return to North Carolina to help care for his elderly father.

During his tenure at OU, the Sooners won three Big 12 Championships and advanced to three College Football Playoffs. Following the 2017 season, Oklahoma played Georgia in the CFB semifinals, losing 48-54 in double OT. The next season, the Sooners played Alabama in the Orange Bowl and last season played LSU in the Chick Fil A Peach Bowl.

In 2016, he was the assistant head coach and defensive line coach at Virginia.

McNeill was named head coach at East Carolina, his alma mater, on Jan. 21, 2010, and served in that capacity for six seasons (2010-15). He posted a 42-34 record at ECU and his Pirates' teams played in four bowl games and beat Ohio 37-20 in the 2013 Beef O'Brady's Bowl.

During his tenure at ECU, current Wolfpack cornerbacks coach Brian Mitchell served as his defensive coordinator for three seasons (2010-12).

In 2014, East Carolina began the season with a 6-1 record and was ranked in the Associated Press Top 25 Poll for six weeks. ECU used an explosive offensive unit that rated among the nation's top five in passing (third), first downs (fourth) and total yards (fifth). Defensively, only 10 FBS teams were better against the run, as the Pirates allowed just 111.8 yards per game.

The Pirates recorded 10 victories in 2013, which ranks as the second-highest single-season win total in school history. That squad also broke or matched 52 individual and team single-game, single-season and all-time standards, while both sides of the ball combined to rank among the top 15 nationally in 12 statistical categories. The Pirates finished 7-1 in Conference USA that year.

Prior to East Carolina, McNeill spent 10 seasons at Texas Tech, where he coached linebackers (2000-02), special teams (2003- 06) and defensive tackles (2007) and was the assistant head coach (2003-09). He served as Texas Tech's interim defensive coordinator in 2007 before being promoted to the spot full-time for the 2008 and 2009 seasons. He concluded the 2009 campaign as the Red Raiders' interim head coach by rallying No. 21 Texas Tech to a 41-31 victory over Michigan State at the Valero Alamo Bowl.

McNeill began his coaching career at Lumberton High School (1980-84) and went on to work at Clemson (1985-86), Austin Peay (1987), North Alabama (1988), Appalachian State (1989-91, 1993-96), East Carolina (1992), UNLV (1997-98) and Fresno State (1999). He also spent time with the Miami Dolphins as a summer intern in 1996.

A four-year letterwinner at ECU (1976-80), McNeill was a three-year starter and two-time team captain under legendary head coach Pat Dye. He helped lead ECU to the Southern Conference Championship in 1976 and an Independence Bowl berth in 1978.

He graduated from ECU in 1980 after majoring in education with a focus in special education. He later earned his master's degree in secondary counseling from Clemson.

McNeill and his wife, Erlene, have two daughters and a granddaughter. Renata McNeill Petrekin resides in Coral Springs, Fla., with her daughter Isabella, while Olivia McNeill is a social justice educator at Brown University in Providence, R.I.

The hire is pending routine background checks.

Year by Year with Ruffin McNeill

For the first time since being fired by his alma mater, Ruffin McNeill will return to Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium on Saturday — on the opposing sideline.

McNeill played defensive back at East Carolina from 1976-80, and returned in 2010 as the program’s head coach. He went 42-34 overall, but was unexpectedly let go in 2015.

He’s now on the N.C. State coaching staff, serving as a special assistant to head coach Dave Doeren. No. 13 N.C. State opens its season at ECU on Saturday at noon.

When McNeill was let go, he admitted he was hurt and disappointed.

“It was tough,” McNeill said Friday. “I’m only human, but never any negative words on my part.”

McNeill was one of the most popular coaches in recent memory for the Pirates. His ECU teams played in four bowl games. In 2013, the Pirates won 10 games, tied for the second-most in a season in school history. But after ECU finished 5-7 in 2015, McNeill was let go.

He didn’t stay unemployed long. McNeill served on the staffs at Virginia (2016) and Oklahoma (2017-19) before returning to North Carolina in 2020. Last fall, he made a trip to Greenville for the first time since he was fired and was honored as a new inductee into the ECU Sports Hall of Fame.

This weekend, he’s going back again. Though it will take on a very different feel: He’ll set up shop in the visitor’s locker room, and pace the opposite sideline, both things he’ll do for the first time.

“The emotions will be different,” McNeill said. “I’ve played on that turf, I coached on that turf. I was 17 when I first played on that thing. That was many moons ago, so I’m looking forward to that.”

McNeill, a former captain for the Pirates, isn’t new to the N.C. State-ECU rivalry.

