Duane Price named to ECU football staff

ECU

Duane Price named to ECU football staff

By Jeff Gravley and ECU Sports Information

Jul 30, 2010

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Earlier this week East Carolina football assistant Mark Nelson resigned after he admitted breaking NCAA rules regarding the evaluation of players in offseason workouts.

To fill the void left by Nelson, ECU head coach Ruffin McNeill announced the hiring of Duane Price. He will coach the defensive tackles. McNeill also announced that running backs coach Clay McGuire will assume duties as the Pirates' special teams coordinator, an area of responsibility he took over at Texas Tech early in the 2007 season and entire 2008 campaign. In addition, former tackles coach Marc Yellock will shift over to the end position.

Price helped the Red Raiders to four bowl appearances as a player and coach during a six-year span which began in 1994 when he arrived on the Texas Tech campus as a defensive back.

Before being retained by new TTU coach Tommy Tuberville and handling the secondary during spring drills, Price contributed to then-coordinator McNeill's efforts in 2009 while working with tackles as a defensive graduate assistant. In addition to his on-the-field coaching duties, Price was also responsible for breaking down game film and preparing the scout team for weekly drills that ultimately helped result in a Valero Alamo Bowl victory over Michigan State last January.

"We're certainly excited to welcome Duane to our Pirate family," McNeill said. "He was a big part of our success a year ago and I know what he can offer this program. He's a master technician and motivator with an unmatched work ethic - someone I know our players will respond to in a very positive manner."

He returned to his alma mater in March, 2009 after serving as a defensive and special teams staff assistant at Conference USA member Tulane during the 2008 campaign. Prior to his stint in New Orleans, Price spent six seasons as an assistant football coach at A&M Consolidated High School in College Station, Texas, where he helped lead the team to a pair of state quarterfinal campaigns in 2002 and 2005.

Price, 34, was a four-year letterwinner at Texas Tech in both football and baseball. On the gridiron, Price was a member of the secondary during trips to the Cotton, Copper and Alamo Bowls, and helped the Red Raiders to a Southwest Conference title in 1994. He starred as a centerfielder for Tech during the spring and was a 20th-round selection of the Cincinnati Reds in 1998 before spending two years in their minor league system.

A native of College Station, Price earned a bachelor’s of science degree in exercise and sport science from Texas Tech in 1999 and followed with a master’s degree in interdisciplinary studies in 2003.

He and his wife, Becca, have one son, Chilton (7).

Most Recent Comments

RE: Duane Price named to ECU football staff

At 34, with six of his seasons as a coach at the high school level, this is a big drop off in experience from his predecessor. That's important, especially when you consider how young the rest of McNeill's staff is, and that McNeill is a first time head coach. This could be a rough year for the Pirates.
- Posted by Ken D.

It was going to be a rough year for us anyways, despite all the coaching changes, we lost 28 players. That would be hard on any team and coach. The age of our coaching staff doesn't concern me, nor does McNeill being a first time head coach. he spent 10 years at Texas Tech under Leach and gained plenty of experience as a coach in a BCS conference. As for the new coach, I don't know much about him, but from the article it sounds like he'll fit in fine. And yes, he spent 6 years at a high school, but has also been at Tulane and Texas Tech as well after he left the high school, it's not like he jumped straight from HS to this job, I think he'll do just fine.
- Posted by cruelpenguin

UNDERDOG could fix this!!!

RE: Duane Price named to ECU football staff

At 34, with six of his seasons as a coach at the high school level, this is a big drop off in experience from his predecessor. That's important, especially when you consider how young the rest of McNeill's staff is, and that McNeill is a first time head coach. This could be a rough year for the Pirates.
- Posted by Ken D.

It was going to be a rough year for us anyways, despite all the coaching changes, we lost 28 players. That would be hard on any team and coach. The age of our coaching staff doesn't concern me, nor does McNeill being a first time head coach. he spent 10 years at Texas Tech under Leach and gained plenty of experience as a coach in a BCS conference. As for the new coach, I don't know much about him, but from the article it sounds like he'll fit in fine. And yes, he spent 6 years at a high school, but has also been at Tulane and Texas Tech as well after he left the high school, it's not like he jumped straight from HS to this job, I think he'll do just fine.

RE: Duane Price named to ECU football staff

At 34, with six of his seasons as a coach at the high school level, this is a big drop off in experience from his predecessor. That's important, especially when you consider how young the rest of McNeill's staff is, and that McNeill is a first time head coach. This could be a rough year for the Pirates.

RE: Duane Price named to ECU football staff

I think he had the coaches that he wanted, until that one stepped down after breaking an NCAA rule.

RE: Duane Price named to ECU football staff

Coach McNeill has had a lot of work to do since arriving to ECU. I don't know how many he as hired thus far, or if any were retained, but it is worth it when you can hire the right personnel. He sounds like he has great energy. It may take a short while to learn a new system and new coaches, but he can do it; I think.

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