He played against the Wolfpack four times when he was in college, making a game-winning tackle for the Pirates during a 28-23 win in 1977. As the coach at ECU, he led the Pirates to a 33-27 overtime win in 2010 and a 42-28 win in 2013.

McNeill’s responsibilities these days include being an extra set of eyes and ears on game day for Doeren. Part of McNeill’s pregame routine is coming out of the locker room extra early and taking a seat on the N.C. State bench. He won’t break routine in the opener, trying to not to do anything out of the ordinary.

“If I’m not out early, the boys here will be wondering what’s happening,” McNeill said. “So I gotta make sure I’m in my spot so they can see me so I can give them a hug and a word of encouragement.”

There may be more people than usual who want hugs from McNeill this Saturday — from stadium employees, friends on the ECU staff or people who still work with the Pirates program. Once the ball is kicked off, McNeill will lock in and put his feelings on the back burner. He expects much of the same from those wearing purple and gold.

“I know this one time they won’t be pulling for their former player to win,” McNeill said. “I’m looking forward to the competition.”

Ruffin McNeill will resume his coaching career in North Carolina as a special assistant to N.C. State football coach Dave Doeren, the school announced Tuesday morning.

The Lumberton native, who has more than four decades of coaching experience, will serve as an advisor to Doeren and will contribute to and lead special projects.

McNeill, who will also help provide player development analysis, will be a source of outreach for Wolfpack football to campus, alumni, and community groups on behalf of the program.

“Dave and I have been very good friends and colleagues and I’ve followed his career over the past 20 years,” McNeill said in a school-issued statement.

“I have the highest respect for him as a coach and cherish our long friendship. Erlene and I are happy to be back in North Carolina and very appreciative of the opportunity. I look forward to being a resource for the entire staff, but especially for Dave. I’ve been in that chair and know the pressures that come along with it, so I hope to be a sounding board for him.”

McNeill, who started his coaching career at Lumberton High School in 1980, was the head coach at East Carolina for six seasons.

McNeill most recently served as the assistant head coach at Oklahoma, where he led the defensive tackles and outside linebackers during his three seasons with the program.

He left the program in January in order to return to North Carolina to help care for his elderly father. McNeill’s father, Ruffin McNeill Sr., is a former educator in the Public Schools of Robeson County.

“I’ve known Ruffin since the beginning of my coaching career,” Doeren said.

“Not only is he one of my closest friends in the profession, but he’s been a mentor to me since I was 24 years old. We’ve crossed paths on the recruiting trail many times over the past 22 years and have been friends and competitors. Having a former head coach on our staff who I can trust and have known for almost my entire career is a huge benefit for me personally, as well as for our entire program.”

After being dismissed from his alma mater following the 2015 campaign, McNeill spent a season as an assistant coach at Virginia before being hired by his former ECU offensive coordinator, Lincoln Riley, at Oklahoma in June 2017.

The 61-year-old coaching veteran went 43-34 with four bowl appearances in six seasons as ECU’s head coach. The Pirates’ 10 wins in 2013 were the most by an ECU football team in 22 years and McNeill led ECU to four bowl berths in his six seasons as a fan and player favorite.

“As a North Carolina native and a former coach at Appalachian State and ECU, Ruffin has great relationships and ties across our state,” Doeren said. “I am looking forward to working with him and want to welcome him and his wife Erlene to the Wolfpack family.”

During his time in Norman, Oklahoma, McNeill has helped the Sooners to a 36-6 overall record, three Big 12 Conference championships and three appearances in the College Football Playoff.

Staff writer Rodd Baxley can be reached at [email protected].

RALEIGH — Lumberton native Ruffin McNeill is returning to an in-state football program as North Carolina State announced Tuesday it had hired the former East Carolina head coach and Oklahoma assistant on its football staff as a special assistant to the head coach.

The school said the job would serve as an advisor head coach Dave Doeren. Duties include assisting player development analysis, leading special projects and outreach to alumni, campus and community groups.

“I’ve known Ruffin since the beginning of my coaching career,” Doeren said in a statement. “Not only is he one of my closest friends in the profession, but he’s been a mentor to me since I was 24 years old. … Having a former head coach on our staff who I can trust and have known for almost my entire career is a huge benefit for me personally, as well as for our entire program.

“As a North Carolina native and a former coach at Appalachian State and ECU, Ruffin has great relationships and ties across our state. I am looking forward to working with him and want to welcome him and his wife Erlene to the Wolfpack family.”

McNeill, 61, was the Pirates’ head coach from 2010-15 and guided his alma mater to four bowl appearances during a college coaching career spanning more than three decades. He later joined Oklahoma’s staff under Lincoln Riley – who had worked under him at ECU – for three seasons as assistant head coach.

McNeill stepped down in January to help care for his father in Lumberton.

“I just felt like it was time for me to be a son and for Erlene and I to come back home,” McNeill said. “Dave has been in touch with me for all these years. He called and wished me well and stayed in touch the entire time. Then we began talking about this opportunity.

“We both decided what a great opportunity it would be for both of us.”

McNeill will serve as an advisor for the coaching staff, and is not allowed to go on the road and recruit players or have a coaching role with players.

“I look forward to being a resource for the entire staff, but especially for Dave,” McNeill said. “I’ve been in that chair and know the pressures that come along with it, so I hope to be a sounding board for him.”

On top of being a sounding board, McNeill said he will be able to step back and see the bigger picture of the program and the university in his new position.

“I’ll miss the X’s and O’s part on the field, but this new experience is really exciting too,” He said. “I will be observing how the kids react, how they play and how they practice. Sharing any knowledge with the coaches that I may see. Not football wise but young people wise.”

Before his start in the college ranks, McNeill was an assistant coach at Lumberton High School from 1980 to 1984. McNeill graduated from Lumberton in 1976 before lettering for four years at East Carolina.

He graduated from ECU in 1980 after majoring in education with a focus in special education. He later earned his master’s degree in secondary counseling from Clemson.

McNeill was named head coach at East Carolina on Jan. 21, 2010, and served in that capacity for six seasons (2010-15). He posted a 42-34 record at ECU and his Pirates’ teams played in four bowl games and beat Ohio 37-20 in the 2013 Beef O’Brady’s Bowl.

In 2014, East Carolina began the season with a 6-1 record and was ranked in the Associated Press Top 25 Poll for six weeks. ECU used an explosive offensive unit that rated among the nation’s top five in passing (third), first downs (fourth) and total yards (fifth). Defensively, only 10 FBS teams were better against the run, as the Pirates allowed just 111.8 yards per game.

The Pirates recorded 10 victories in 2013, which ranks as the second-highest single-season win total in school history. That squad also broke or matched 52 individual and team single-game, single-season and all-time standards, while both sides of the ball combined to rank among the top 15 nationally in 12 statistical categories. The Pirates finished 7-1 in Conference USA that year.

At his latest coaching stop at Oklahoma, he led the defensive tackles and outside linebackers during his three seasons with the program. He also served as defensive coordinator for much of the 2018 campaign.

NC State coach Dave Doeren will have a familiar advisor to lean on this football season.

Former ECU coach Ruffin McNeill was hired on Tuesday to be a special assistant to Doeren. McNeill won 43 games in six years with the Pirates and most recently was an assistant at Oklahoma.

The position was created at NC State for McNeill, who will make $150,000 for the 2020 season. It’s different from an analyst role, which Doeren has used in addition to the full-time assistant coaches on his staff.

McNeill, 61, gives Doeren a veteran coach to rely on for a range of reasons.

“I’ve known Ruffin since the beginning of my coaching career," Doeren said in a statement released by the school. "Not only is he one of my closest friends in the profession, but he's been a mentor to me since I was 24 years old. We've crossed paths on the recruiting trail many times over the past 22 years and have been friends and competitors. Having a former head coach on our staff who I can trust and have known for almost my entire career is a huge benefit for me personally, as well as for our entire program."

Officially, McNeill spent the past three seasons as a defensive assistant at Oklahoma but he held a similar mentor role with Lincoln Riley, his former assistant at ECU and the head coach of the Sooners.

McNeill left Oklahoma in January in order to return to North Carolina to help care for his elderly father.

"Dave and I have been very good friends and colleagues and I've followed his career over the past 20 years," McNeill said in a statement released by the school. "I have the highest respect for him as a coach and cherish our long friendship. Erlene and I are happy to be back in North Carolina and very appreciative of the opportunity.

"I look forward to being a resource for the entire staff, but especially for Dave. I've been in that chair and know the pressures that come along with it, so I hope to be a sounding board for him."

McNeill, who played defensive back at ECU in the late 1970s, has had coaching stops as an assistant at Appalachian State and ECU before a 10-year stint with Texas Tech from 2000 through ’09.

He was hired by his alma mater in 2010 and led the Pirates to a bowl game in four of his six seasons. His 2013 team went 10-3 with a 42-28 win over Doeren and NC State in Raleigh. McNeill went 2-0 against the Wolfpack during his tenure.

In a controversial decision after a 5-7 record in 2015, former ECU athletic director Jeff Compher decided to fire McNeill. The Pirates haven’t won more than four games in a season since McNeill’s ouster.